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What Is
Goth? |
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When asked,
it’s really hard to explain “What is Goth?” or “What is the Gothic scene all
about?”, it’s so hard to put into words that most of the time you end up
looking like an idiot. Quite a lot of the time you will find Goths arguing
amongst themselves (I have done this on many a time) about “What Goth is all
about?”. Well, the below article is generally agreed
to be the most concise explanation that we have come across. So please take
time to read:
Basic
Definition
Gothic – of or pertaining to a literary style
of fiction prevalent in the late 18th and early 19th centuries which emphasized
the grotesque, mysterious, and desolate [i.e. Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and the works of Edgar
Allen Poe]. This is the relevant dictionary definition.
But what does gothic mean in regards to the group of people? Here's
where it gets confusing. There are things that many Gothics like that are not
gothic (Industrial or Classical music). There are things that are gothic that
many Gothics dislike (vampires, interest in death). There are things that some
people think are gothic that are not gothic (bands like Marilyn Manson and Nine
Inch Nails), and there are things that do not call themselves gothic even if
they are considered gothic by most people (bands like Sisters of Mercy and Dead
Can Dance). However, there's no Grand Gothic Judge to decree what is truly Goth
and what is not, although there are plenty of people who claim to be it. It's
an ambiguous label with many people using it that don't understand what it
means. The people who do understand it often have many different definitions.
History of the
Movement
The date of origin is usually placed in 1979. That was the year that
the song "Bela Lugosi's Dead" by Bauhaus was released. It was
originally intended to be tongue-in-cheek; however, many young fans took it as
the inspiration for the budding gothic subculture. The song had a certain mystery
and eeriness that listeners quickly latched onto. The first generation of the
gothic movement emerged mostly in the
In the late eighties and early nineties, a new, second generation of
gothic bands emerged to breathe new life into the scene. This would include The
Shroud, Rosetta Stone, and London After Midnight, for example. They were the
first to characteristically call themselves Gothic. This is when the US Goth
movement grew significantly and Gothic became recognized as a distinct
subculture. Through this time period, gothic music and culture grew and
splintered, diversified, and branched out into various subsets, pushing the
boundaries of what had previously been considered gothic.
Recently, widespread mainstream interest in the gothic subculture is
apparent. Many gothic cultural quirks have filtered into mainstream culture,
such as an interest in the supernatural and dark aesthetics. Historically, a
dark leaning becomes prevalent towards the end of a century. Since we are also
at the close of the millennium, it is much more pronounced now.
As the gothic movement progresses into the late nineties, we are
possibly witnessing the emergence of a distinct third generation. Though some
of the noted writers on the subject (Mick Mercer, Dave Thompson, Jo-Ann Green)
have not yet recognized this new generation, I propose its existence. As the
second generation ages into their mid to late 20's, they become progressively
less interested in participating in the gothic social scene. A "new
breed" must emerge to shape the future of Gothic if there is to be one.
The third generation contains an explosion in the number of people
referring to themselves as gothic. Many of the younger generation have learned
about gothic culture because of the present widespread commercial availability.
For example, national chain stores like Hot Topic have made Goth accessible for
kids at a younger age than ever before. With the huge commercial popularity of
“shock rock” act Marilyn Manson, the spotlight has been thrown onto this
subculture. Many Goths wish to make clear that Marilyn Manson plays heavy metal
music. They might state that he is the Alice Cooper of the 90's, using extreme
shock tactics and marketing genius to outrage conservative forces, appeal to
rebellious youth, and in the process becoming very rich. Many Goths claim that
the younger over-ardent followers of Manson are not in fact authentic Goths –
the term often used for them is "spooky kids."
It appears that a new crossbreed category of music may eventually be
recognized: metal Goth. Many Goths cringe at the possibility of this crossover or
deny its validity. The sound of what would be called metal Goth is certainly
different from what is now recognized as gothic music. First and second
generation Goths look suspiciously upon the new generation, doubting their
authenticity and disliking the exposure they give to a subculture which would
prefer to remain underground. The new generation is not well received by their
elders, but time may prove otherwise. It would be difficult to predict what the
future holds for the Gothic movement. After 20 years, it continues to change,
grow, and adapt, making it the longest surviving youth subculture in existence.
