Share your views on goth subculture

[student]

I'm a third year media student from Lincoln University, England. I'm currently writing my 10,000 word dissertation on the goth subculture, and authenticity within that.

I'm trying to get the views of as many members of this subculture as possible, and i was wondering if any of you would be kind enough to fill in a short questionnaire.

You can make the answers as long or short as you like. I'll post the questions here and you can either leave the answers as a reply to this thread or email them to me at music_slut@************.

Afraid i can't offer anything to you for doing this other than the satifaction at having helped me and the chance to share your views on an under represented subject!


Age:

Gender:

Q1. Would you describe yourself as a Goth?

Q2. Why? What does Goth mean to you?

Q3. How do you like to dress during the day and at night?

Q4. Are you trying to convey a message with the way you dress? If yes, what is it?

Q5. Has your view of what a Goth is changed over the time you’ve been involved in the subculture?

Q6. What sort of music do you listen to and what do you like about it?

Q7. What do you like to do in your spare time?

Q8. How interested are you in art and literature?

Q9. What ideals do you think you share with other Goths, if any?

Q10. Would it bother you if Goth went mainstream and became a fashion trend? Why?

Q11. Is there a difference between younger Goths (12 – 17) and older Goths (18+)? If yes, what is it?

Q12. Which, if either, do you think is more important in your subculture and why: style (what you wear and how you look) or content (what you know and how you feel)?




Hope some of you are interested,

Cheers

Laura

[Draconysius]

Age: 17

Gender: M

Q1. Would you describe yourself as a Goth? Yes, I consider myself a member of the subculture.

Q2. Why? What does Goth mean to you? In my opinion, it is an embrace of darkness. The taboo, unusual, morbid, etc.

Q3. How do you like to dress during the day and at night? During the day, I dress in very casual clothes; all black with maybe a few accessories like jewelry here and there. During the night, I wear what I wear during the day, until I go to bed when I wear a band tee and some night pants.

Q4. Are you trying to convey a message with the way you dress? If yes, what is it? Not really; I just love black.

Q5. Has your view of what a Goth is changed over the time you’ve been involved in the subculture? Yes; so many times it just isn'y funny.

Q6. What sort of music do you listen to and what do you like about it?
I'll listen to just about anything. My favorites, though, are deathrock, darkwave, and stoner, doom, or grunge metal. Why do I like it? I can't say besides it sounds good to me.

Q7. What do you like to do in your spare time? I love to read, play games, fuck around the internet, or draw.

Q8. How interested are you in art and literature? VERY interested. I draw just about every day and have written so many stories, poems, and songs it's just ridiculous. I'm even considering a career in art.

Q9. What ideals do you think you share with other Goths, if any? Mainly, the need to express myself, and go my own way.

Q10. Would it bother you if Goth went mainstream and became a fashion trend? Why? Yes; I hate poseurs. This would mean a lot more.

Q11. Is there a difference between younger Goths (12 – 17) and older Goths (18+)? If yes, what is it? The elder goths who have been in the subculture longer are usually more experienced and wise.

Q12. Which, if either, do you think is more important in your subculture and why: style (what you wear and how you look) or content (what you know and how you feel)? Content, indefinitely.

[Tall One In Black]

Q2. What does Goth mean to you?


To me, Goth means being someone's research project every two weeks.

[Reject_Bunnies]

Originally Posted by Tall One In Black

Q2. What does Goth mean to you?


To me, Goth means being someone's research project every two weeks.

You can't really argue with that one

[student]

Sorry i'm not meaning to offend you in any way. i understand you probably get a lot of people trying ask you questions, but thats because from what i've seen and read, goth is very interlinked to the internet. There are so many sites dedicated to goth culture that it provides a simple way to access a lot of people who might be willing to help. I'm not asking you to give me a 2000 word essay on 'what is goth', i'm just looking for a little insight from the horse's mouth so to speak. If you don't want to do it then i understand and have no problem with that, but in that case just ignore the thread, there isn't any need to be funny about it.

