Goths and Emos

[Elizabeth]

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I was out walking along the bay-side shops recently, when a young boy with that just-got-out-of-a-coffin look smiled at me, and said ??Hello, you probably don?t recognize me, I?m Jakes older brother - my little brother plays with your son at school, l used to go to the same school myself.?
I had just come out of ?Bakers Delight? and asked him if he would like a focaccia or something to eat ? He replied ?no thankyou? and rode off on his bike. What l really wanted to offer him was a bar of solvo.

He had died his hair red, black and purple, he had makeup on his face and piercings on his ears, brows, lips, that chalky white complexion, and black layered clothing. But what was most disappointing was that this 15-16yr old had tattoos all around his neck, down his ears, and on his fingers and forearms.

I?m not a closed-minded person, but this boy is just a child. Period ! Far too young to be making such permanent statements on his body. From what l remember, he was an absolutely gorgeous boy, and now he is totally unrecognisable.

As a parent of two young boys myself?l was both concerned and saddened to see him this way.

It definitely appears to be a cry for attention.



How do you feel about Goths, and Emos ?


~Elizabeth

[Cluster]

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I used to be a goth, still dress like one from time to time.
Some people do it for the fashion, some because the clothing matches their beliefs.

I know a lot of people that are 14+ with real tatoos.
Are you sure the ones he had were real? They may just be henna.

[cloaked]

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I've got a few goth friends and some of them are the nicest people you'd ever meet. I've talked to em, and most just like to dress the way they like and not 'conform' to societies pointless dress code.

Hehe, today i even comtemplated walking into college bare just for the hell of it. :lol: I think i could have pulled it off too, but i'd rather have a purpose in doing so - like to raise awareness for a cause or some'in, not just to show off my bod. :P

I see nothing wrong with the way goth's dress aside from the fact that older individuals are always lunging over them going - is something wrong with you? You must be depressed! Thats bull shit, goths as a group don't have anymore problems than the rest of us white folk.

One of my observations has been that people tend to dress the way they do to meet other like minded individuals who dress the same way. You see someone you like, you start dressing like them. I myself make it a first proirity to appear friendly to those around me. I often tend to wear a wide range of clothing cause i like to socialize w/ everyone. At the moment i find that my style has taken a back-seat around my university though. Wearing kick-ass tennis shoes in a class of students wearing dockers dress shoes isn't considered appropriate anymore and i find my self ever shifting towards conformity. Is it a bad thing? idk. On one had conformity pools everyone together giving you more friendly faces, and on another it makes it harder to find those like minded individuals who used to dress just like you did...

[Cesare]

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Goths and emos?
I don't give a damn about emos, but sure I like goths...
Being a semi-goth myself...:-)
I've received my share of comments like "been to a funeral?" or "are you a satanist?" and I don't even really dress like a typical goth.
So...
I actually consider goth fashion sense to be much more appealing (and actually more diverse) than your usual casual dress code.
And the music is really good. Well, some of the music, to be more accurate...
And goth kids tend to read and appreciate fine arts, actually. Majority of them don't really recognize Michelangelo from Bernini and have no idea what Keats really is about, but hey, at least they like the stuff... :smt023
Eric Draven is a better role model than Jesus, anyway...;-)
(Though the Catholic goths I know would disagree I'm afraid...)

he was an absolutely gorgeous boy, and now he is totally unrecognisable

No offence, but dyed hair, pale skin and piercing and stuff - that usually looks damn gorgeous on handsome boys... :twisted: I don't really understand what the problem is...

[Yoyodyner]

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But what was most disappointing was that this 15-16yr old had tattoos all around his neck, down his ears, and on his fingers and forearms.

I?m not a closed-minded person, but this boy is just a child. Period ! Far too young to be making such permanent statements on his body.

Okay now. WRITE THIS DOWN.

Invest any/all your spare money into TATTOO REMOVAL. It's the wave of the future. Just remember to thank me when you're raking in the big bucks. :smt023

Goths and emos?
I don't give a damn about emos, but sure I like goths...
Being a semi-goth myself...:-)
I've received my share of comments like "been to a funeral?" or "are you a satanist?" and I don't even really dress like a typical goth.

I've been accused of being a satanist many times, but it had nothing to do with how I was dressed. :?

And personally, I think "emo" music gets an undeserved bad rap.

[RIII]

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I'm not really a fan of any kind of permanent body art (why pin yourself down when you can play with all sorts of different stuff as your tastes/interests evolve?). I don?t see any problem with playing with clothes/make-up/hair colour. Everyone must be free to express themselves as they grow and expand.

