Sure, countercultures have their own social norms that their members conform to, and can behave just as sheeply. The thing is, the regular guy from the suburbs who doesn't do anything 'different' can be the awesome, interesting person you think only your 'freak' friends were/are. The clothes and labels are all just junk. You got it right on the big city counterculture, but still getting it wrong when looking at the suburbs you grew up on.
Except for the subcultures who are actually trying to take over the world, and who therefore dress and self-label exactly so as to fit into the mainstream.
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Sure, countercultures have their own social norms that their members conform to, and can behave just as sheeply. The thing is, the regular guy from the suburbs who doesn't do anything 'different' can be the awesome, interesting person you think only your 'freak' friends were/are. The clothes and labels are all just junk. You got it right on the big city counterculture, but still getting it wrong when looking at the suburbs you grew up on.
We're all in a subculture of some kind.
And in pretty much every subcultures, there's clothes, labels, things, and activities that 'define' you as a member of.
Except for the subcultures who are actually trying to take over the world, and who therefore dress and self-label exactly so as to fit into the mainstream.