Why do people decide to become Goths?

simu · 14-03-2004 10:33PM #1

Having been in a pub full of goths recently, I'm wondering what the attraction of this look is. Why do people decide to become goths? Dosen't it just make it easy for ppl to label you? (especially older goths who are obviously more than just teenagers trying to annoy their parents)

On a practical level, isn't it hassle buying only black clothes?, do you become a goth overnight or just gradually?

Serious answers will be appreciated!

bizmark · 14-03-2004 10:36PM

because black is the new.....er black :ninja:

i dont know why either.If i see them in town id avoid like the black death (get the pun) as you said it just makes it easyer for people to lable them

On a practical level, isn't it hassle buying only black clothes?,

nearly all my stuff is black (even my pc is black) its not hard to buy black clothes

GuanYin · 14-03-2004 10:39PM

This always puzzled me aswell. Not just Goths but similar groupings where alot of people wear similar cloths (the Avril Lavigne look frequented bythe teens hanging at the central bank for instance).

On one hand it could be seen as a statement of individuality, but surely if you have a group all dressing in the same way, that becomes farce.

"lets all be individuals together, in the same way"

Is it just the look suits/appeals to people, because I certainly don't understand the statement.

Raphael · 14-03-2004 10:42PM

"If you always wear black, everything matches" - GTA: VC

Seriously though, I have no idea, I'm most of the way to goth, but i never consciously decided to do so. It just sorta happened. Lifes strange, deal with it

feylya · 14-03-2004 10:43PM

Why do ravers become ravers? Why do knacks wear knack clothes? Why do lumberjacks wear check shirts? It's just a style that appeals I suppose. I'm not a goth but I wear black. Couldn't be bothered figuring out colours and all that kinda thing.

simu · 14-03-2004 10:51PM

Originally posted by feylya
Why do ravers become ravers? Why do knacks wear knack clothes? Why do lumberjacks wear check shirts? It's just a style that appeals I suppose. I'm not a goth but I wear black. Couldn't be bothered figuring out colours and all that kinda thing.

Hmm, I've heard a lot of Goths going on about being individuals and being different and so on whereas you'd rarely get that from skangers and lumberjacks. In fact, lumberjack clothers are practical for being out in the woods cutting trees so that's no great mystery.

I wear a fair amount of black myself but I'm talking more about ppl who also put on white makeup and have to dye their hair pitch black etc - is it worth the effort?

feylya · 14-03-2004 10:53PM

Meh, is it really any different from putting red on your face and black on your eyes like 99% of the female population of this country did at one stage or another?

spongebob · 14-03-2004 10:53PM

a Dietary Deficiency or Colour Blindness .

or both .

M

User45701 · 14-03-2004 10:56PM

What does goth mean EXEATLY

I Only wear black. when i was younger i had no interest in Nike or a manu T-shirt or anything like that. I dont wear what is "kool" to wear.

I Wear black but i dont hang out with people who only wear black and i dont like music (dont goths like a certan type of music?)

feylya · 14-03-2004 10:58PM

Originally posted by User45701
(dont goths like a certan type of music?)

I believe it's called Gothic music

tribble · 14-03-2004 10:58PM

you wouldn't understand

Seraphina · 14-03-2004 10:58PM

i dont get the guys myself, but i like the look on the ladies, rar n such. not too much white on the face tho, looks like talc then.

Bottle_of_Smoke · 14-03-2004 11:03PM

tanned girls with black lipstick = v hot
i find goths attractive you just dont, i prob dont like your type, not worth worrying about

User45701 · 14-03-2004 11:03PM

Originally posted by feylya
I believe it's called Gothic music

where goths named after the music or the music after the goths?

feylya · 14-03-2004 11:04PM

Hmm, that's a tough one. I'd say the music came after. Aren't goths into vampires and such?

honru · 14-03-2004 11:07PM

Originally posted by feylya
I believe it's called Gothic music

What's gothic music?

I think it just has to do with individuality, but in real terms the whole idea of a goth has been flushed down the toilet.

Töpher · 14-03-2004 11:07PM

Originally posted by User45701
(dont goths like a certan type of music?)

