CommunityBrowse groupsBlogEtiquetteInvite Your friendsSuccess Stories

Lounge
Community 


OT: goth people- why do they do it?

what is the deal with goth people. What is the specific psychology of these people. Do they have a void to fill, are they just bored. Were they all molested or beat up as kids? And they are now trying to scare the people that hurt them?

Wed. Aug 29, 4:20pm

Add comment  
it looks like a desperate cry for attention to me... some kid looking for acceptance, negative attention or rebelling against their suburban corporate parents. who knows... but we all did stuff like that even if it wasn't quite to that extent.

Wednesday, August 29, 2007, 4:24 PM

Add comment
Maybe they just like the look of it. Not everyone like The Gap.

Wednesday, August 29, 2007, 4:35 PM

Add comment
4:35 you are totally a goth person. Thats like saying I smoke crack because I hate the taste of beer.

Wednesday, August 29, 2007, 4:44 PM

Add comment
LOL 4.44

I agree, it's a total cry for attention. I mean, sure, I personally wear some black (jeans, black shirts, etc), and maybe I don't deck myself out in Hollister and Abercrobie all the time...but C'MON.

And I hate the music assocation that's come of it. Like, if you listen to "rock" music, you're automatically supposed to dress a certain way. One day I was wearing jeans and a light pink shirt, and someone took my iPod to see what I was listening to.

Oh, were they surprised when they say it was In Flames (heavy metal)

Ha.

Wednesday, August 29, 2007, 4:51 PM

Add comment
4:35 here!

LOL! I am soooo not a goth person! I am jeans and t-shirts, too boring for words. I am a mom in her late 30s!

But I see people dressed differently and it doesn't really phase me. What makes one style more relevant or acceptable than another? I don't think its particularly nice looking, but looks are arbitrary.





Wednesday, August 29, 2007, 4:59 PM

Add comment
there is always gonna be the preps, the jocks, the average joe, the nerds, and now the goths. i missed a few groups in there but you get the point.
i work with the public and i was intimidated by all the black and the chains. then i started talking to these kids. most are very nice and smart. they tell me that they just like the look.
to me it would be nice to be able to wake up in the morning and put on whatever i wanted to wear and not be worried or care what others thought of me. that takes some guts.


Wednesday, August 29, 2007, 5:04 PM

Add comment
I'm not one of the above posters & I'm not goth at all, but I have known people over the years who have gone thru that phase...or continue to be in it. It truly can be just a style thing, but of course their is some reason he/she is drawn to that look. Some people think it's sexy to wear fishnets, black everything except for the red lips & the (if white) pale face.
I'm in my 20s now & when I see kids dressed this way I always find myself thinking, isn't this look OVER yet? Didn't this end in the 90s?

Wednesday, August 29, 2007, 5:06 PM

Add comment
Its a fad people - stupid thread!

Jeeze you posters must be deeply imbedded in the bible belt of the midwest US.
Back in the 80 it was not goth, but similar. If you were into alternative music, you wore the black clothes, died your hair black etc ....
I went to an all girls private school (not a catholic school, but a private school for the intellectually superior)where you couldn't wear any make-up and only basic jewellery. I turned into a bat caver in the summer whene I could shake off the chains (ironic) and do what I wanted as far as my clothes were concerned. I didn't do drugs, I didn't commit acts of violence, I enjoyed it, and at the end of summer put on my uniform and went back to school.

I was not seeking attention, or acting out anger, I just didn't want to be one of "the Gap" people as 4:35 said

and 4:44 you are just ignorant and plainly stupid.


Wednesday, August 29, 2007, 5:32 PM

Add comment
there are tons of goth kids wandering around in the Midwest

Wednesday, August 29, 2007, 6:46 PM

Add comment
yeah i grew up in the midwest, and i was a grunge rocker... um yeah it's a fad like everything else, that has nothing to do with where you grow up. i love how you had to throw in intellectually superior, evidently you are right out of school and feel the need to tell everyone how smart you are.

Wednesday, August 29, 2007, 6:54 PM

Add comment
i thought that was cute too!

Wednesday, August 29, 2007, 7:28 PM

Add comment
People asking inane off-topic questions on a diet and fitness board - why do they do it?

So what's the deal with you? What are you trying to accomplish with this line of questioning? Do you actually care? And if so why don't you go find some actual goth people rather than asking anonymous people on the internet (*cough*ON A DIET AND FITNESS board*cough*)? I don't doubt for a second that there are loads of online goth communities you could go ask - so why aren't you? Afraid you won't get the kind of answers you want?

Wednesday, August 29, 2007, 7:43 PM

Add comment
I quite like the alternative look! It is the sad lifestyle that some take that goes along with it that concerns me - life is to celebrate not morn!

Wednesday, August 29, 2007, 8:54 PM

Add comment
lifestyle?