Cultural
Idiosyncrasies
Some of the
popular gothic style traits and miscellaneous things Goths tend to like:
·
anything black (Less common is
white clothing and any dark colors such as navy blue or deep red.)
·
pallor (In general, Goths
view paleness as much more aesthetically pleasing than being tan, whether or
not they have a reason why.)
·
dyed hair (Black, very light
bleached blonde, red, or purple are fairly common.)
·
black and white makeup -- white foundation, black lipstick, black
eyeliner
·
bondage and fetish fashion -- leather, PVC, latex, rubber, vinyl and
bondage gear, corsets
·
poet's shirts -- a few ruffles around the cuff, the collar, and the
front (They're sometimes called pirate's
shirts and are usually white.)
·
velvet and crushed velvet
·
silver jewelry
·
chokers
·
opera-style capes or cloaks
·
fishnet tights or shirts
·
opera length gloves, either satin or latex, shorter length gloves as
well, usually vinyl
·
black and white horizontal striped tights like the Wicked Witch of
the West
·
pointy-toed shoes, buckle boots, high heels, combat boots or Doc
Martens
·
wearing band T-shirts, having band stickers on your car, notebook
etc.
·
a short A-line haircut , or ratted out, hair-sprayed, chaotic hair,
sometimes hair extensions
·
a leather jacket -- often with designs painted on it, black trench
coat, black vinyl jacket, or velvet jacket
·
a box (It’s something like a
cross between a small purse and a lunchbox, usually black with silver hinges
and a briefcase-like handle. They are usually decorated with band stickers and
what not.)
·
art (The majority of Goths
are dabblers in the creative arts in some form, whether it's photography,
music, painting, writing, or drawing etc. )
·
the humanities in general
(Many have an interest in literature and history, philosophy etc.)
·
cats
·
faeries
·
gargoyles
·
candles
·
clove cigarettes
·
coffee, "going to coffee" -- getting together to drink coffee
and socialize at a diner or coffee shop
·
Christmas lights -- the miniature kind strung all around the bedroom
·
spider webs, spiders -- spider web design on tights, shirt, jewelry
·
skulls, skeletons -- in jewelry, on tights or clothing
·
graveyards -- especially to take pictures or have picnics
·
coffins (There are a few
people who own actual coffins; usually they're used as a coffee table. Most
times, you might find a coffin shaped box
-- the cross between a lunch box and purse -- or jewelry holder.)
·
other such spooky things (You
get the idea.)
·
Egyptian symbols, Christian symbols, Pagan symbols -- cross, ankh,
pentacle etc.
Critical
Analysis
Gothic culture is a multifaceted entity with several different
aspects; there are at least three major ones that compose the subculture. One
is being involved in the gothic social scene -- especially frequenting
clubs and knowing others involved in the scene. To outsiders, gothic is almost
always evaluated and judged by what is known of the visible social scene. The
social scene ideally facilitates the exchange of ideas and draws individuals of
like mind and interests together. In reality, the scene is most often a social
group similar to other social groups and cliques in structure and function,
i.e. it provides a sense of belonging, contains unspoken social hierarchies,
establishes norms of social behavior, etc. It must be noted that gaining
acceptance in the social scene is not necessarily an interest of everyone
involved in gothic culture. It often becomes progressively less important to
individuals as they grow older through their 20's and 30's.
Another essential aspect is having a gothic personality. In short, this includes individualism, an
interest in the darker side of life and the supernatural, focus on beauty and
dark aesthetics, art, emotion, creativity, intellectualism, mystery, and drama.
Almost everyone in the subculture would probably agree that possessing the
gothic personality is ultimately what makes someone gothic.
The last is a passion for gothic
music. The subculture is a musically based and driven one; the music is
what holds the social scene together. As the music changes, the direction of
the scene changes. Music is most often the reason cited for continued
involvement in gothic culture over the years.
These three aspects of gothic culture are interdependent in many
ways; they are intertwined to make up the whole picture. However, each of the
three does not possess the same amount of importance to different individuals;
some people may only be involved in one or two of those three aspects. Further
examination follows.
