Final answer:
Counter-cultures are mistreated through discrimination, media sensationalism, and environmental racism, leading to their exclusion and public misunderstanding.
Step-by-step explanation:
Counter-cultures throughout history and in modern times have often been mistreated and misunderstood. One way they experience this is through discrimination, where the dominant societal group uses laws, customs, and political power to marginalize them.
Another form is the imposition of environmental racism, as seen in the treatment of American Indian tribes who have been forced to contend with the desecration of their lands. Moreover, these groups are frequently branded as cults and subjected to media sensationalism, which can lead to public misunderstanding and further alienation.
Groups like the Church of Scientology and the Hare Krishna movement have seen controversy stem from sensationalist media portrayals. Countercultures like the 1960s movement opposed patriarchal norms and consumerist lifestyles, which led to clashes with mainstream values.
These cultural conflicts can lead to social tensions and reinforce systems of exclusion and oppression. This mistreatment often leads to countercultures being silenced or discredited, further entrenching their status as outsiders within society.