...What is Goth Anyways?

Goth is a subculture.

Subculture - Sociology. a. the cultural values and behavioral patterns distinctive of a particular group in a society. 
b. a group having social, economic, ethnic, or other traits distinctive enough to distinguish it from others within the same culture or society. 

Three Main Pre-Requisites For Being a Goth
1. Intellectual, interested in learning, you don't have to be a genius.
2. Appreciation of darkness/morbid things
3. Artistic Ability/Creativity

If you are stupid, you are not Goth. You're just an idiot with bad makeup. Goth is not a phase. Goth is a state of being. One does not 'become' Goth, one finds out they are.

There are tons of people who fit the above three prerequisites, but don't call themselves goths. Partially because they don't want to be associated with the same label as 13-year-old manson-toting children.

The punk movement ended in the eighties basically. The movement splintered off into different subcultures we see today. Emo is a splinter of the punk movement, and so is Goth. It started out with the music, but now it's more than that.

Goth is not an identity. It's merely a word to describe certain aspects of an individual. One remains an individual inside of a subculture. The individuals define the subculture, it is not the subculture that defines the individual.

It's a club of sorts. People can identify with others with similiar interests. There is no dress code, though many of us like to wear black. In the past, people chose to call themselves Goth because they wanted to find people with similiar interests (dark or morbid philosophy/art/poetry). Now we are scorned by the idiots joining the ranks.

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Goth Wannabes

"On the flip-side of this respect for other people's space, there tends to be a calm but deep disrespect, loathing almost, towards people who just want to be trendy. This explains the tensions between 'Goth wannabes' and 'real Goths'. The 'real Goth' believes in 'Goth' as a genuine lifestyle; the wannabe just considers it cool to dress in an attempt to intimidate. They have no respect for the messages the bands are trying to convey about individuality; they just want to be part of a 'weird, scary group'. The wannabes express their individuality by belonging to a group, while Goths belong to a group by expressing their individuality. For a Goth, first comes the state of mind and then the dress code; for a wannabe it's the dress code first. Wannabes have a dubious mindset and a desire to remain part of the mainstream because they fear the reaction of 'society' if they were to deviate from it long-term. Goths on the other hand generally don't give a toss about what society thinks or does - as long as they are left alone."

Excerpt from:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A473924

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Let's Play a Game, Goth or Not?

Goth:
http://ex-substantial.deviantart.com/
Goth (did a manipulation of him..a friend..)

(he's wearing an inverted pentagram ^_^)

His art:


Not:
OMG, my parents just stopped giving me allowance, so I'm going to slit my wrists.
(I actually don't know who the fuck this is, but just using a vampire freaks picture, because I'm sure that site is infested by idiots who think they're vampires. Vampires are cool. But you are not a vampire. You're a puny pathetic human like the rest of us.)

Goth:
Me: "Once I wore a inverted pentagram and a cross together to see what would happen. I demanded that Zeus strike me down. But nothing happened to my dissapointment."

http://angstypoet.deviantart.com/


wait...wtf?

still a goth...


..still a goth..

Are you getting the idea now?? Clothing is secondary.

Key Point: There are a few genuine goths left.

Conclusion:

Don't get the wrong idea of what Goth is from the wannabes. Subcultures aren't that terrible, it just depends on how one treats them. Like I said before: 'a type of club'. A club for people who fit the bill, and I won't deny being an elitist.

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Links:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A473924
strong atheism
Gothic Bandwagons!
http://blueblack.deviantart.com (the most awesome gothic artist I've ever seen, her work is worshipable) So the next time someone insults gothdom, look at her page..and bow.