Like any stereotype, the goth stereotype is a one dimensional exaggeration and people are usually not so one dimensional. Goths have a variety of interests, tastes and backgrounds. I personally don't know anyone who fits the stereotype exactly, but I do know a few who come close. Mostly, the stereotypes are something to make fun of. It helps us look at ourselves and laugh, to be able to have a sense of humor about the whole thing.
Three words best sum up the what the stereotypical Goth is all about: death, pretension, and angst. The stereotypical Goth always wears black clothing, or every now and again white -- never any other color. They have dyed black hair, black nails, white face makeup, black eye makeup and black lipstick -- maybe some designs drawn at the edge of the eyes in black eyeliner. (This goes for guys and girls.) The stereotypical Goth nowadays likes to dress up like a vampire or act like one. They like blood, death, coffins, bats, skulls, spider webs and anything spooky. Take a look at common culture under fashion to get more of an idea of the kind of things they might wear. They will never wear jeans and a T-shirt, and they never go out in public without their makeup on. Stereotypical goths look just like all the other stereotypical Goths.
The stereotypical Goth is excessively vain, and when he/she goes out dancing, will stare at him/herself in the mirror. They spend hours doing their makeup. Every ten minutes, they check to see if it is smudged. They also have a persecution complex. They insult and judge baby bats who are not Goth enough, but they get very upset and feel so tormented when some normal person makes the "Halloween isn't until October, you freak" comment. The stereotypical Goth never smiles and always broods. They write bad cheesy poems about angst or vampires or tragedy. He/she is not just an artist, but an arteest (super pretentious bad artist trying to be an intellectual). They drink coffee, avoid sunlight, and only smoke clove cigarettes. They will not listen to anything other than gothic music. They hang out at graveyards for kicks or sit around at coffee shops all day. Their job, if they have one, will probably be either fast food or telemarketing. They take themselves and life very seriously and blow everything way out of proportion. They always act over-dramatic. They spend a lot of time watching The Crow and reading Interview with the Vampire again and again.
The best humorous representation of the Goth stereotype is done by Jhonen Vasquez with a character he draws named Anne Gwish. She appears a few times in his various "Johnny the Homicidal Maniac" comics. A classic line of hers is, "My life is a dark pit of darkness."
Black no. 1 (Little Miss Scare-All): This is a song by the band Type O Negative. The band really sounds more toward heavy metal in their music, although they do sing about some "gothic" themes. This song is a great description of a stereotypical Goth. It's also a good example of the fact that Goths who have a sense of humor about themselves can laugh at this.
She's in love with herself
She likes the dark
On her milk white neck
The Devil's mark
It's all Hallows Eve
The moon is full
Will she trick or treat?
I bet she will
She's got a date at midnight
With Nosferatu
Oh baby, Lilly Munster
Ain't got nothing on you
Well when I called her evil,
She just laughed,
And cast that spell on me
Boo Bitch Craft.
Chorus
Yeah you wanna go out 'cause it's raining and blowing.
You can't go out 'cause your roots are showing.
Dye em black. Dye em black
Black No. 1
She dyes em black, black No. 1
Little wolf skin boots
And clove cigarettes
An erotic funeral
For which she's dressed
Her perfume smells like
Burning leaves
Everyday is Halloween
Loving you was like loving the dead
Instant Club Hit (You'll Dance to Anything): A song by the punk band Dead Milkmen that came out in 1987.
She'll dance to anything.
You'll dance to anything.
Okay, look at you,
Don't you look like Siouxsie Sioux.
How long did it take to get that way?
What a terrible waste of energy.
You wear black clothes, say you're poetic.
The sad truth is you're just pathetic.
Get into the groove, get out of my way.
I came here to drink, not to get laid.
So why don't you just go on home.
If you want to moan, you'll have to moan alone.
You'll dance to anything...
You'll dance to anything...
Don't try to tell me that you're an intellectual
Cause you're just another boring bisexual.
("I met Andy Warhol at a really chic party")
Blow it out your hair cause you work at Hardees.
80 pounds of make up on your art school skin.
80 points of I.Q. located within.
Know what you are? You're a bunch of ...
Artfags! Artfags!
Choke on this you dance-a-teria types!
You'll dance to anything by the Communards.
You'll dance to anything by Book of Love.
You'll dance to anything by The Smiths.
You'll dance to anything by De-peche Mode.
You'll dance to anything by Public Image Limited.