The Gothic
Social Scene
Gaining
Acceptance
Drugs and sex are the fastest way for someone to initially become
accepted in the gothic social scene, but obviously not the only way. They are
the fastest methods because they allow a person to meet and create quick
superficial connections to others. Not everyone takes that route in meeting
people when they first become involved in a scene. What follows is an
observation of the general criteria that the gothic social scene will use to
evaluate whether someone should be considered Gothic. Categories two, three and
four are the biggest test of "true Gothness."
1. Frequenting
where Goths are -- Regularly visiting places where Gothics are is the easiest and
most superficial way to become accepted. This includes gothic clubs, coffee
shops, cool thrift stores, fetish stores, independent music stores, etc. If
there are no specific gothic music nights at a club, someone may visit fetish
or industrial themed nights. These go hand in hand with Goth. However,
frequenting places Goths are may give someone exposure to the culture, but not
acceptance.
2. Dressing
a certain way -- In order to identify him or herself as Gothic to other Gothics,
a person would do this through dress. At first, one's appearance is an
identifying factor. It initiates the belief within the group that this person
should be considered one of them. However, it often takes further investigation
to decide whether or not this person should actually be considered gothic. The
way a person dresses alone does not automatically make a Gothic. For some
people, the image of being Gothic is shed as easily as taking off those gothic
clothes.
3. Having
the "gothic mentality" -- This category indicates what a
person is like inside. Several of the following questions will help to get an
indication of whether someone is "Goth on the inside." These are
questions that come to mind, whether consciously realized or not, when
evaluating if someone is gothic: Is this something you are doing in order to
look cool or to gain acceptance, or is it who you are? Are you willing to stand
up for yourself in the face of normal society, daring to be different despite
ridicule, harassment and prejudice? Are you getting into Goth because you're
following a trend? What is your depth of knowledge of gothic music and culture?
What are your similar values or traits that you should be accepted for -- i.e.
are you pensive, artistic, gloomy, moody, or dreary? Are you fascinated with
the mysterious, the supernatural, and the beautiful?
4. Listening
to certain music -- This includes such things as: the amount of time someone has liked
a band, how underground the band is and that person's passion for it -- how
much he/she knows about the band, how many CD's he/she has. It also relates to
what a person wears (band T-shirts or stickers). The music plays different
roles to different people. Some people enjoy Gothic only for its social or aesthetic
aspects and never seek to listen to more than the most popular and well-known
of Goth bands. True dedication to gothic culture is often displayed in one's
span of music knowledge. This category also includes familiarity with other
media, such as movies and books, etc. However, these count to a lesser extent
and do not qualify alone.
5. Knowing
certain people -- Unfortunately, this often seems to be the biggest factor in
whether or not someone is considered gothic by the social scene. If a person is
accepted by the most infamous members of the social group, that is often
automatic grounds for being considered Goth no matter the length of time in the
scene, how extreme that person looks, or musical preference. Perhaps the
assumption is that their standards for someone being Goth are fairly strict
because they have suffered the most persecution, prejudice and ridicule to be a
part of it. These standards in no way mean that infamous Goths will not accept
another as a friend if they are not gothic. The standards only apply to
accepting someone as a Gothic. People who have been around the longest in the
scene tend to be the most infamous and/or most respected. It is because they
have proven consistently over time that it is not a phase, but part of who they
are.
Gothic Music
Description of
Relevant Music
There is a considerable amount of flexibility when classifying a
band as one thing or another. Different people can put the same music into
different classifications. A band might change their sound or style from album
to album with a variety of labels put on their various works. There's a good
amount of crossover of music types as well, such as Gothic Industrial, when the
same music falls into more than one category at the same time. There are many
more divisions of music that could be listed, but here is a brief, general
guide. This is in no way the official or definitive way to classify this music.
Punk: The relevant
classification of old school punk died in the 70's. Punk as a subculture
survived. From punk music, two children emerged -- first Industrial music in
1976, then Gothic music in 1979. Not as closely related to punk musically,
perhaps a nephew, comes New Wave (Modern music) in the 1980's. Punk was
characterized by bands like the Dead Kennedys, Sex Pistols and Circle Jerks
with irreverent, anarchic, and anti-establishment themes. Punk is most
influential to the gothic rock division of gothic music, with bands such as The
Cure (1978) and Siouxsie and the Banshees (1976) first lumped musically into a
post-punk category.
