Goth Diluted

It seems every goth vlogging these days is hellbent on pushing a cultural norm that if you're truly goth in your heart then you're goth and nobody can tell you otherwise. 

[I'm going to qualify my statements by acknowledging that this seems to be primarily an American phenomenon, and that I'm unaware of how or even if this kind of thing happens in other nations]

I applaud their open-mindedness.  I truly do, and appreciate that this is the direction that American minds seem to be heading in.  But being goth is not the same as being American, or being liberal.  Goths do in fact tend to be individualists, and this would suggest that they're less concerned than the norm with what others choose to do with their lives.  I have found this suggestion to be true as well.  But at the heart of gothic nature is an individualism born of being outside the mainstream.  As much as it defines what kind of person we are, it also defines what kind of person we are not.  The latter is the purpose and psychological backdrop for goths defining what (and who) goth is... and isn't.

Many of us are outcasts of some sort, from the mainstream.  We may have been ridiculed by popular people and because of that discovered that the goth culture existed and that we could be accepted there.  We may have simply always found ourselves attracted to things of a morbid nature, things "normal" people had a strong disdain for.  We may possess a dark artistic urge compelling us to spread the understanding of that urge to others.  There may be myriad of other ways this may have come about, but all led to us being perceived in some way as an outsider.  In many ways this is a good thing!  And has played a tremendous part in forming the intensely strong (yet flexible) structure that underlies our culture.  But simply being an outsider from society does not make one goth.  If it did, our history would go back farther by thousands of years than the 1970's and involve whole nations and races of people back to the stone age.  So we need more qualifiers, more definition.

It really should be accepted that goth must in some way, great or small, incorporate a flavor of morbidity.  This could be based on an attitude, such as dark mania, comedy and sarcasm, mournful romance and writing sorrowful poetry; it could be expressed primarily in clothing with mourning shrouds and veils, tattered burial suits, or death-mused face paint or makeup; it could encompass a habit like sleeping in a coffin, driving a hearse or keeping one's house at all times chilly; or any combination of these and related aspects.  But regardless of what face any of these take it has always been, and must always be understood that it is a face made visible to the mainstream around us.  That expression of strength from within the position of being outcast is essential to the gothic soul. The courage it takes to don the guise of the ultimate winner in the game of life - to look death in the eye and take style notes rather than piss oneself - that courage is essential to being goth.  If one does not exhibit some sort of dark nature to those around us and find comfort in it, then one simply cannot empathize with what goth is.

I'm sure many expect me to now unleash a roll-call requirement of goth bands real goths must listen to or feel the wrath of all of the truebloods.  Not at all.  In fact, in one of my other blog posts I explain that I don't believe there are any goth bands, only goth songs, goth music.  If a piece of music impresses ones emotions in a way similar to what I've described previously, if it provides a goth with strength against the oppressor mainstream or makes your mood somber it is goth.  If a goth envisions worlds of foggy dusk or moonlit mountain crags, a voodoun-rich bayou or frost-held crypt, a raucous Dea de los Muertos crowd or darkened vampire bar when hearing a song, then it is gothic.  But take note that I include a stipulation here: it must be a goths perception that defines music as goth or not.  For none other than a goth can truly empathize with our state of mind and soul in hearing such music.  It is the shared experiences of the aforementioned that "tunes" our ears to know it when we hear it.

Only be defining goth by qualifiers like the ones I mentioned can we even begin any useful discussion about anything being goth.  Acknowledging everyone who makes a claim to gothdom as goth dilutes the very meaning of the word and of the culture. If someone wears nothing but pink and yellow clothes and claims to be goth, they include me (and likely most people who will ever read this) in the perceptions of anyone listening to them.  How is this more righteous than my stating that they are not goth?  Both are equally discriminating and both can have a great impact on how the mainstream views goth.  But while my claim comes from within our culture (with visual evidence to back it up) and strengthens our cohesiveness and shared identity, the other claimant's does not.  All it can hope to achieve is to confuse those in the mainstream, or make our solidarity appear fractured. 

No, we aren't going to always wear black clothes at all times.  My wardrobe is only about half black or dark "gothic" tones.  And life brings us to many times when there simply isn't time or propriety to allow for makeup.  But I will never make a claim to being a goth when dressed in khaki.  I will never discuss goth fashion with someone in my car with Deadmau5 playing on my stereo.  Assuming that by making any of the previous statements I am suggesting that outwardly displaying ones gothic nature must be perpetual, unceasing and life engulfing is paramount to members of the mainstream assuming we're all violent because we're goth, or that we must like Marilyn Manson because we're goth.  Don't downplay my intelligence or yours by making such rash assumptions.

We all know that regardless of where goth began, regardless of the musical scene from whence it sprouted, goth culture has become something so much more substantial than simple a musical genre.  We all know that it's more than just wearing black.  But for that to continue, the definitions of what it is must be upheld.  If there is no definition of goth, and if we don't implement that definition in our own minds at least, if not out into the world, then the definition and culture of goth itself ceases to exist.

My call to action then is this: do not begin psychologically and emotionally preying on those who don't meet these qualifications yet still claim to be goth.  Instead simply cease to acknowledge them.  Cease telling everyone that if they're goth in their heart then they're goth and no one can tell them otherwise.  You don't need to berate or ridicule them for making the claim.  Simply stop harboring their misunderstandings about what goth is.  Feel free to guide them!  I believe this tendency is strong in the hearts of many goths (particularly but not exclusively the women), and I don't feel that should be cast aside.  But don't acknowledge their claim until they have come to understand what goth is.  Others will perceive that this is going on, and may ask what's going on.  Simply explain that they haven't quite found their gothic soul just yet, but that they're on their way.  This is the truth, and should not be taken as a slight by anyone who will find joy in our culture in the future.

I wish to thank everyone willing and able to read through this entire post.  You possess the patience of the dead, I'm sure.  I don't intend for this to be the be-all-and-end-all modus operandi of gothdom to the corners of the earth; instead I hope it will prove a basis that many in our culture find useful in orchestrating our dealings with others within our culture and without.