gothics revealed.

so after being emo/goth for two weeks, i have seemed to have learnt quite a bit. the research i did extended from computer research (google, wikipedia, etc.) and chatting to some well informed goth people. the goth culture means a variety of things to different memebers of the community. it is a community that has been around for 100's of years, and has transformed over time. many goths adopt their own unique styles in order to differentiate themselves, as goths usually dispise conformity. being an individual through and through is definately a goal. the common aspects of all these goth individuals could include their music taste (usually heavy metal/rock music), their taste in art and literature, their liking of extreme black clothing, contrast of both light and dark heavily applied make-up, body piercings, unusual hair styles, a common fascination of medievil or Victorian times and their tendancy to wear christian symbols, such as the cross. their nature is commonly non-violent, passive and tolerant, which can be often misconstrued as morbid and unfriendly, almost socially scary. they often seem sullen, withdrawn when in the public eye. they usually feel much more comfortable around fellow goths and tend to let loose a bit more.


one reseracher, Jasin Tamline, commented: "If you take a look at the 640 sites that are listed on the gothic web ring, you will find many of them filled with desperation, depression, anger, hatered, dispair and angst." This proves the mentality of the gothic culture and how they view the world around them. they try to find a different way of looking at life and usually this involves a common fascination with death. they try to find beauty in life, pain, death, and continue the quest for immortality. to me this is amazing. because i am the complete opposite in my views and opinions, trying to get into the mind set of a goth has been rather challenging, but at the same time extremely eye opening. many goths feel alienated by the public, as they don't conform to the general consensus of modern day society. being alienated from society could also be a reason for some people to join the gothic community.


another aspect that encompasses the gothic community is that of religion. very often goths are immediately associated with satanism, violence, white supremacy and intolerance. all of these are however misconceptions. there are a variety of beliefs amoung goths, some are satanists, but others are christian and are simply pulled into the "evil" category due to the stigma people have against goths. this once again shows how exterior dictates to the naive. peope are so quick to believe what they hear and jump to conclusions based on what they see. this is how stereotypes are formed.


i've realised through out this project how simple minded some people can be (including myself some of the time). becoming more open minded is something i strive toward (as cheesey as it may sound). i think everyone diserves a chance to be seen for who they are, not stereotyped into what people think they are.




here are some quotes that i find inspiring (from a goths point of view):

"... being Goth, for me, is seeing beauty, and it's coming destruction, at the same time. For me... It's the last dance as the walls are crumbling around you..." Beatgrrl.

"(Goth) is the ability to find the art where the art seems to be lacking; to find the light in the darkness and embrace it for all it's worth..." Jennifer Mason.


reference: google. www.religioustolerence.org/goth.htm