You'd be surprised at how varied a taste in music some people can have.

To be honest, the people that do it to piss of their folks or whatever and consciously decide to only wear black so they can be a goth or something just give some good people a bad name. Central bank kids take note, noone likes you!

LegacyUser · 14-03-2004 11:21PM

Originally posted by simu
lumberjack clothers are practical for being out in the woods cutting trees so that's no great mystery.

lol, thats the funniest thing i've read in ages

Jim · 14-03-2004 11:26PM

Originally posted by f®eak s©enery
What's gothic music?
/B]

The original Gothic music is a type of classical music that came from a particular period and style, same with architecture and such. I doubt many goths listen to classical.

I suppose the music and the buildings etc... inspired a sort of fear in people, inspiring stories like Dracula etc...
Therefore transfered to our little friends because of their apperence.

honru · 14-03-2004 11:41PM

Originally posted by Jimeatsmenu
The original Gothic music is a type of classical music that came from a particular period and style, same with architecture and such. I doubt many goths listen to classical.

I suppose the music and the buildings etc... inspired a sort of fear in people, inspiring stories like Dracula etc...
Therefore transfered to our little friends because of their apperence.

Goth music (or Goth Rock) is essentially the gloomiest and bleakest form of post-punk, thus it originated in the 80s. Examples of some goth bands are Bauhaus, The Cure, Love and Rockets, Siouxsie and the Banshees etc.

Yet I don't see how this equates with this generation. The term "goth music/rock" is very misunderstood.

ixoy · 14-03-2004 11:47PM

Originally posted by simu
Having been in a pub full of goths recently, I'm wondering what the attraction of this look is. Why do people decide to become goths?

Are you sure you weren't watching Fraiser?! The exact same thing occurred tonight...

Gummy Panda · 14-03-2004 11:49PM

Originally posted by Bottle_of_Smoke
tanned girls with black lipstick = v hot
i find goths attractive you just dont, i prob dont like your type, not worth worrying about

Couldn;t agree more. Use to know a a tanned girl (had middle east blood in her) who was a goth.

/goes off to dream about her

l3rian · 14-03-2004 11:51PM

My school was infested with goths. I always got a great laugh from their big boots, leather clothes, and black makeup. I didnt doit myself, because I played football every break and tracksuits are more comfortable anyway. But I have to admit that one of the tall guys did look cool, in that darth vader kind of way.

I think they decide to dress that way, when they begin to hang around with other goths.

eirebhoy · 14-03-2004 11:52PM

Originally posted by Seraphina
but i like the look on the ladies, rar n such.

oooh!:dunno:

TheSonOfBattles · 14-03-2004 11:54PM

One of my friends was all but Goth, and I never really found him particularly strange, nor was he annoying or obsessed with death or that kinda thing. Fair enough, he liked Anne Rice Vampire books, but then I liked them as well, we had pretty much the same tastes book, tv, and comics wise so that's no real indication that that alone was a goth thing. He did like a fair bit of music I didn't though, like Marilyn Manson, though I've never really listened to enough of his stuff to judge to be honest.

He even wore make up the odd time, though the time he wore nail polish was actually against his will (someone painted his nails at a party, and he has no sisters, so there was no nail polish remover at home, so he was wearing it for a few days, till he got paid and could afford some), though he did laugh it off himself after a few hours.

I don't think there's anything wrong with Goths, and I find Goth women can very hot, and as such am disappointed at the lack of them in just about every place that I've been in Ireland. I think how people become Goth's is that they just like a certain type of music, a certain dress style, a certain literary style, and people label them Goth's. They grow into this label and accept it. Depression usually goes hand in hand with the lifestyle though, the guy I knew cut himself A LOT. His chest, arms and shoulders were covered in cuts, and even he couldn't really explain why he did it. His parents freaked when they found out, and he was seeing a physciatrist for ages. Haven't talked to him in ages, must give him a call next time I'm back in Dungarvan really.

colincarnate · 14-03-2004 11:58PM

Why does anyone do anything? - For girls

... no really[1]

[1]
I reference the Futurama episode where Fry gets a copy of Lucy Lui.
"You wanna come over to my place and make out Billy?"
"No thanks i'll just stay here and make out with my Marilyn Monroe-bot"

'With the money earned from his paper route Billy could have afforded to buy Stacy a meal and therefore earning a slight chance at the reproductive process'

Fysh · 14-03-2004 11:59PM

Originally posted by l3rian
I think they decide to dress that way, when they begin to hang around with other goths.