[student]

And thank you to draconysius for replying

[maggot]

Hey, Student.
http://www.fehq.org/public/whatgoth.htm seems to have a pretty good article on what goth is..

But heres my main view of goth: I feel that it's to see the beauty where others see none, to be yourself.. To not care what others think.

[Godslayer Jillian]

Ok, first of all, there are a couple of other threads like this. I think they will help you. Second; this site http://blood-dance.net/goth/grant.html gives avery good definition of us, I think. But, anyway, I'll answer to yourr questions seriously.

Age: 16

Gender: umm.... *looks down* yeah, I'm a guy

Q1. Would you describe yourself as a Goth? I would describe myself as a goth, but I don't like saying it, because it sounds "hey, look at me, I'm goth, so I'm better than you"

Q2. Why? What does Goth mean to you? goth is a subculture centered in literature and, well, culture. Anyone with imagination and intelligence (and an open mind) can be one

Q3. How do you like to dress during the day and at night? I dress the same in both times. I tend to overdress

Q4. Are you trying to convey a message with the way you dress? If yes, what is it? I just like individualism, so I don't like a simple Tshirt and some pants

Q5. Has your view of what a Goth is changed over the time you’ve been involved in the subculture? once. I never met a "goth" which was worth talking to because they didn't know anything about politics, and one even though the Anarchy sign meant "Antichrist" so I got dissapointed and began to be my own style: the "Yin". It was not until I joined here that I found real literate gothics.

Q6. What sort of music do you listen to and what do you like about it? I like gothic music, mainly because it's very light, but pretty. I love Lacrimosa because it almost looks like an orchestra. I also love Bretchian Punk Cabaret (you know who am I talking about) and classical music of course (it's so profound). Last, but not least, I love improvised jazz.

Q7. What do you like to do in your spare time? I do what I want to do or what I find to do

Q8. How interested are you in art and literature? Literature is the only form of art I can reach, but what I write is obvviously far from being art. And what do I think about art? A life not dedicated to Love, must be dedicated to Art, or is just a wasted life

Q9. What ideals do you think you share with other Goths, if any? just be the most cultured you can. And if someone thinks Greenday is gothic, you're in the wrong site

Q10. Would it bother you if Goth went mainstream and became a fashion trend? Why? Most definitely!!! If gothdom becomes mainstream, that means everyone will only be interested in the style. The essence of Goth itself cannot be mainstream because that would mean the world would finally be filled with smart, creative people.

Q11. Is there a difference between younger Goths (12 – 17) and older Goths (18+)? If yes, what is it? Probably only the tastes. Besides that, there are always the same differences between old people nd young people.

Q12. Which, if either, do you think is more important in your subculture and why: style (what you wear and how you look) or content (what you know and how you feel)?
Content. We may have a recognizable taste for the black and the Victorian, but style has nothing to do with being goth

[tekajo]

check this page out: Goth With a Sledgehammer.

i was going to do the questions but then noticed that i was listening to Conway Twitty and realised that i was not goth enough to be representing this subculture in yet another school project.

[Tall One In Black]

Originally Posted by student

Sorry i'm not meaning to offend you in any way. i understand you probably get a lot of people trying ask you questions, but thats because from what i've seen and read, goth is very interlinked to the internet. There are so many sites dedicated to goth culture that it provides a simple way to access a lot of people who might be willing to help. I'm not asking you to give me a 2000 word essay on 'what is goth', i'm just looking for a little insight from the horse's mouth so to speak. If you don't want to do it then i understand and have no problem with that, but in that case just ignore the thread, there isn't any need to be funny about it.

I'm not offended. And I'll be "funny" if I want, whether you think there's a need for it or not. When you post a question on a public forum, you take what you get for answers.

You're right, there are MANY sites dedicated to goth culture. You can do a lot of your research on those sites - and I don't mean posting surveys. I mean reading the information that is readily available.

Here's the thing about online communities, gothic or otherwise: you get more cooperation if you're an accepted member of the community. An outsider who comes in for no purpose other than research is going to irritate a lot of people.