Wednesday, August 29, 2007, 9:18 PM

Add comment
The late nights worshiping the moon, sad appearance and lethagy with no real aims!

Wednesday, August 29, 2007, 9:38 PM

Add comment
like hippies!

Wednesday, August 29, 2007, 9:48 PM

Add comment
Well.......sort of......... I think it has more links with the witch craft side of their beliefs - but then again I suggest it has more to do with being on msn and mobile phones till all hours chatting to other like themselves.

Wednesday, August 29, 2007, 10:05 PM

Add comment
It's no different than the looks of many other groups throughout the decades-think of the beatniks in the 60's and 70's, the greasers in the 50's, and there were plenty of goth influences/style in the 80's. it's not necessarily a "lifestyle". That's like assuming all preppy people are living a happy "lifestyle".

You can't judge people by how they look and really get an understanding of who they are-especially during one's teenage years! Please-if I was actually the person I portrayed visually in high school?? I'd have a whole mess of other problems!

Wednesday, August 29, 2007, 10:25 PM

Add comment
It's kids going through a phase hoping to get some attention ....and look, they did here....on a message board.

Wednesday, August 29, 2007, 10:36 PM

Add comment
6:54

Obviously you failed math.If I was stating that I was a "bat caver in the eighties" that would put me in my thirties now, and thus not just out of school.
The intellectually superior was to explain, that it is not down and out stupid kids who follow a goth path, but rather anyone. Furthermore clarification needed to be made between catholic schools with uniforms (which anyone can attend) vs private school which requires and maintains certain academic standards.

All of this is to debunk the stereotypes associated with goth kids.

Thursday, August 30, 2007, 9:36 AM

Add comment
why do people dress in goth styles? because they like the way it looks and what it represents. and they embrace the opportunity to express themselves.

Judgemental: why are people like that?

Thursday, August 30, 2007, 9:46 AM

Add comment
From the time we go to kindergarten, we "just want to fit in". Anyone who doesn't want to fit in it trying to stick out - quite simple. We live in a world where everyone wants their "15 minutes of fame". Some are willing to take it where they can get it. If goth people didn't want the attention they wouldn draw it to themselves.

Thursday, August 30, 2007, 12:59 PM

Add comment
or maybe they just like how it looks.

Thursday, August 30, 2007, 1:04 PM

Add comment
i never wanted to "just fit in" and i've never stuck out, either. i am just not "mainstream" or conforming. i am just me, not a copy of someone else or a reflection of who someone else expects / wants me to be. a person might be willing to "stick out" to others who judge them based on appearance due to the fact the some people don't care what people-who-judge-others-based-on-appearance think about them...

Thursday, August 30, 2007, 2:11 PM

Add comment
if something is not black, it doesn't follow that we should then conclude it's gotta be white. just because someone chooses to dress differently than the majority of others around him / her doesn't mean they want to stick out. it may mean they don't want to wear khakis and button-down shirts.

Thursday, August 30, 2007, 2:13 PM

Add comment
goth people don't fit in? ha, it is a uniform just like what a cop wears. they fit in with each other. It's like a losers club for ugly people. Ohh, the world judges me harshly, let me find a place where I can fit in. A total copout- people who have the strength to overcome on their own don't need to hide in a clique of black clad losers hiding guns in their locker plotting to kill the pretty kids.

Thursday, August 30, 2007, 2:45 PM

Add comment
actually, i think it's the skinheads who do all the killing. goths are pretty docile. they get high from the second hand pot smoke drifting over from where the hippy kids are hanging out. the skinheads have to defend themselves from the jocks, so they cop an attitude pretty early on. and don't even get me started on the fat girls....

Thursday, August 30, 2007, 2:59 PM

Add comment
are there black goths?

Thursday, August 30, 2007, 3:00 PM

Add comment
It's a style of dress and a way to express personality. How come no one asks why kids wear Abercrombie & Fitch or feel like they need to wear American Eagle or some crap like that to fit in? It sounds bitter, but the people who are Abercrombie addicts annoy me a hell of a lot more than people who dye their hair black and wear black clothes.
"Like, oh my god, a sale at the gap! That dude is totally hot! I'm glad we are BFF's"

Haha, sorry that was an over exaggeration, I couldn't help it. I know not everyone is like that, but my point is that people of all styles/personalities should be able to wear what they want without being labeled as "fitting in" or "crying for attention". It's just a form of expression.

Thursday, August 30, 2007, 3:03 PM

Add comment
The bottom line is this: when you make yourself look differently from the "main stream" you open yourself up to criticism (right or wrong). If you don't like it, then it's like you're asking for it. No one is forcing you to dress like that and you shouldn't be forcing anyone to accept it. Do what you want, but expect what you get.

