“goth on the inside”
We’ve been talking subculture in my Sociology of Deviance class. You know how when a subcultural element diffuses into the mainstream, there’s that feeling of let-down for those within the subculture? It’s the let-down of “that was mine, damn it!” Dr. Blazak was telling us that there are two responses to this: a) abandon the subculture; b) invent a new element that’s more “hardcore” and thus less likely to diffuse. This is how those elements that were once shocking become so tame and passe over time; they diffuse into the mainstream and thus must be “topped”.
What’s happened with me with the goth thing is neither a nor b. I like to say I’m “goth on the inside” because I’ve always considered the most important element of the subculture to be the romanticism and existentialism and sense of unplaceable ache.
The look, while fun to put on from time to time, has always been secondary. The feeling (and affinity for the music that reflects it) is what’s crucial. Those of us in our late 20’s and older who have experience inside the gothic sulculture can often recognize others with a certain sensibility who may not put on the look. Quite simply, most of the coolest people I’ve known are goths: intelligent, clever, resiliant, real, creative, and fun as hell to be around.
(Oh, and kiddies? Evanescence is *not* goth music.)
March 8th, 2005 at 4:28 pm
Interesting to think about what happens when a subculture gets subsumed by the mainstream. When I was in high school I liked whatever music I enjoyed, which often was considered at the time modern rock prog rock, but later was subsumed in the uber-genre ‘alternative’.
When all of a sudden ‘alternative’ became ‘pop’ it didn’t change what I liked at all. I never identified myself, or my tastes with any particular sub-culture per se, so I never felt what so many of my peers did when nin got MTV play. The masses are fickle, sooner or later almost anything can be absorbed into the mainstream, so why let that alter what you’re about?
It’s that strange urge to be different and a non-conformist that I think, in the end, creates a self-fulfilling prophecy. If you define yourself by not being like others, then you are allowing their very interests to dictate how you define yourself - is that so different than the mtv weaned masses?
March 9th, 2005 at 5:25 pm
As an aside:
I am goth on the inside. But, I’ve always wanted to screenprint a black tee shirt with white letters, simply stating:
“MORE FUCKING GOTH THAN THOU.”
Once created, I’d wear it to a goth night out. Black pants, black shoes. No makeup. No other outward gothyness.
Sure, people would be offended (or make fun of me) but the thing about getting older is (a) they have no idea, (b) I’m getting older, so I care less and (c) really, they have no idea.
(As for Evanescence: well, hey, I like them OK. But, it’s more overwrought *angst* than *goth*. Better to pull out _Faith_ by the Cure to get the true sense of it.)
March 9th, 2005 at 6:54 pm
Nader, I just think subculture is a fun thing to be part of. It doesn’t form my real identity/”true” sense of who I am…cliques are just a fun and very human way to share and belong..