We didn't get together on this board so we'd be conveniently grouped for outsiders to conduct surveys on us. We're an online community, a group of friends, not a focus group to be used by researchers at their whim.

If you had searched the board before you posted, you would have discovered that other people have done the same thing as you... ad nauseum.

If you're writing a 10,000 word dissertation, you must have some interest in the gothic community. You will have better luck if you try to become part of the community instead of poking at us from the outside like we're some kind of freakish lab rats.

What I've written may seem to have an angry tone, but I am not angry. My tone is meant to be pedagogical. I work in online communications; one of the things my group specializes in is online community-building. In short, I know what I'm talking about.

You'll have a few people answer your questions. You'll have a lot more who are irritated - some of those will ignore you, and some will flame you.

[Godslayer Jillian]

Yes. Don't just observe us; come live in our community. We'll teach you the ways of the jungle

[maggot]

Not to mention your mind will be horribly disfigured and scarred for life.

[Draconysius]

Originally Posted by tekajo

check this page out: Goth With a Sledgehammer.

i was going to do the questions but then noticed that i was listening to Conway Twitty and realised that i was not goth enough to be representing this subculture in yet another school project.

Hey, that's no problem, man! I find myself listening to Hank Williams sometimes. I got turned onto classic country from GTA: San Andreas K Rose radio. I even found 80's pop enjoyable thanks to Vice City. :")

[student]

Thank you to everyone who's contributed so far. I've seen a lot of sites describing what goth is already but some of the ones you've given me are new so i'll check them out for a better insight.

I do understand that it would be easier if i was a goth to integrate and to be accepted, but i'm not so its more difficult. But it does give me an outsider's perspective without a chance of bias. I knew nothing about the culture before so have no preconceptions. And regarding 'Tall One In Black's reply, i have read information readily available. I've studied books, fanzines, websites, i've been to goth nights, i've talked to goths both online and in person - this isn't my only research. This is just extra. I thought it would be an interesting dimension to not just talk to goths from my own country but to expand it worldwide if they are willing.

And i know i can find the answers on the site already, i've found searching past forum threads a great way to improve my research but i have to do primary research too where i ask the questions and people answer my specific questions. So honest i'm not a retard! mostly...

[Wise Child]

Originally Posted by Xnguela

[b]1) Yes. We are all compulsive liars and flakes that need makeovers and want to date spineless jocks.

Judd shoulda smacked him down like the bitch he is. Whiney little schmuck.

[student]

Lol at least my questionnaire isn't quite that insulting...well i hope.

'do you purposely try and look like freaks?' - thats just asking for trouble

[maggot]

I've been here just half a week, and I've already seen multiple surveys.

Why us the world obsessing about goths recently? Especially the media?

[Reject_Bunnies]

Originally Posted by maggot

Why us the world obsessing about goths recently? Especially the media?

The interest dips for awhile then picks back up.I feel the biggest blow to Gothdom(In a bad way) was the fallout from the Columbine shootings;talk about bad publicity! I still hear references to that event and Goth in the same sentence.

[maggot]

Originally Posted by Reject_Bunnies

The interest dips for awhile then picks back up.I feel the biggest blow to Gothdom(In a bad way) was the fallout from the Columbine shootings;talk about bad publicity! I still hear references to that event and Goth in the same sentence.

Well it was caused by Maralyn Manson, and as it says in the holy Goth Scriptures; And the Dark Lord saith "Thou shalt listeneth the my son, Maralyn Manson."

[She_Is_My_Sin]

Ok maggot please stop spelling it like that! it's MARILYN, see there's an I in there. Now remember that for next time you use it ok?

[maggot]

...
Why do you care so much? Everyone is prone to not knowing something. I don't see why I should be personally attacked for it.

[She_Is_My_Sin]

Calm down, it was just bothering me that's all. & you're being attacked for it because you keep spelling it like that. Sheesh I can't help being picky about name spelling.

[Metatron]

Age: 18

Gender: M

Q1. Would you describe yourself as a Goth?

Yes.

Q2. Why? What does Goth mean to you?

Goth to me means a diverse community of similar-minded people; similar tastes in music, fashion, humor, and mindsets.