You'll dance to anything by Naked Truth.
You'll dance to anything by any bunch of stupid Europeans who come over here with their big hairdos bent on taking OUR money instead of giving your cash, where it belongs, to a decent American artist like myself!
You'll dance to anything!
6 Haziran 2010 Pazar
Acceptance in the Social Scene
The social scene generally uses this criteria to evaluate whether someone is a Goth. The most important aspects of "true gothness" are 2, 3 and 4 below.
Frequenting Goth haunts -- Regularly visiting places Goths frequent is the easiest and most superficial way to become accepted. This includes gothic clubs, coffee shops, thrift stores, fetish stores, independent music stores, etc. If there are no specific gothic nights at a club, Goths may be found at fetish, 80's, or industrial theme nights. Frequenting gothic places may give someone exposure to the culture, but not necessarily acceptance.
Dressing gothic -- Goths initially identify other Goths by appearance. See common culture under fashion. The appearance indicates the potential for common interests. However, it often takes further investigation to determine whether or not the person is gothic. The way a person dresses alone does not automatically make him or her a Goth. For some people, the image of being gothic is shed as easily as taking off those gothic clothes.
Possessing the gothic mentality/personality -- This indicates whether a person is gothic internally as opposed to merely looking gothic externally. For people with the gothic personality, their involvement is not merely a rebellious phase, but part of their inner self. Those likely to become interested in Goth and remain involved in it will usually possess most of the following characteristics and traits beforehand: individualistic, reflective, artistic, creative, introspective, emotionally focused and driven, sensitive, non-violent, moody. They are likely to have a distaste for authority, possess above average intelligence, and be social misfits. Most are interested in the beautiful, the mysterious and the supernatural.
Listening to gothic (and related) music -- This includes the depth of music knowledge and level of dedication. See Relevant Music Classifications. It also includes familiarity with other media such as books and movies; however, these count to a lesser extend and do not qualify alone. The music plays different roles to different people. Some people enjoy Gothic only for its social or aesthetic aspects and never seek to listen to more than the most popular and well-known of Goth bands. True dedication to gothic culture is often displayed in one's span of music knowledge. Musical preference is advertised through band t-shirts, stickers, or mouthing the words to songs at a club.
Knowing key gothic people -- Acceptance by the well-known members of the social group is often automatic grounds for being considered Goth no matter the length of time in the scene, how extreme the person looks, or musical preference.
Frequenting Goth haunts -- Regularly visiting places Goths frequent is the easiest and most superficial way to become accepted. This includes gothic clubs, coffee shops, thrift stores, fetish stores, independent music stores, etc. If there are no specific gothic nights at a club, Goths may be found at fetish, 80's, or industrial theme nights. Frequenting gothic places may give someone exposure to the culture, but not necessarily acceptance.
Dressing gothic -- Goths initially identify other Goths by appearance. See common culture under fashion. The appearance indicates the potential for common interests. However, it often takes further investigation to determine whether or not the person is gothic. The way a person dresses alone does not automatically make him or her a Goth. For some people, the image of being gothic is shed as easily as taking off those gothic clothes.
Possessing the gothic mentality/personality -- This indicates whether a person is gothic internally as opposed to merely looking gothic externally. For people with the gothic personality, their involvement is not merely a rebellious phase, but part of their inner self. Those likely to become interested in Goth and remain involved in it will usually possess most of the following characteristics and traits beforehand: individualistic, reflective, artistic, creative, introspective, emotionally focused and driven, sensitive, non-violent, moody. They are likely to have a distaste for authority, possess above average intelligence, and be social misfits. Most are interested in the beautiful, the mysterious and the supernatural.
Listening to gothic (and related) music -- This includes the depth of music knowledge and level of dedication. See Relevant Music Classifications. It also includes familiarity with other media such as books and movies; however, these count to a lesser extend and do not qualify alone. The music plays different roles to different people. Some people enjoy Gothic only for its social or aesthetic aspects and never seek to listen to more than the most popular and well-known of Goth bands. True dedication to gothic culture is often displayed in one's span of music knowledge. Musical preference is advertised through band t-shirts, stickers, or mouthing the words to songs at a club.
Knowing key gothic people -- Acceptance by the well-known members of the social group is often automatic grounds for being considered Goth no matter the length of time in the scene, how extreme the person looks, or musical preference.