Yes, but in that case...where did the original one get the idea from?

Also - re: classical music and goths. You could say that "I doubt many (insert subculture name here) fans listen to classical". It's not really saying much at all, because some people who call themselves goths (or punks, or grungers, or metallers, or indie kids, or whatever...)will listen to classical, others won't. You can't decide on someone's cultural influences and tastes based purely on their appearance, tempting as it may be with the current fad for "wearing your individuality".

Not sure why I even brought that up, when I'm not a goth and don't want to be. Oh well...

Dustaz · 15-03-2004 12:03AM

And the aware for "Most Obviously Goth Cant You See What I'm Wearing Its All Black Like And The Nail Polish" answer goes to:

Originally posted by tribble
you wouldn't understand

rofl

Pugsley · 15-03-2004 12:06AM

Most of them listen to manson etc just to 'fit in' (he cant sing for supper if you ask me), but most of their musical tastes are way off that, well, a good few of them. I personally like mostly heavy death metal (albiet im no goth, geek/nerd would be a good bit closer), doesnt mean I dont like other music, I love power metal and classical too, some of Beethovens stuff is excellent, 5th Symphony anyone? among with other excellent composer's. I know a good few goths a bit, and most of their music taste's are not death metal at all, (I have yet to meet a single goth who listens to Immortal, VED, or Entombed [while these are all black metal, the point stands]) however a lot like grunge and thrash, infact pretty much all of them like either Nirvana or Metallica religiously.

ozt9vdujny3srf · 15-03-2004 12:14AM

My Opinion:

Most goths are teenagers, teenagers often like to do things their parents dont like , and one of the most important things to a teenager is fitting in. Becoming a goth makes you part of a social group and your parents are unlikely to approve

. Also, from my experiance most of them are very comfortable, happy, confident people within their group of friends, and usually far from depressed.

Meh its just like any other group of teenagers who all dress similarly, just a bit more noticeable and ridiculous.

For most "goths" its just a phase, they'll probably look back at pictures and cringe

.

Karl Hungus · 15-03-2004 12:19AM

Ah, now here's a topic that hasn't come up in a while.

Time to get me arguement boots on.

Originally posted by simu
Hmm, I've heard a lot of Goths going on about being individuals and being different and so on whereas you'd rarely get that from skangers and lumberjacks.

Ok, I'll tell you this, as a sell-proclaimed goth (At one time...) that it's horse****.

I'm going to state a fact here, humans are by nature conformist, and anyone who's telling you that they're doing X, Y or Z just to be different, or non-conformist are just being idiots beleiving their own hype. Put simply, people just conform to standards that they feel comfortable with, and that's pretty much an explanation of why people decide to become Goths. It's that simple!

Originally posted by f®eak s©enery
Goth music (or Goth Rock) is essentially the gloomiest and bleakest form of post-punk, thus it originated in the 80s. Examples of some goth bands are Bauhaus, The Cure, Love and Rockets, Siouxsie and the Banshees etc.

Yet I don't see how this equates with this generation. The term "goth music/rock" is very misunderstood.

NAIL/HAMMER/HEAD right there!

The term 'Goth' is just thrown about FAR, FAR too much.
Especially by people who'd call themselves goth.

I'd like everyone here, to go here:
http://www.the-sisters-of-mercy.com/showcase/mp3/albumsandsingles/mp3index128.htm

Listen to some samples there, and get a decent idea of what the whole Goth music thing is all about. I'd make a serious bet that it's nothing like most people here would think. And whats more is, I'd make a bet that most people who'd call themselves Goth these days would be very, VERY suprised.

Why do people decide to become Goths?

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