While I was never outwardly rebellious (I didn't see the point of it), I saw and understood many others were. The trend towards gothic or emo, as towards mod, punk and rocker in earlier generations is an attempt to find and fit into ones chosen circle, as Cloaked (such a wise young man) says.

I would be surprised, saddened and disappointed if either of my kids got permanent tattoos, I see no problem in less permanent means of self expression. I certainly think that one should be a sober adult if one decides to get a tattoo and I can say, with complete honesty, that while one or two small tattoos don't bother me either way, lots of tattoos or large areas covered in tattoos I find to be quite repulsive. I like skin - natural, and in many shades, why cover it in permanent marker?

LOL Now I come to think of it, it reminds me of the Robert Munch story about Bridget and the indelible markers. :shock: Link to Purple Green and Yellow

As for tattoos being a call for attention, I would think that any form or visual self expression calls for some sort of attention or other. I don't think this is indicitive of particular emotional upheaval or other psychological problems. Everyone needs to express themselves in some form or other. The problem with tattoos, for me at least, is their permanency and the prohibitive cost of (and possible scaring due to) removal.

[eLNunn]

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Kids will be kids, and they do some crazy shit in thier teenage years - I did, and it's carried on into my 50's. If they understand those 'tats' are permanent, so be it. I happen to have a really bad tatoo that put both of my kids off of 'body art' at an early age. That's one of my youthful mistakes I'm glad they learned from.

As far as the 'Goth/Emo' thing, yeah, they just want to identify with other, similarly oriented people - they want to belong, but they want a 'different' identity. And even people who want to be outside of, or shock society still feel the need to belong to a group. I went through a pretty extreme punk phase, myself, and I can't find it in me now to freak out over any kid thats looking for a way to express him/herself.

Usually (except for me), if you let 'em be, they grow up.

And become what the mundane majority considers (sigh) normal.

P.W.D. (meaning I will probably edit this when I'm sober)

[RIII]

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Kids will be kids, and they do some crazy shit in thier teenage years - I did, and it's carried on into my 50's. If they understand those 'tats' are permanent, so be it. I happen to have a really bad tatoo that put both of my kids off of 'body art' at an early age. That's one of my youthful mistakes I'm glad they learned from.

As far as the 'Goth/Emo' thing, yeah, they just want to identify with other, similarly oriented people - they want to belong, but they want a 'different' identity. And even people who want to be outside of, or shock society still feel the need to belong to a group. I went through a pretty extreme punk phase, myself, and I can't find it in me now to freak out over any kid thats looking for a way to express him/herself.

Usually (except for me), if you let 'em be, they grow up.

And become what the mundane majority considers (sigh) normal.

P.W.D. (meaning I will probably edit this when I'm sober)

Thanks for the edit warning - I got you with your pints down! :smt023

[Elizabeth]

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Apparently Jake is only in year 8,so that would probably make him even younger than l originally thought.

Goths and Emos are not an unfamiliar sight to me?nor am l against peoples rights to express their commitment to certain subcultures through fashion statements. Go for it. What l do find disturbing is this boys age. He?s just too young to see the big picture?and far too young to be clad in tats and piercings. I mean what?s a 14yr old?s reason/excuse ? ?They?re cool?? ?You can?t tell me what to do ?? A 14-15 yr old can?t possibly justify making such permanent fashion statements. Mind you, l am seeing things through a mothers eyes. :oops:

Goths have been around for quite sometime - too long for the shock factor?they?ve almost become mainstream/old school. And Emos are like the new age ?junior? sub-set Goths. I think they?re still evolving. I do find it terribly unfair to say that Emos/Goths are suicidal, depressed or Satan worshipers. And yes, l agree with you cloaked - that is bullshit.

One of my girlfriends is a part time Goth. She attends Gothic parties that are organized by a group of Goths every four months. They have an attendance of 500+ people?all in the 30+ age bracket. She tells me most of the people that attend these functions were once fulltime Goths but they?ve either out grown it, or due to their work/lifestyle they have now become semi/social-Goths.

I?ll tell you what l do find absolutely disgusting ? ?earlobe gauge piercings.? I like earlobes. I like to fondle them?nibble on them, and admire them. Not stick my damn finger through them. I know this VJ that has a zero+ size hole, and l can?t help but think of how much it?s going to stretch by the time he?s 60 or so.



Anyway, when l think of the term Goth?these are the images that come to mind? :smt023

http://img187.imageshack.us/img187/4004 ... 381an0.jpg

http://img187.imageshack.us/img187/1721/bedeo8.jpg :oops:

http://img257.imageshack.us/img257/4994/83607ag3.jpg

~Elizabeth

[Yoyodyner]

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I like skin - natural, and in many shades, why cover it in permanent marker?

Why not?



:lol: