is "Goth" a religion?

yes - Melusine was once a Goth and she turneed out perfectly fine [img]smile.gif[/img]

[ 09-04-2002, 02:31 PM: Message edited by: Lord Shield ]

[Melusine]

Originally posted by The Hunter of Jahanna: Last time I checked Goth was a type of building, a style of music and a european barbarian horde. Then again if you view Marylin manson as the quintesential level of human perfection I guess it could be a religon too.

LMAO! Nice one!

As for the topic, I fully agree with LS and Saz (great post that was!)
It's not any different from other hypes and trends, and it's not a religion.
Some people love the music and lifestyle religiously maybe, but yes, you could say the same about punkers, or jazz lovers, or gaming fanatics, etc.
Every trend has a few idiot fans who take it too seriously, just as it always has some people badmouthing it and telling us it is immoral and bad for the children.

[Attalus]

Hey, Larry, I think that it all depends, like most things. Yeah, if they wear black trench coats and never bathe, people are going to stay away from them I saw a bunch of Goths last year in Florida, all laughing and talking to the central guy that was wearing a black wizard's hat. I just thought, "Well, at least they are having a good time." But, I do wonder at all the tatooing. I saw a pretty girl waiting tables a while back, and she had a big spiderweb tattooed on the back of her neck. You can't tell me that's not gonna make some people wanna go, "ick". Is she going to wear turtlenecks for the rest of her life?

[Melusine]

Originally posted by Lord Shield: yes - Melusine was once a Goth

Uh, no I wasn't.
I liked and still like the music, I have some velvet dresses. However, I also like classical music and rock, and wear clothes that look nothing like goth dresses. [img]smile.gif[/img]
I never felt the slightest need to call myself a Goth, I've never called myself one. Of course people joke about it and I go along, but ummm... no.

Originally posted by Melusine: Uh, no I wasn't. I liked and still like the music, I have some velvet dresses. However, I also like classical music and rock, and wear clothes that look nothing like goth dresses. [img]smile.gif[/img] I never felt the slightest need to call myself a Goth, I've never called myself one. Of course people joke about it and I go along, but ummm... no.

I was thinking of this pic but it says "semi-Goth" - darn

[Sazerac]

Originally posted by Larry_OHF: Sorry, I am going on my observations here in North Carolina, where the extreme Goths are looked at like they were walking bags of garbage. I see it in the malls. The people shy away from them. I see it at schools...the other kids sit far away from them. If there is another type of Goth that I have not been exposed to...then I need educating. the only Goth that I have seen are those that society shuns. I cannot retract my statement, as this is what I have seen Goth represented as. They enjoy the fear and unease that they bring to thier surroundings. Can you prove me wrong?

Nope, but we can't prove you right, either. That argument is untenable and shouldn't have been used. So far, what you are describing is adolescent rebellion and going for a "shock effect", albeit in an extreme manner.

My question to you is, have these kids done something permanently to themselves that will irreversably still brand them as "Goth" when they are 30 or 40? The one thing I worry about with the Goth culture, at least here in Texas, is the rather gratuitous use of drugs among certain elements of the culture. But as I said in my above post, except for certain body piercings or tattoos (which so many young people in this area get that you'd have to fire a substantial portion of the entry-level work force if one is basing employment standards on the basis of that criterion), is there anything that they are doing that is branding them?

Maybe it's North Carolina. I know in Dallas, Goth isn't seen as "freaky." Dallas is rather heavy into the creative arts, though, as is Denton (UNT is one of the biggest art and jazz schools in the nation). So maybe it is a cultural thing.

One thing about it, if things are that oppressive to Goths in your neck of the woods, I doubt you'll have to worry about them going on the "dole" because they'll probably escape from there as soon as they're able.

-Sazerac

[Larry_OHF]

Originally posted by Melusine: quote: Originally posted by The Hunter of Jahanna: Last time I checked Goth was a type of building, a style of music and a european barbarian horde. Then again if you view Marylin manson as the quintesential level of human perfection I guess it could be a religon too.

LMAO! Nice one!

As for the topic, I fully agree with LS and Saz (great post that was!)
It's not any different from other hypes and trends, and it's not a religion.
Some people love the music and lifestyle religiously maybe, but yes, you could say the same about punkers, or jazz lovers, or gaming fanatics, etc.
Every trend has a few idiot fans who take it too seriously, just as it always has some people badmouthing it and telling us it is immoral and bad for the children. [/QUOTE]You are very right, and I can understand how a few of the extremists give the rest of the commoners a bad name. My problem is that I am always running into the "bad" ones that make it hard on the rest of the "Goth-Light" crew. It is more of the boyz than the girlz. The boyz use it to appear dangerous and frightening...thus they have formed their own little security. They have a sheild of protection around them...and I think that is where the extremists go nutz.

Surely there has to exist some sort of negative side-effect to this decision, eh?

Saz..thanks for your comments...I just now read them...after I made this. You are right...NC is more traditional and not so ready to accept such behaviour as the norm.

[ 09-04-2002, 02:44 PM: Message edited by: Larry_OHF ]

[Melusine]

Originally posted by Lord Shield: I was thinking of this pic but it says "semi-Goth" - darn

LOL! That's what I meant when talking about friends making oh-so-funny jokes [img]tongue.gif[/img]
Ah well, I'm not saying I never flirted with the trend, I mean velvet dresses are quite comfy but I would never want to associate with the gloom-and-doom vampire types that call themselves Goths

[FelixJaeger]

hmmn i think Larry_OHF's point is kinda valid its just the way he wrote it, for example a while back in school the R.A.F came in for a little industry day thing, and i (as always ) organized all my group did the majority of the task of my group, when it came to the part where they thank you on your accomplishments he says to me 'you did very well, but i doubt you will be employed because of your appearence i mean {editors note: this is what shocked me} your shirt is untucked you have long hair and you look like a gypsy'

ok i have long hair...for a dude, its a mop and it suits me better than anthing ive ever had before, and when this guy said you look like a gypsy get your haircut blah blah blah i thought "f*ck you i dont care what you think" which is the sort of attitude you would be greated with by most people my age if you refer to them that way, now where was i oh yeh erm its not the content its the way its erm communicated,
Felix

[Larry_OHF]

I apologize for my rough form of communication. I have been called out several times for the "way" I present my messages in these threads. I still have that "old school" of IWs in my head, and am never able to formulate my thoughts in a manner such as Memnoch so masterfully does. Maybe that's why he gets laid so much...hmmm....

Anyway, thanks for looking past my rudeness to see my actual message.
I promise I am trying to get better!