Q3. How do you like to dress during the day and at night?

I go naked. Does it really matter? Goths dress however they want to, it's not the fashion that matter. However, how they want to usually tends to be in dark colors because of our darker outlook on life.

Q4. Are you trying to convey a message with the way you dress? If yes, what is it?

Yes, but I'm not exactly sure what that message is.

Q5. Has your view of what a Goth is changed over the time you’ve been involved in the subculture?

I can't say it hasn't because that would be lie. In fact, I don't think any goth can say that. When you first discover what 'it' is about you that sets you aside from most people, you go through a period of time (mine was about 2 years) where you feel the need to learn more about yourself. First you learn what the term 'goth' means, and then you learn why you can be considered so, and then you learn about different people like yourself, and then you learn how to fix a run-on sentence.

Q6. What sort of music do you listen to and what do you like about it?

I listen to anything that I like, and that's as general as I'm going to get. I really don't think you can rule out whole genres without hearing some of the different artists in each genre. I dislike a lot of the shit being produced today, but I enjoy everything from Opera to New Age to Death Metal to Old School Rap to World. My philosophy is that there is at least one song from every artist that I will like; whether it be lyrics or chord operations or the tune.

Q7. What do you like to do in your spare time?

I study religion and the occult, collect old things, read, paint, write, and touch myself at night.

Q8. How interested are you in art and literature?

Extremely. This is what defines 'real' goths from 'fake' goths. If you don't like the literature, the art, or the music. You're not goth. It's as simple as that.

Q9. What ideals do you think you share with other Goths, if any?

Goths have a very developed sense of humor. They tend to look at society in a much different way, and they feel the need to express themselves through the arts.

Q10. Would it bother you if Goth went mainstream and became a fashion trend? Why?

Absolutely. It bothers me that there are people that dress it because they think it's cool. Why? Because.

Q11. Is there a difference between younger Goths (12 – 17) and older Goths (18+)? If yes, what is it?

Of course. There's a difference in everyone when they're young and when they're older: maturity. An older goth still has an alternative edge to them, but they might not be as far out as a younger goth due to society's ability to accept them in the work force, etc.

Q12. Which, if either, do you think is more important in your subculture and why: style (what you wear and how you look) or content (what you know and how you feel)?

I think it is already agreed that if you're gothic, you don't depend on the dress to label you as so, you depend on how you think. While fashion plays an important role in expressing yourself, not just for goths, it's not as important as the mindset. Anyone can label themselves as goth, and in doing so create an outer appearance, but what's on the inside that separates the real from the pseudo.

[Reject_Bunnies]

Originally Posted by Xnguela

You know, if y'all are sick of the negative stereotype of the gothy culture, wouldn't you like the recent focus on the subculture?

I am and was aware of the negative image being Goth presents to some people.

In my opinion,people judge you immediately for what you look like/are wearing,and anything outside the "norm" of what people expect is considered weird or freakish. It's all about stereotyping people expressly for what is covering their bodies.

Say you notice a couple of guys(Or gals)that have longer then normal hair,scruffy clothes or Tye-dyed shirts.Your mind instantly classifies those people as stoners,drug addicts,or slackers. It's like assuming everyone that wears expensive sports apparel and shoes is a drug dealer.

So when the nice upstanding suburban people see someone decked out in black,studs,and chains...an alarm goes off in their mind screaming:"Alert! Satanist! Devil Worshipper!"

And then they think about school shootings and rock music...and how "It's all connected". They naturally link black with evil,and evil brings bad things. What it boils down to is society is just too quick to stereotype and lump everyone who fits a certain profile into the bad category.

-[Side-note to myself:writing this got me thinking about what people have been telling me.Not to judge and assume ALL people act and are like a couple of bad ones(Just because something bad happened to you,that doesn't mean EVERYONE is like that]

[Metatron]

It's kind of similar to Satanism. People automatically assume that Satan is a negative figure and that people that practice this belief are bad. They fail to do some research and establish a difference between Satanism and devil-worship, thus providing and inconveniency for Satanists.