Thursday, August 30, 2007, 8:55 PM

Add comment
you're only opening yourself up for criticism from the very same mainstream that you disregarded in the first place...if i already don't care enough about your opinion to wear clothing that you wouldn't be caught dead in, why would it make a difference to me if you felt a need to criticise me for it? people who conform and dress like the mainstream are also making a choice to sacrifice individual expression in dress for perceived acceptance based on style decisions. it's not some phenomenon that only goths experience. the bottom line is this: when you decide to criticise someone because of their clothing and make-up and label them as attention-seekers, don't expect them to care. they are not forcing you to look at them and you shouldn't be forcing anyone to dress wee enough for you to want to look at. say what you want, but don't be surprised when you get ignored.

Friday, August 31, 2007, 7:45 AM

Add comment
***that should read "shouldn't be forcing anyone to dress WELL enough..."***

Friday, August 31, 2007, 7:46 AM

Add comment
Unbelievable

So many narrow minded people. All of you that condemn people for wearing goth should take a closer look at yourselves.

What if I said that all obese people are stereotypes as being lazy, ignorant, self pittying, stupid, without any discipline, no purpose in life other than to stuff their faces.

Not so fun being criticized on the other side of the fence is it?
And no I am not goth, I am just old enough and sensible enough to understand that everyone is allowed to be different and express themselves in their own way, so long as it doesn't hurt anyone else.

So quit the finger pointing unless you are doing it in the mirror.

Friday, August 31, 2007, 9:02 AM

Add comment
Does it matter? Everyone has thier own style or look. I love 50's clothes but I don't get put down for it. It's not just teens that go for the goth look, besides there are lots of looks out there that are the 'norm'. It's a bit of a redneck attitude to be so narrow minded. It doesn't affect you so why be so rude?

Friday, August 31, 2007, 10:36 AM

Add comment
i think the goths dress that way as a defense machanism; they may have been hurt in the past, they may feel powerless, or they may feel that they have no real strengths. The scary look is not something they think looks good, but sort of like an armor, people know that they are not to be messed with if they wear skulls and bones on them, supposedly.

Friday, August 31, 2007, 10:40 AM

Add comment
are you seriously using the term "redneck attitude" to describe another person as having a narrow mind and being unaccepting of difference?????!!!!! oh, yeah, and that exemplifies how to withhold judgement and spare others from having to defend themselves against ignorant attitudes. sounds like a lot of posters need some "edumacation".

Friday, August 31, 2007, 10:45 AM

Add comment
"what is the deal with" self-centered b*tches?? " What is the specific psychology of these people. Do they have a void to fill, are they just bored. Were they all molested or beat up as kids? And they are now trying to scare the people that hurt them? "


Friday, August 31, 2007, 10:49 AM

Add comment
"i think the that way as a defense machanism; they may have been hurt in the past, they may feel powerless, or they may feel that they have no real strengths. The look is not something they think looks good, but sort of like an armor, people know that they are if they wear , supposedly."

hmmmm - yep I have to admit, that finger pointing observation was pretty accurate (I'm not that poster, but agree with them 100%).

Friday, August 31, 2007, 10:51 AM

Add comment
10:45 was supposed to read

"i think the FAT eat that way as a defense machanism; they may have been hurt in the past, they may feel powerless, or they may feel that they have no real strengths. The FAT look is not something they think looks good, but sort of like an armor, people know that they are INVISIBLE if they wear BAGGY, UNFLATTERING CLOTHES, supposedly."

I encased all the caps words in andle brackets and they were not printed.


Friday, August 31, 2007, 10:53 AM

Add comment
TOO BAD ALL OF WHAT YOU TYPED WASN'T PRINTED.

Friday, August 31, 2007, 11:31 AM

Add comment
10:53 -
that may also be correct. I think any werid deviation, or behavior that is kind-of out there, or strange, is probably a defense mechanism.

Friday, August 31, 2007, 11:33 AM

Add comment
My 13 year old is not seeking attention, withdrawn or depressed, no piercings, tattoos or makeup..but in her school if you wear 'black' you are considered goth-heck I am a Mom and would be considered goth then-love black and Evanescene...

Friday, August 31, 2007, 11:39 AM

Add comment
in my opinion, people who conform to others' standards and expectations are exhibiting weird, deviant , out-there & strange behaviour. is that as a defense mechanism against expressing oneself as an individual rather than one-of-the-herd? why are you trying to figure out what motivates a group of separate individuals as if there is one underlying pinpointable reason behind their choices?

Friday, August 31, 2007, 11:57 AM

Add comment
um maybe there is an underlying reason behind their choices....duh. As there is an underlying reason behind ALL choices.

and in my opinion, your opinion is totally self-contradicting. Rediculous.