For Goths, 'Everyday Is Halloween'
Wearing black clothing, white face-paint and black lipstick is mere play-acting for most members of the subculture called Gothdom. "Every day is Halloween for a Goth," said Diana, a Gothic-Punk follower drawn to the movement by the dress, music and "the romance of death." Local cult expert Rand Johnson, a West Jordan police captain, said every high school in Salt Lake Valley boasts a few Goths. Most are harmless, but a few can become a danger to themselves and others. "The Goths are fascinated with the darker side of life -- with the grotesque, the mysterious, the desolate," Johnson said. "There is a fascination with graveyards, death and moody music."
Today, two boys -- ages 14 and 15 -- are expected to be charged in 3rd District Juvenile Court in the death of Jens Martin Dietz, 14. The West Valley City boy died of diabetic shock March 10 at a Goth party. His friends did not call police or tell an adult he was sick. Prosecutors declined to release the defendants' names or nature of the charges. Deputy Salt Lake District Attorney Charles Behrens would say only that his office would not seek to send the boys to adult court. His refusal to release information comes after Gov. Mike Leavitt vetoed a bill passed by the Legislature that would have opened records of defendants under age 16. The victim's mother, Brenda Patterson, said her son was not a Goth, but his best friend was. That 15-year-old boy will be charged, as will the 14-year-old host of the party, police said. Patterson said she holds the older boy particularly responsible because he knew of her son's diabetes and should have known he was in trouble. The 15-year-old's mother is a diabetic. Dietz became ill during a four-day party that included smoking marijuana and taking LSD. When Dietz became unconscious, the partyers dragged him outside to a garage. He died in the back seat of a disabled car. West Valley City police said the partyers performed several rituals after Dietz died, including a howling rite meant to open portals to the spirit world. They then discussed dismemberment and burial to get rid of the body, police said. The teens did not report his death until the next day. At the boy's funeral, a youth dropped a pentagram, symbolic of Satan, into the coffin. [The pentagram is also a popular pagan symbol representing the four elements -- earth, air, fire and water -- and the spirit. Here is an excellent web page on the history of the pentagram.] Patterson believes the Goths may have let her son to die so they could perform a ritual to gain power.
Johnson said that only a small percentage of Goths participate in ritual bloodletting, animal sacrifices and the worship of Satan. "Gothdom is primarily a form of rebellion, escapism -- a hobby. And if it is not taken to the point of obsession, it's not a problem," Johnson said. Explains a female Goth on an Internet homepage: "Gothic for me is a release from the stress of having to be the perfect student, the perfect daughter, etc. I have always been rebellious . . . and was drawn to Gothic music, clothing, and a way of looking at life." "Angst" is the single emotion best explaining how Goths feel, she said. But another Goth Website hinted at something more sinister. "If you pass out, no real Goth would stoop to give you CPR -- the position is ridiculous. Goths don't sweat -- and anyway, death is OK." [For the context that quote was taken from, go here. If you look at this website, it is obvious that this comment is sarcasm and not meant to be taken seriously.] At the extreme edge are those who kill. In November 1996 in Florida, teen-agers who had dubbed themselves the "Vampire Clan" beat to death the parents of a fellow clan member. Four teens ages 15 to 19 -- including the 15-year-old daughter of the victims -- were charged with murder.
Johnson, who has taught 300 seminars on cults and the occult to 18,000 people in Utah, recently lectured at Valley Junior High School, where many of the teen-agers present at Dietz's death attend school. Some Goths cut themselves in ceremonies called "drainings," in which others drink the "drainee's" blood. The ritual is supposed to "reconstitute their internal organs" and assist in gaining immortality, Johnson said. "I've had kids in my office saying they let blood all the time," he said. "One mother of a 15-year-old boy said he has come home weak from blood loss." [This is not a standard Gothic practice, it is probably more characteristic of Experimental and Theatrical Satanists or someone who is obsessed with vampires.]
This year, for the first time, Gothdom was a featured subject at the Utah Gang Conference workshop in Salt Lake City. Agent Lee Perry of the Utah Division of Investigations said Goths have been connected to daytime drug-related home burglaries, and male Goths are rumored to have had sex with young girls as part of initiation rites. Said West Valley City Det. Brian Shields: "The Goths are about four things: Drugs and sex, sex and drugs. This is a movement that needs to be watched." [This is simply ridiculous. There are no initiation rites, and while some people are about "sex and drugs," it's definitely not all of the Gothic movement.] Diana, 19, who got into Gothdom at the age of 16, knows of Goths who file their teeth into fangs and spend their nights haunting cemeteries. But she views most Goths as intellectuals who play chess and engage in long, philosophical discussions. "It's not a trend, it's not a phase -- it's been around a long time," she said. "It won't go away like bell-bottom pants."
