In spite of what many people think, being a goth teen isn’t just about death, black, and eyeliner. Instead, it is a rich subculture, steeped in a specific style of music that has its roots in a rich subculture.
In the decades since its inception, it has evolved, molded, and morphed into a rich culture that caters to the ideas and sensibilities of free thinking, anti-conformist teens.
Goth: The Subculture
A lot of people believe that gothic teens are violent, depressed kids who wear black to hide their identities. It is a misconception that people have about that. In truth, goth is a subculture that has its origins in a specific kind of music that has a tense and ominous atmosphere, where there is a sense of dread.
As a matter of fact, the term was coined as a result of the English band Siouxsie and the Banshees around the year 1979. A lot of people believe that it was an offshoot of the English punk rock scene that began in the 70’s.
It was during the 90s when singers such as Marilyn Manson gave the goth movement even more publicity. A genre with roots in music culture, goth has evolved into something so diverse and unique that it can be classified as a genre of its own.
Gothic Worldview
A goth’s worldview can be described as being like trying to hold water in your hand while attempting to define the worldview of a goth. There is no doubt that it is not an easy task. I believe that this is due to the fact that goth teens aren’t monolithic.
It is important to note that there are different subgroups and genres of music across several continents. As individual as each teen is, the different views are just as individual as the teen themselves.
As a result, goth teens explore and appreciate the darker elements of nature, art, music, emotions, and spirituality rather than focusing on the lighter aspects.
Not One Religion
It is important to note that being a goth does not mean you have to start wearing eyeliner and worshipping the devil. There is a much wider range of spiritual beliefs among goths than that. In spite of the fact that there are some goth teens who are Satanists, the majority of goth teens follow Christian views.
Some people might explore the Wiccan or Pagan religions as a way of exploring their spirituality.
Finding Goth Entertainment
There’s nothing but blood, guts, and despair in this story. It is not exactly true to say that. It is believed by many that this is true because goth teens appreciate and even celebrate things that might be perceived as unholy, barbaric, or unnatural by others. The evidence for this can be found in the choices they make when it comes to movies, music, art and even literature.
It is not surprising that a goth teen enjoys slasher flicks and horror movies, for example. There is a possibility that Edgar Allan Poe will be one of their favorite authors.
Furthermore, they might be attracted to deviant art and paintings that depict death as well as other deviant art styles. However, that is not to say that they do not enjoy Frank Sinatra and Monet just as much as the rest of us.
Music
In light of the fact that music seems to be the driving force behind the movement, it makes sense that teens are drawn to goth music. It is a term that covers several genres of music, but there are a few attributes that are common to most gothic music, including being loud, shrill and eerie in some way.
In some cases, you will notice that the melody has an otherworldly, dark quality to it. There are many names for it, including deathrock, goth metal, darkwave, and ethereal wave.
The Cure, Nine Inch Nails, London After Midnight, Christian Death, and Sisters of Mercy are some famous goth bands.
Sense of Style
Individuality is accepted within this subculture as well. As for the gothic teens themselves, there are some who are extreme in their style and are easily identifiable as gothic teens, and there are others who wear just one or two items of Goth clothing or accessories.
It is important to understand that the goth lifestyle has been around for many decades now, and there have been many changes in the fashion industry that have influenced the goth clothing trends over the course of that time.
Having said that, dark clothing, goth makeup, and corsets are not out of the realm of possibility when it comes to dressing in moody attire. There are a number of other things that a goth teen might explore, such as multicolored hair, studded accessories, chunky jewelry, piercings and tattoos.
It’s All About Expression
There is no doubt that goth teen personalities are typically perceived as sad, depressed, or angsty, but this may not be entirely true. A lot of goths are nonconformists, going against the grain and expressing their self-expression through the way they look and the way they carry themselves.
However, there are some studies that show that a goth teen might have a higher likelihood of having problems with bullying and emotional issues, which led them to become interested in goth culture in the first place.
It’s a Lifestyle
In spite of the fact that you might think that goths are just following a trend, this is not true. There is a tendency for goth teens to be freethinkers who are drawn to the darker side of this culture due to its freethinking nature.
It is also important to note that there are a lot of goths who have good relationships with their parents, grandparents, and siblings. As far as I know, they haven’t crossed over to the dark side per se, they simply express themselves in a different way.
Not Only for Teens
There are many people who are attracted to the goth culture who stay attracted to it until they reach adulthood. When you reach the age of 20, you don’t stop being a nonconformist just because you’re no longer a teenager.
It becomes a part of who you are that you are a goth. You may be surprised to learn that your teachers, parents, and even grandparents are all part of this subculture, and you’ll be surprised to find out that this subculture has been around for several decades.
Are Goth and Emo the Same?
The roots of both goth and emo can be found in music, but these two subcultures can be distinguished from one another in many ways. In accordance with the meaning of their name, emo teens are characterized as being highly sensitive or emotional.
There is a possibility that these teenagers will gravitate toward thrift stores and unnatural hair styles. It’s more common to be emo than goth.
So Many Stereotypes
The first thing you might do when you see a teenager that you consider a goth is to put them in a small box of stereotypes and stereotypes. Although goth can mean a lot of things to teenagers, the truth is that it can mean many different things to them.
There is no one size fits all when it comes to goths. It’s just that they appreciate the darker side of life.