Friday, August 31, 2007, 12:10 PM

Add comment
you can't conclude that since 'a' and 'b' are both wearing tiedyes that their reasons for doing so are the same. why do people have the preferences they have? for 9 billion reasons, at least.
an opinion divided against itself cannot stand...i am a non-conformist and think those who feel like they have to fit in somewhere by dressing a certain way or wearing their hair in a specific style are lacking some fundamental feeling of self-worth that can be measured even when you are all alone for a long period of time. without having others around to "try to fit in with", some people have no sense of identity. that's sad but true.

Friday, August 31, 2007, 12:21 PM

Add comment
why do goths do it? to keep people like you away from them. weed out the shallow in one fell swoop...

Friday, August 31, 2007, 1:22 PM

Add comment
this is an interesting take on Goths:

What is the Goth culture?

It is basically indefinable, because "Goth" means different things to each follower. Many adopt unusual fashions in order to separate themselves from other youth. Gordon A. Crews, associate dean of the School of Justice Studies at Roger Williams University in Bristol, CT is an investigator of what he calls the "occult" which-- in his opinion -- includes the Goth culture. He said: "It is up to the individual to define what Goth is for themselves ... The mentality is, 'I want to be left alone but I want to be seen. I want to see the shock on other peoples' faces." 11

Some factors that are commonly observed are:
bullet Its unique music, art and literature.
bullet The use of extreme black clothing, light colored makeup, unusual hair styles, body piercing, bondage items, etc.
bullet A fascination with medieval, Victorian and Edwardian history.
bullet Wearing of symbols such as a Christian cross; an Egyptian ankh or "Eye of Ra," or "Eye of Horus;" a Wiccan pentacle, a Satanic inverted pentacle. etc. 14
bullet Goths tend to be non-violent, pacifistic, passive, and tolerant. Many in the media have mistakenly associated Goth with extreme violence and hatred of minorities, white supremacy, etc.
bullet Many Goths write about being depressed. Followers seem sullen and withdrawn, when in public. They are often much more "happy and carefree in the company of [other] Goths." 1 Examples of depression are:
bullet "Tigriss," commenting on her own life, writes: "So my gothic persona fit me quite well. My black clothing and dark music aptly reflected my own depression, pain, and anger which was what I made most of my life about. Most of my goth friends had dysfunctional families and troubled childhoods as mine. We could identify with each other through our dark make-up and painful pasts." 12
bullet Researcher Jasin Tamlin comments: "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, hatred, despair and angst." 13
bullet "A lot of people turn to the Gothic subculture after having a hard time in school, feeling alienated, and looking for a way to express themselves that mirrors those feelings. Others find the scene through literature, still others want to be shocking, and some people just find black clothing slimming." 1
bullet Goth music often deals with thought-provoking topics, concentrating on societal evils, like racism, war, hatred of groups, etc. Their music tends to concentrate on the very "nasty, unhappy" topics that "North American culture" wants to "ignore and forget."
bullet A fascination with death. They try "to find a different way of thinking about life, like trying to find beauty in life, pain and death. It's all a quest for immortality." 2
bullet In contrast, many Goths are optimistic about the future and see much beauty in the world.
bullet Some Goths enjoy playing role playing games. However, RPGs are not an integral component of Goth culture. It is just that those intellectual and creative challenges that draw them to the Goth scene make them more likely to enjoy RPGs as well.
bullet Other interests: writings by authors like Dante, Byron, Tolstoy; German Expressionist silent films; writing music; painting, etc.

Friday, August 31, 2007, 2:48 PM

Add comment
bullet: BS

Friday, August 31, 2007, 2:52 PM

Add comment
Wanting to "fit in" equals "lack of self worth"? How about wanting to fit in so you can get a decent job? How many "goths" do you see on Wall Street???? Ever seen a "goth" doctor? Lawyer? Executive? Scientist? Fitting into society is what it's all about - conform or be left behind.

Friday, August 31, 2007, 3:50 PM

Add comment
3.50 - check this link out

Goths more often than others become doctors, lawyers, etc. I am, in fact, a formerly goth lawyer (I am now 30, but I still love heavy metal, industrial and emo music. I don't, however, have a penchant for snakebite). It's an incredibly mild form of rebellion for nice middle-class kids, is all.

There's also a "ten tips for telling whether your child is a goth" at the bottom of the article in the link - tongue-in-cheek, of course.


Link

Monday, September 03, 2007, 1:28 PM

Add comment
I was a goth girl of the 80's, but I outgrew it. I still listen to a lot of goth music (from the 80's). I didn't realize goth is still popular...

Tuesday, September 04, 2007, 7:52 PM

Add comment
Goth is hot!

I don't really understand your hate for people who dress better then you norms do (yes theres a word for you losers) I hate to admit this but it really hurts my feelings when people are rude to me because I dont shop for clothing at Walmart or Amarican eagle. Have you even meet any one who is goth, we are usaly very nice people but some people might think we are not because some of us are very shy ( I'm not saying that all goths are shy just alot of the ones I know) and don't really talk alot around people they just meet (well that happens to me alot and people have thought I was very rude so I try to smile a little bit more so they don't get the wrong idia). We are not depressed people and I really hope that you dumbums get that through your head. And last but not least we DO NOT dress for ATTENTION , we dress like this because we love the clothing, the art & music. Oh and you all keep saying we don't wear colors well I think that means......ya gotta stop watching tv :)LOL

Monday, October 01, 2007, 1:29 PM

Add comment
ok guys seriously, why do you even care? is there a nasty goth next door and ur child cant sleep as a result? not evenryone dresses the same, go to africa, go to mexico, go to germany, everybody dresses differently. i dont see you asking why they were flannel shirts in the south, or cowboy boots. its all up to personal preferance, and i dont think its nice to judge people based upon how they dress, just like its not nice to judge people based on how much they eat, or how much they weigh. if someone chooses to dye their hair a certain colour does that put them up for judgement too? how about athiests? hum? and the catholics? all a different mindset. how someone coses to dress and what they chose to listen to is really, REALLY unimportant.

Monday, October 01, 2007, 2:23 PM

Add comment
goths

it's just rebellion, I think, and kids trying to find their own identity..we've all worn things or done things or acted out, especially as youths in the name of independence.I'm strictly talking about the look.

Friday, October 12, 2007, 10:10 PM

Add comment
ummm....please

like OMG - this is SFS!!

So, ok, I am not really a valley girl or a goth. I am a middle-aged suburban mom driving my crossover SUV, wearing my Old Navy blue jeans, a T-shirt or tank, and regulation slides OR on workout days, a cute tank and workout pants, with regulation tennies. Does this make me somehow less scary than my teen-age daughter who wears black all the time, including black lipstick, and skulls???

It is a fad, it is about figuring out who you are, Goths are actually very peaceful and beatnikky for the most part (think 60s flower skirts, hippies more than Charles Manson) (I've learned this from my dd and as long as she refrains from piercings and tattoos, I figure backing off is the best approach as it seems to me a reaction to not wanting to be part of the total prep crowd.

I actually respect that she is not working so hard to be a wanna-be to the "in-crowd"

Saturday, October 13, 2007, 12:55 AM

Add comment
What about a middle approach everyone? It's annoying when it's OVERDONE.

For example. i think black lipstick is over doing it. As is wearing a hot pink Abercrobie polo with white jeans, a pink bow, and pink flats.

I'm a teen who doesn't like to 'conform' to anything special. Know what I look like right now? I have natural black hair and green eyes, and the bangs have wisps of purple in them. I'm wearing a light blue Hollister shirt, jeans, black flats. I have heavy eyeliner on. I listen to heavy metal and techno.

BE UNIQUE PEOPLE!

The moral? Some people OVER CONFORM to a single 'look'. I'm sorry, black EVERYTHING is as stupid as PINK EVERYTHING. As is anything overdone.

Saturday, October 13, 2007, 5:23 PM

Add comment
I always thought they did it because they like the way it looks. Vampires are cool, black is cool. It always appealed to me but since there were no goth people at the school I went to, I didn't want to stick out like a sore thumb.

Saturday, October 13, 2007, 9:01 PM

Add comment
you people just don't get it. the Goth/Gothic group is just not some sort of cult... its a group of people who are just trying to find a way to express there artistic talents. and just to let you know... not all gothic people dress in black. there are people out there who dress the same way as todays society and are still considered Gothic. if you were to do some research on Goth/Gothic people... it just an artistic cult that surprisingly listen to Bach, Mosart, and even Beethoven... so what my point is here is that the white make up, black lipstick, black eyeliner and all of the chains, spikes, and fishnets as well as the dark clothing and baggy pants/shirts, with all of the wild hair styles is just all an individuality thing, a way for them to express their artistic talent and even to make a stand to let people know that thats who they are wether society likes it or not.

Monday, October 29, 2007, 1:54 PM

Add comment
Okay- but what is with filing the teeth into fanges? Wouldnt you hurt yourself or others? One day the kid is going to grow up and go on a job interview. I just hope he has the moeny for that many fake teeth.

Monday, October 29, 2007, 2:38 PM

Add comment
whatever

Just because someone wears black and freaks you out doesn't mean they're gothic. I wear black and like light make-up and dark lipstick and I wear chokers and fishnets, and write dark poetry, and dye my hair weird colors, and i like piercings and tatoos but i'm definately not goth. i just like that stuff along wth alot of other things. Gothic is more of a way of life. Goths appreciate art and beauty. Goths tend to be non-violent, pacifistic, passive, and tolerant. not all goths are all about death and cutting themselves. People think of goths as outcasts but the only reason they are outcasts is because people don't take the time to realize they're just like anyone else. they have feelings and emotions, good days and bad. goths aren't always depressed or suicidal either. Many goths like the same kind of music as "normal" people. Many Goths are likely to grow up to be doctors, lawyers or architects. some people think being gothic is just a phase. For some people maybe but for most TRUE goths it is their entire lifestyle.

Tuesday, November 27, 2007, 3:20 PM

Add comment
Why do goths dress like that? Heck, I don't know, why do you wear what you wear? Seriously- why do you wear whatever you put on in the morning? Probably because you like the way it makes you feel and you like what it says to others.

We all wear outfits that send cues- sometimes subtle, sometimes overt- to like-minded individuals.

Is it a trend? Not exactly, there have been goths since I was in high school 20 years ago. They're just people who've chosen a look that helps them separate themselves from traditional mass-consumer culture.



Tuesday, November 27, 2007, 3:45 PM

Add comment
WTF

I AM GOTH AND EMO.AND I AM PROUD :(

Sunday, February 17, 2008, 10:39 PM

Add comment
OT: goth people- why do they do it?

I see nothing wrong with goth culture and i can understand that most people are just curious seeing as the many contidicting statements about the fashion or lifestyle that are out there in the world. I belive that why some one choses to live or dress a certain way is a personal choice that is diffrent for every single person. I personly enjoy much of the goth fashion and draw alot of insperation from it. I'm not goth myself but I do enjoy standing out from others and doing what many people think is weird and no i have never been beat up or molested if you must ask.

Link

Tuesday, February 26, 2008, 9:34 PM

Add comment
Ive been called a goth, a metalhead, a punk, and a freak. call me what u want. i dress in a black metal band shirt, black jeans, studded wristband, metal chain, and boots. first thing first I AM NOT SEEKING ATTENTION, to be honest i really hate having attention on me. i dress this way because it makes me feel like myself, im in my own world, with my ipod playing Arch enemy drowning out the sounds of the stupid statements ppl make these day about how they got wasted last night or how they had sex with some slut. to be honest i dont like alot of ppl and one reason i dress this way so ppl stay away from me. i mean im a nice guy if i like you, i stick up for my friends and always there for them. but ppl these days annoy me and im sure i annoy many ppl too. i dont feal like wearing a bright pink shirt or some holister crap with tight jeans and white shoes. good ppl will like me for who i am and they will see who i really am. I dont believe in god and if there is one im pissed at him. this world is not a great place. im no goth. im no punk, im no emo. i am me. stop with the steriotyping. Listen to some good metal (im not talking about that disturbed shit or dragonforce or wana be metal bands who do it for the money) im talking about the ppl who made the bands who want to send the true message. what this world really is. think what u want of me. think im some freak who got minipulated by black metal. but if only u could know what i know. and what this world really is or ur so called god! ya i got carried away but u wanted to know why ppl dress this way. except for the posers and the ppl who dress for attention or style, u know what i think and why i wana be left alone!

Wednesday, April 09, 2008, 5:27 PM

Add comment
WOAH 5:27....therapy helps.

Thursday, April 10, 2008, 5:34 PM

Add comment
That is what I am wondering!!!!!

Thursday, April 10, 2008, 6:21 PM

Add comment
I agree with the first post and the second. Some kids just want attention and don't know how to get. Others just don't other looks. 4:35, it sooo doesn't make you goth just because you said that, just supporting you. Also, (I have kids) you can look around a school, with a bunch of goth kids, and if you ask some, i bet the answer would often be, "So I am not at all related to those brainless girly-girls." And by that comment I did not mean that everyone who wears what fits in is a brainless girly-girl. I don't mean to offend anyone.

Tuesday, April 15, 2008, 3:50 PM

Add comment
woah, 5:34, i think your the one who needs therapy
u can say things in a polite manor at least
and i don't think 5:27 is crazy at all
keep in mind, i have NEVER been called goth or punk or emo or whatever
5:34, don't u think it is people like u that make people like 5:27 feel that way
cant you accept that not everyone is just like you, and people are generally GOOD

Tuesday, April 15, 2008, 3:58 PM

Add comment
Seriously...get over it! It was a comment, I am sarcastic jeez..

Tuesday, April 15, 2008, 4:51 PM

Add comment
Oh and..considering I have BEEN to therapy you have no room to talk.

Tuesday, April 15, 2008, 4:52 PM

Add comment
I can' t believe how long this thread has been around!

Tuesday, April 15, 2008, 6:13 PM

Add comment
I know! I have come to a conclusion..everyone is crazy in their own way..some people like to express it differently than others...so we should all just get the hell over it and live our lives!

Wednesday, April 16, 2008, 3:19 PM

Add comment
Stupid

Everyone has the right to just "BE", and if 5:27 doesn't believe in God or is just "pissed" with him that is his entitlement.
Not everyone fits into the nice god fearing, america loving, football playing, cheerleading, straight 'A", capsule.