Modern/New
Wave: New Wave became popular in the early eighties. It is also sometimes
called modern music. New Wave as a term originally was used to describe just that,
a new wave of bands that were creating music different from everything being
made at the time. It was an all-encompassing term for all types of different
and freaky music and its listeners, including the New Romantics (Adam Ant and
Duran Duran), death rock (the Cult), post-punk (Police), modern (Talking
Heads), etc. Right now what we think of as New Wave is much more specific to a
certain underground look and feel of the 80's. It is the first pop music form
to use synthesizers and keyboards on a regular basis. There is also a certain
glamour and camp to the band members. Modern music is also used to describe
(often British) bands such as Depeche Mode, The Smiths, and The Cure. They have
a good amount of popularity and longevity, yet are still a little "odd"
musically. People who are into this type of music are called mods or wavers. In
the eighties, wavers were the most visible form of alternative music and
culture -- they were strange, but not quite bizarre yet. What we now call
gothic was a fairly small group of people. Goth was not yet used as a term, and
they were generally lumped together with all other underground groups as wavers
or freaks. In the late eighties and early nineties, Gothic gained a lot of
visibility with the emergence of the second generation. Mods became somewhat
retro in their love of eighties music, fashion, and British pop music.
Industrial: A record label
called Industrial Records coined the term in 1976. Bands like Throbbing Gristle
were the Industrial pioneers. As a subculture however, industrial is much
younger, probably only becoming identifiable in the 1990's. Its adherents are
called rivetheads. Industrial music has its own subdivisions. There is the more
guitar oriented industrial rock music, of KMFDM and Ministry for example, the
more electronic dance music called EBM (Electronic Body Music) of bands such as
Front 242 and Front Line Assembly, and the more experimental electronic
soundscape type of music from bands like Coil and Download. Industrial music
often uses electronics, synthesizers, noise, unconventional items (especially
used as percussion instruments), samples from movies or political speeches,
loops, and distorted vocals. The sound is often fast, loud and aggressive.
Industrial music and culture tends to be overwhelmingly male-dominated.
Rivetheads are usually not quite as bizarre-looking as Gothics in general. The
relative newness of the subculture also helps make them less noticeable than
Goths. There is hugely significant amount of crossover between Gothic and
Industrial music and these bands are often called Gothic Industrial or
Industrial Gothic.
Goth
rock/death punk/death rock: This is what gothic music began as, a darker form
of punk rock music with a tendency toward misanthropy, the macabre, mystery and
desolation. It grew into a distinct entity from the punk movement in the late
70's. Originally what we now call Gothic music was called death rock and its
listeners death rockers, especially in the
Darkwave: A fairly new
term that refers to a branch of gothic music that is more introspective, moody,
emotional, and artistic -- less rock and roll oriented. There is some
uncertainty as to whether darkwave music is a subdivision of Gothic or a
separate sister category in itself like Industrial. Darkwave originally was
used to designate a more dark electronic sound, however it wasn't until the
distribution service called darkwave was born that the term had a widely
noticeable usage. Darkwave encompasses the subsets of ethereal music (angelic,
otherworldly, usually with high female vocals and a soft sound, often using
acoustic guitar, violin, flute, piano and/or electronics) and darkambient music
(minimalist, layer upon layer of sound, experimental, often dark electronic,
little or no vocals). The term is usually used today to refer to bands featured
in the darkwave catalog.
Is Goth a Bad
Influence?
The majority of teenagers who become involved in Gothic move on to
something else within a few years. Most find it appealing initially as a form of
rebellion and as a way to gain social belonging. A teenager will basically try
on the gothic identity to see if it fits. For most, Goth is a phase. Some do
stay involved because the identity fits; they have found a group of people with
similar interests and ideals. Those likely to become interested in Goth and
remain involved in it will usually possess most of the following
characteristics and traits beforehand: individualistic, reflective, artistic,
introspective, emotionally focused and driven, sensitive, non-violent, moody.