Today, two boys -- ages 14 and 15 -- are expected to be charged in 3rd District Juvenile Court in the death of Jens Martin Dietz, 14. The West Valley City boy died of diabetic shock March 10 at a Goth party. His friends did not call police or tell an adult he was sick. Prosecutors declined to release the defendants' names or nature of the charges. Deputy Salt Lake District Attorney Charles Behrens would say only that his office would not seek to send the boys to adult court. His refusal to release information comes after Gov. Mike Leavitt vetoed a bill passed by the Legislature that would have opened records of defendants under age 16. The victim's mother, Brenda Patterson, said her son was not a Goth, but his best friend was. That 15-year-old boy will be charged, as will the 14-year-old host of the party, police said. Patterson said she holds the older boy particularly responsible because he knew of her son's diabetes and should have known he was in trouble. The 15-year-old's mother is a diabetic. Dietz became ill during a four-day party that included smoking marijuana and taking LSD. When Dietz became unconscious, the partyers dragged him outside to a garage. He died in the back seat of a disabled car. West Valley City police said the partyers performed several rituals after Dietz died, including a howling rite meant to open portals to the spirit world. They then discussed dismemberment and burial to get rid of the body, police said. The teens did not report his death until the next day. At the boy's funeral, a youth dropped a pentagram, symbolic of Satan, into the coffin. [The pentagram is also a popular pagan symbol representing the four elements -- earth, air, fire and water -- and the spirit. Here is an excellent web page on the history of the pentagram.] Patterson believes the Goths may have let her son to die so they could perform a ritual to gain power.
Johnson said that only a small percentage of Goths participate in ritual bloodletting, animal sacrifices and the worship of Satan. "Gothdom is primarily a form of rebellion, escapism -- a hobby. And if it is not taken to the point of obsession, it's not a problem," Johnson said. Explains a female Goth on an Internet homepage: "Gothic for me is a release from the stress of having to be the perfect student, the perfect daughter, etc. I have always been rebellious . . . and was drawn to Gothic music, clothing, and a way of looking at life." "Angst" is the single emotion best explaining how Goths feel, she said. But another Goth Website hinted at something more sinister. "If you pass out, no real Goth would stoop to give you CPR -- the position is ridiculous. Goths don't sweat -- and anyway, death is OK." [For the context that quote was taken from, go here. If you look at this website, it is obvious that this comment is sarcasm and not meant to be taken seriously.] At the extreme edge are those who kill. In November 1996 in Florida, teen-agers who had dubbed themselves the "Vampire Clan" beat to death the parents of a fellow clan member. Four teens ages 15 to 19 -- including the 15-year-old daughter of the victims -- were charged with murder.
Johnson, who has taught 300 seminars on cults and the occult to 18,000 people in Utah, recently lectured at Valley Junior High School, where many of the teen-agers present at Dietz's death attend school. Some Goths cut themselves in ceremonies called "drainings," in which others drink the "drainee's" blood. The ritual is supposed to "reconstitute their internal organs" and assist in gaining immortality, Johnson said. "I've had kids in my office saying they let blood all the time," he said. "One mother of a 15-year-old boy said he has come home weak from blood loss." [This is not a standard Gothic practice, it is probably more characteristic of Experimental and Theatrical Satanists or someone who is obsessed with vampires.]
This year, for the first time, Gothdom was a featured subject at the Utah Gang Conference workshop in Salt Lake City. Agent Lee Perry of the Utah Division of Investigations said Goths have been connected to daytime drug-related home burglaries, and male Goths are rumored to have had sex with young girls as part of initiation rites. Said West Valley City Det. Brian Shields: "The Goths are about four things: Drugs and sex, sex and drugs. This is a movement that needs to be watched." [This is simply ridiculous. There are no initiation rites, and while some people are about "sex and drugs," it's definitely not all of the Gothic movement.] Diana, 19, who got into Gothdom at the age of 16, knows of Goths who file their teeth into fangs and spend their nights haunting cemeteries. But she views most Goths as intellectuals who play chess and engage in long, philosophical discussions. "It's not a trend, it's not a phase -- it's been around a long time," she said. "It won't go away like bell-bottom pants."
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