What I find truely ironic are the ones who have already categorized, and pre-judged these "Goth" kids based on their appearances, and yet get all up in arms when they are categorized as being fat and lazy, and junk food hounds, stuffing their faces at the McDonalds drive-thru because they have no willpower. How do you like that stereotype? Hmmmmm?????

Wednesday, April 16, 2008, 6:45 PM

Add comment
not just goths cry for attention. there's a few bad apples in every group of people that ruin the image. goths are not depressed people crying for attention. jocks are not all assholes. pretty girls are not all idiots and bitches.

try looking at the person for their own personality rather than their choice of clothing and music and you'll find that traits you generalize to certain groups of people actually exist among everyone, regardless of what social 'community' they best relate to. in the end, all people are the same, and the only thing that seperates us is the way we judge each other based on appearance, assumptions and stereotypes.

Sunday, April 20, 2008, 6:10 AM

Add comment
...

Okay, first off relax. Its just people. Second don't be so quick to lump everybody into one pile.Why? First what you will find is that alot of "goth" people are very artistic in temperment, this means they are very dramatic and flamboyant. Some people like to create an atmosphere around themselves alot like dress up. Also, the gothic genre is one of the most open minded by far. Others require some kind of credibilty but goth is just a matter of choice. It weird kids accepting other weird kids with open arms. Really, don't be so freaked out most of these people are very intellegent and sociable and you'd be suprised how many of those" normal people" you see during the day put on black lipstick and fishnets at night.

Tuesday, April 22, 2008, 9:56 PM

Add comment
...

Oh now really people this is ridiculous! Who are you talking about everybody who wheres balck everybody who were's heavy makeup. These are individual people not "they". I'm suprised by the silliness of it all.

Tuesday, April 22, 2008, 10:02 PM

Add comment
...

Defensive much?

Tuesday, April 22, 2008, 10:05 PM

Add comment
...

Its extreme but its just adding to the aesthetic and it is not common and perhaps that person doesn't want to work at a bank. Freelance anyone?

Tuesday, April 22, 2008, 10:16 PM

Add comment
woot

power to you luv! The things people are willing to say on forums blow my mind.

Tuesday, April 22, 2008, 10:18 PM

Add comment
oh my

You would be amazed at how very wrong you are. You don't know everybody on Wall Street. And its a sad sad world if you job is the end all be all of everything you are.

Tuesday, April 22, 2008, 10:21 PM

Add comment
i think some people do it to rebel against the homeostatic nature of society which pressures people to have the same basic values and norms. It can be one of the only safe ways to let out the pent up anger towards people who are gossiping and sneering at you just because you refuse to follow the general crowd. Talking about it will only cause more social harm to yourself. So you do something extreme to "say" without words, hey, i like this and i don't gie a **** id it disturbs u, you can't effect me so keep trying jerks.
my boyfriend was in highschool when the fad first started, when if wasn't very popular he was inspired by the way his favorate musicians dressed. he did it because he liked it. It's funny, now everyone knows who marilyn manson is, when he was listening to him mainstream fans were like who?
I can kindof relate,. were i work there are stupid clicks. I don't smoke weed like the magority of kids and even one of managers, i go to school, I don't smoke cigarettes except on the rare occasion of stress, and i try to follow the rules, thats pretty tabbo there. so one day i was out at the mall and bought a thing of nion green nail polish and wore it to work, it felt great. its a combination of loving the color and making a statment. oh and by the way, my man, one of the trendsetters for the style, never smoked a joint in his life and was an A student, he was slightly violent to jerks though lol.

Saturday, May 03, 2008, 9:15 PM

Add comment
I am a goth but at the same time I am not bad. I went goth after I was made fun of and when my best friend died of cancer, that might part of the reason I went goth so that I could reflect some of that pain from my younger years, and then the death of Sophie Lancaster she was beaten to death because she was a goth. Believe it or not most goths do NOT worship Satan, we are not as bad as people think we are not always sad, we can feel happy, and we are not evil, we don't always hate, we are not always mean and I go to church in my church outfits and so do my goth friends. I hope maybe you and others will have a better understanding because goths are people to.

Link

Sunday, November 08, 2009, 7:08 PM

Add comment
Wow...

I know this is an old thread, but it looks like the last comment was from November, so here's another former-goth's two cents:


I was a little weird and picked on in elementary and middle school, but by the time I reached high school I was getting modeling offers (so, #1 not all goths are ugly / fat / whatever). My getting picked on in elementary school was mainly due to being somewhat shy, very tall, and hitting puberty at 11.


My father raised me on his music tastes, which included The Smiths, The Ramones, Elvis Costello, Johnny Cash, and Fleetwood Mac. So, when I got to the age kids start looking for their own tastes, it wasn't much of a jump from The Smiths to The Cure, and from there to a whole world of post-punk, industrial, and death-rock / goth. (#2, most "goths" would have told you that they were drawn to the scene mainly because they were fans of the music. Well, who doesn't want to dress like their favorite rock stars?)