They are likely to have a distaste for authority, possess above average
intelligence, and be social misfits.
There are elements of Gothic that can be destructive to those who
let it be. Teenagers are faced with the same basic decisions regarding drugs,
drinking, smoking and sex as they would in any other youth social group. It is
always an individual's choice to experiment with whatever potentially
destructive forces gothic culture might expose him or her to. If a person is
easily led and susceptible to the influence of peers, then it is possible for
that person to be led into the destructive side of Goth. If a person is
self-assured and has made solid decisions regarding sex, drugs, drinking, etc.,
before becoming involved in Goth, they are less likely to become influenced by
any negative aspects of the culture. Parents and adults in authority who set
reasonable limits and keep communication lines open help any child, gothic or not, resist any negative or destructive influences.
It seems that the most common issues causing concern among adults
when it comes to Gothic teenagers are drugs, Satanism and depression. Further
investigation of these issues follows.
Drugs
Drug use is found in the gothic scene, just as in any teenage group.
However, it is by no means required. My studies show that those most commonly
used are alcohol, LSD, and tobacco. Drug use by Goths often stems from two
types of people. The first is the hedonistic, rebellious, destructive type of
people. They would do drugs regardless of their association with Goth. Second
are those who do not believe drugs should be illegal. They believe that
personal responsibility in the area of drug experimentation is the key to
keeping a drug's harmful effects in check. The roots of drug use are often
connected to two things: curiosity and a lack of respect for authority.
Religion and
Goth
There is no set belief system for Gothics, although most of them
have a leaning towards being agnostic and/or having certain beliefs and views
of a particular religion (especially Christianity) but not following any set
rules or any organized forms of that religion. Religion has nothing to do with
one's "Gothness," and one's religious beliefs don't affect one's
being a member of the gothic community. One will find represented in Goth:
Christians (Mormon, Catholic, Baptist, etc.), atheists, Jews, agnostics,
Satanists, pagans, and so forth. While there's an incredibly wide variety of
religious beliefs and views, most Goths don't follow any sort of organized
religion, and their personal spiritual beliefs are of a private nature.
Gothics are often accused of being Satanists because of their
bizarre or dark appearances. There are some Satanists who are also Goth, but
Satanists can be found in any group of people. They are not exclusively
Gothics. Satanism and the occult itself are extremely complex belief systems
with as many differences in interpretation and types as Christianity. This is
an area that people have the most confusion and misinformation regarding.
Satanism as a documented religion, such as Anton LeVay's
In 1989, the FBI National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime
published a 50+ page report by Kenneth Lanning, Supervisory Special Agent,
entitled Satanic, Occult, Ritualistic Crime: A Law Enforcement Perspective.
Excerpts from this study may help clarify some misunderstanding:
"The fact is that far more crime
and child abuse has been committed by zealots in the name of God, Jesus, and
Mohammed than has ever been committed in the name of Satan. Many people don't
like this statement, but few can argue with it... After all the hype and
hysteria is put aside, the realization sets in that most satanic/occult
activity involves the commission of NO crimes, and that which does, usually
involves the commission of relatively minor crimes… It is easy to blame
involvement in satanism and the occult for behaviors that have complex
motivations. A teenager's excessive involvement in satanism and the occult is
usually a symptom of a problem and not the cause of a problem. Blaming satanism
for a teenagers' vandalism, theft, suicide or even act of murder is like
blaming a criminal's offenses on his tattoos: both are often signs of the same
rebelliousness and lack of self-esteem that contribute to the commission of
crimes.
…Most teenagers involved in fantasy role-playing
games, heavy metal music, or satanism and the occult are going through a stage
of adolescent development and commit no significant crimes. The teenagers who
have more serious problems are usually those from dysfunctional families or
those who have poor communications within their families. Those troubled
teenagers turn to satanism and the occult to overcome a sense of alienation, to
obtain power, or to justify their antisocial behaviour. For these teenagers, it
is the symbolism, not the spirituality, that is
important. It is either the psychopathic or the oddball, loner teenager who is
most likely to get into serious trouble. Extreme involvement in the occult is a
symptom of a problem, not the cause. This is not to deny, however, that satanism and the occult are
negative influences for a troubled teenager. But to hysterically warn teenagers
to avoid this 'mysterious, powerful, and dangerous' thing called satanism will drive some teenagers
right into it. Some rebellious teenagers will do whatever will
most shock and outrage society in order to flaunt their rejection of adult
norms..."
