Harder core than thou

I never really understood why people look down on this. Sometimes, it's just a fact. Example: I listen to death metal and black metal--bands that have an intense sound and go wicked fast. Obviously, that's harder core than listening to Britney Spears. So if I say to a Britney Spears fan, "I'm harder core than you," it's the truth. Sure, it's probably meant as an insult, but it's not like they have to take it as an insult. They could just as easily say "You're right, but I just don't like hard music, I'd rather listen to things that are relaxing to me--soft music." Everything's an opinion. It's up to the person to be insulted.

Bottom line: if you are insulted by somebody saying this to you, why don't you prove that they're not? Just whining isn't going to make it seem like you're all tough and big and bad.

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This isn't referring to anybody in particular. So don't take offense to this. It's just a nodeshell I filled.

This is also a line in the Dead Kennedys song "Chickenshit Conformist." It's meant to criticize the fashion punks in the mid-80s hardcore scene around the SF bay area. They would come to shows, beat people up, and be a general disturbance. They held none of the beliefs that real punks held sacred at the time.

On top of that, they would give people shit because they didn't have a 3-foot mohawk or weren't wearing ripped leather.

"Harder core than thou for a year or two,
Then it's time to get a real job.
Others stay home, it's no fun to go out
Where the gigs are wrecked by gangs and thugs."

That Jello Biafra was quite a lyricist.