Add to this the fact that I had loved Tim Burton movies from the earliest age I could remember. Perhaps the movie "Beetlejuice" had too strong of an effect on my aesthetic notions.


Oh, also I had a pre-occupation with death, mainly stemming from the fact that death is an extremely taboo and uncomfortable subject in my family. I've never been to a funeral (to this day; I'm 24), because death is hidden in my family. Don't know why they're like that. As a result, I was naturally very curious. This had nothing to do with rebelling against their personal worldviews.


I don't romanticize death now, but I do worry that I'm incredibly unprepared for the loss of a loved one. (So, #3, not all goths are "obsessed with death", but those who are might have been anyway. There have always been morbid people, subculture or not. Additionally, I had been writing horror stories since I was in 2nd grade.)


I didn't start drinking until 16, and I no longer drink very often. I lost my virginity at 17, and didn't try pot until 19. I had a somewhat difficult relationship with my parents, mainly having to do with grades, which is fine now. All in all, I was a fairly average, suburban girl. (#4 Not all goths are on the droogs / complete sluts. Neither are all sorority girls.)


I don't "dress up" very much anymore, but I still wear heavy eyeliner and mainly black. I look more sophisticated now. However, I still consider myself very much a product of my time and place. I don't think I could have been a "normal" girl, because even if I'd worn the Gap clothes and became a cheerleader, I would have been faking it. I still would have LIKED all of the same movies, music, etc.


#5 "Goth" was not a religious movement. There is no denying that religious themes and imagery were a HUGE part of the scene. I can't explain all of that without getting into each and every religion which goth had some association with: i.e. Catholicism, Neo-paganism / wicca / occult, Satanism (oh yes, there were Satanists. And there were Christians. And there were Buddhists.)


However, I can say that most outsiders didn't understand that the wearing of certain religious symbols was not necessarily *belief* in what the symbols stood for. Sometimes it truly was devout religious belief. Sometimes it was biting mockery and criticism of the religion, and sometimes it was JUST F*CKING FASHION.


#6, Not all goths thought they were "individuals". I don't know where that trope came from, but most goths I knew were well aware they were part of a definable subculture with it's own rules, fashion code, "right" and "wrong" bands to listen to...actually, the scene was at times down-right fascistic.


Wearing the clothing was a SIGNAL to other goths. It meant "hi, we probably have similar tastes in music/movies/personal philosophies". Also, for those who have trouble telling goths, emos, metalheads, etc. apart, I assure you that most within each respective subculture had no problems telling each other apart...except when emo boys sometimes look like goth chicks. :(


Personally, I did not think I was an "individual" because of my clothing or subculture. I know I'm an individual because we all are. No one has ever existed exactly like you or me. (Hm, maybe I wasn't a goth after all...maybe I was a hippy!! Or a physicist!)

Monday, December 21, 2009, 9:01 PM

Add comment

im perty much goth. im 11 years old! we like what we do so shup up! I dont know why people take in rude ways about goths they are no different. ANd we are not a loser clube.

Sunday, January 06, 2013, 4:35 PM

Add comment
that is to the people who said that

Sunday, January 06, 2013, 4:36 PM

Add comment








Related Content:

How To Lose Weight- The Basics
Weight Watchers Points System
The Fat Smash Diet
The Eat To Live Diet
The Beck Diet Solution
How To Get The Motivation To Lose Weight

 

How To Be Successful Using PEERtrainer

How To Burn Fat
Online Weight Loss Support- How It Works
Does Green Tea Help You Lose Weight?
Tips On Using PEERtrainer
Visit The PEERtrainer Community
Diet and Fitness Resources

Fitness

Weight Watchers Meetings
Learning To Inspire Others: You Already Are
Writing Down Your Daily Workouts
Spending Money On A Personal Trainer?
How I Became A Marathon Runner

 

Preventive Health

How To Prevent Injuries During Your Workout
Flu Season: Should You Take The Flu Shot?
Are You Really Ready To Start PEERtrainer?
Super Foods That Can Boost Your Energy
Reversing Disease Through Nutrition

New Diet and Fitness Articles:

Weight Watchers Points Plus
How To Adjust Your Body To Exercise
New: Weight Watchers Momentum Program
New: PEERtrainer Blog Archive
Review Of The New Weight Watchers Momentum Program
 

Weight Loss Motivation by Joshua Wayne:

Why Simple Goal Setting Is Not Enough
How To Delay Short Term Gratification
How To Stay Motivated
How To Exercise With A Busy Schedule

Real World Nutrition and Fitness Questions

Can Weight Lifting Help You Lose Weight?
Are Protein Drinks Safe?
Nutrition As Medicine?
 

Everyday Weight Loss Tips

How To Eat Healthy At A Party
How To Eat Out And Still Lose Weight
The Three Bite Rule
Tips On How To Stop A Binge