Depression
It's hard to say categorically if Goths are more depressed than
anyone else. In everyday society, depression and sadness are seen as an
abnormality, something that must be suppressed or fixed. Adolescence is a time
of depression for many; yet, young people feel pressure from family, friends or
teachers to be the "perfect" child and not show when something is
wrong. They may feel incredible pain, but don't want to be looked down on for
it as if they are abnormal. Some people find Gothic culture to be one group of
people that says, "We know you are depressed, it's okay. We don't think
any less of you for it. Here's your chance to be depressed, to not push those
feelings down anymore. We'll accept you all the more for it."
Don't believe that Goths in general are necessarily more depressed
than any other group, depression comes to be a feeling that Goth personifies.
These days people feel so alienated from each other that everyone has broken
off into small groups, latched onto something very specific (race, music, an
idea), and formed a culture surrounding it. People belong to these subcultures
in order to feel as if they own something, are a part of something. Subcultures
take an idea and exaggerate it, focus on it to the point where they typify it.
This exaggeration of the beauty of sadness in Gothic culture leads people to
think that Goths are more depressed than other groups. I doubt that they are in
a significant way, but it is possible. It's also possible that this is just the
impression people get about Gothic because it is an exaggeration.
Being Goth doesn't necessarily make one sad, but I do believe that
people can easily become trapped in their own expectations from themselves and
absorb the energy of their appearance and those they surround themselves with.
If people constantly surround themselves with the depressing aspects of Goth,
it becomes hard to see the fun, creative, inspiring part of it. People can
start taking the image and stereotype of being depressed and being Gothic too
seriously. They find themselves living up to an image and don't allow balance
in their lives. They close themselves off to thoughts or clothes or activities
that don't fit this image. That's when being Goth can lead to people creating
more depression for themselves. However, it depends on
what they were like beforehand and how they perceive Goth.
The bottom line is that being Goth does not necessarily mean being
depressed. While Goths are capable of feeling extreme sadness, they are also
capable of experiencing great joy. To some, Goth only says that sadness, like
happiness, has its own majestic beauty and must be embraced as a valid emotion,
not pushed down as an abnormality.
Conclusion
Some people might assume because they find the Gothic subculture
bizarre, that there is something evil or unhealthy about it. There certainly
are some things that raise many people's eyebrows. However, within Goth there
is a very vibrant tongue-in-cheek sense of humor. It is not all gloom and
tragedy; most Goths try not to take themselves too seriously. They have fun
with the spooky, campy aspects, and they're able to laugh at themselves. Though
gothic culture is unusual, it is not something that should be feared or
derided.
Many Goths say that Gothic represents acceptance of the
inevitability of death and the existence of the darker side of life. That does
not mean that Goths possess an obsession with either one. Goth is recognizing
the balance of dark and light, life and death, without turning away, denying,
or living in fear of the things some people find disturbing. To say that gothic
culture's interest in the dark side of life means that Goths are evil would be
similar to saying that daytime is good while nighttime is evil. There is no
issue of good and evil when it comes to day and night; they are merely
different. Gothic is the same way. It is simply a different way of perceiving
and acting on the world than most people are used to. That doesn't make it
wrong, bad or evil, just different.
The only time involvement in Gothic culture could become a cause for
concern is if a person does not maintain balance in their lives. Excessive
fixation on anything is unhealthy.
There are Goths who choose to wallow in misery, brood over death, cut themselves, obsess about vampires, take things to extremes.
Those are the extremists however, not the average Goth. Teenagers who are
mentally or emotionally unstable or have serious problems should receive help.
These problems are most likely caused by a larger issue such as low self-esteem
or a poor family situation. It is essential to realize that anyone’s dangerous involvement with
drugs, depression or self-destruction requires help. However, it is the harmful
behavior that should be focused on,
not the appearance, musical taste, or social affiliation of the youth in
question.
Article by
Alicia Porter, Jan 1999