The Endless Discussion
Any one who follows any Gothic YouTube channels or even happens to pass one of those by can't escape the endless discussion that goes on, and has been going on there for forever. It seems like every Goth YouTuber has a video about the topic "What's Goth?", where they then define Goth for themselves and what belongs and doesn't belong to that definition. A variety of books have been written about the Subculture, explaining it's roots and ingredients. In the past, Goth had to explained to the uninformed in interviews, in magazines, TV. Now, everybody can google and search on YouTube and a cluster of these What Is-videos is recommended.
Now, Goth Subculture as a whole has the reputation of being a community of open mindedness, where the gloomy folk looked down upon by society find their home. All kinds of orientations and identities are accepted, many religions from Christianity to Paganism gather under this dark umbrella and express themselves in numerous ways. But when your music taste isn't right, or you lack some other trait of a proper Goth citizen, your Gothiness is questioned by the gatekeepers.
You know, those people who define something for themselves and because they are in a position of influence, usually because they were there first, they get to form the definitions for others too. They get to decide if you're Goth or just merely darkly inclined, which they say is totally ok, just don't go around saying you're Goth. This is the dark shadow of Goth subculture, much under discussion all the time, which unfortunately alienates many of those who genuinely like most aspects of it and would like to be part of it.
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| Me in 2012, not part of anything, but I had the love for dark things. Would I have been accepted? |
There was a time when the subculture in general was something that evaded closer definition and most bands now considered most influential to it's formation rejected the term "Goth". In fact, the very name Goth was imposed from the outside, in the attempt to define this new direction some of the Post Punk bands were taking back in the eighties. But that was forty years ago and the defining now happens within the subculture itself.
There's nothing wrong with defining things, it's human nature and something inescapable. We give names to things and attach attributes to them in order to know their nature. A plant is not a mushroom. An edible mushroom is not poisonous, etc. It could be argued that the ability to put things in boxes is a survival mechanism. So maybe the need to describe and define the Goth Subculture stems from some basic need as well?
If you're an odd non-conformist and in some way an outsider to the normal culture, and then find a home within a subculture, I think it is only natural that you feel the need to somehow protect this home. In fact, I had written this paragraph already, then later saw a tweet from a not un-known influential Goth, describing the Subculture as "The only home I've ever known". So that particular definition is not very far fetched.
However, when this protection becomes a way to exclude new-comers, I think we're on a wrong track. On a track of elitism, to put it bluntly, and that's something no real Goth would want to be accused of. In my opinion, too tight definitions serve as a way to exclude. "Conforming" is generally scorned at and we keep up the illusion that this subculture is a non-conformist community. Yet, we expect so called Baby Bats to conform, to know the right bands, right books etc. We claim to be unique, individualistic, expressing ourselves, but yet there are certain norms to which we all conform. This is, of course, making it black and white, but you see my point.
Not to worry though, this is phenomenon shows it's ugly head everywhere, where there is a community centered around some idea. People are the same everywhere. Sometimes the drama even reminds me of my youth, growing up in evangelical church surroundings. There too, some people define for themselves what is a good Christian and then throw that definition on other people's shoulders...just like the negative stereotype of Bible-bangers describes. They are gatekeepers who question your Christianity 'cause you don't speak in tongues, or you smoke.
I know this comparison to organised religion of which many of those in Goth Subculture have a negative experience must seem rather distasteful. I assure you it is intentional. I want to draw your attention to the fact, that this phenomenon of gate keeping and exclusion is everywhere. More over, a church (or a cult) is not just the tenets of that religion, it is a community of people gathered around a common belief. Likewise, subculture is a community. It does not actually exist without the people sharing it's ideas. And where ever there is a community, be it in actual life or the internet, there are those who are afraid of losing it, afraid that their home will change beyond their recognition. And some of them will be protective to the point of exclusion.
I'm finishing this writing during Passover celebrations, hence perhaps the allusion to Christianity. It's a huge subject and not easy to put in words. But maybe I've succeeded at least in describing what may, in my opinion, lie behind the actions of those who in sometimes quite nasty ways judge newcomers (or simply anyone) as "not goth enough". It is simply fear of losing. In this sense, maybe we can understand the gatekeepers as well? Understand, yet maybe not accept what they do. Let us also remember, that the Goth Subculture is in general accepting and open minded, a home for the non-conforming. A few bad apples will not ruin the whole basket, if we up-hold that open mindedness and accept the newcomers and their genuine love of the subculture and what it stands for.
In these thoughts, happy Passover, or Easter, what ever you guys celebrate, or don't. In the words of another influential Goth: Be nice to each other.
Hypnosis
If you're an odd non-conformist and in some way an outsider to the normal culture, and then find a home within a subculture, I think it is only natural that you feel the need to somehow protect this home. In fact, I had written this paragraph already, then later saw a tweet from a not un-known influential Goth, describing the Subculture as "The only home I've ever known". So that particular definition is not very far fetched.
However, when this protection becomes a way to exclude new-comers, I think we're on a wrong track. On a track of elitism, to put it bluntly, and that's something no real Goth would want to be accused of. In my opinion, too tight definitions serve as a way to exclude. "Conforming" is generally scorned at and we keep up the illusion that this subculture is a non-conformist community. Yet, we expect so called Baby Bats to conform, to know the right bands, right books etc. We claim to be unique, individualistic, expressing ourselves, but yet there are certain norms to which we all conform. This is, of course, making it black and white, but you see my point.
Not to worry though, this is phenomenon shows it's ugly head everywhere, where there is a community centered around some idea. People are the same everywhere. Sometimes the drama even reminds me of my youth, growing up in evangelical church surroundings. There too, some people define for themselves what is a good Christian and then throw that definition on other people's shoulders...just like the negative stereotype of Bible-bangers describes. They are gatekeepers who question your Christianity 'cause you don't speak in tongues, or you smoke.
I know this comparison to organised religion of which many of those in Goth Subculture have a negative experience must seem rather distasteful. I assure you it is intentional. I want to draw your attention to the fact, that this phenomenon of gate keeping and exclusion is everywhere. More over, a church (or a cult) is not just the tenets of that religion, it is a community of people gathered around a common belief. Likewise, subculture is a community. It does not actually exist without the people sharing it's ideas. And where ever there is a community, be it in actual life or the internet, there are those who are afraid of losing it, afraid that their home will change beyond their recognition. And some of them will be protective to the point of exclusion.
I'm finishing this writing during Passover celebrations, hence perhaps the allusion to Christianity. It's a huge subject and not easy to put in words. But maybe I've succeeded at least in describing what may, in my opinion, lie behind the actions of those who in sometimes quite nasty ways judge newcomers (or simply anyone) as "not goth enough". It is simply fear of losing. In this sense, maybe we can understand the gatekeepers as well? Understand, yet maybe not accept what they do. Let us also remember, that the Goth Subculture is in general accepting and open minded, a home for the non-conforming. A few bad apples will not ruin the whole basket, if we up-hold that open mindedness and accept the newcomers and their genuine love of the subculture and what it stands for.
In these thoughts, happy Passover, or Easter, what ever you guys celebrate, or don't. In the words of another influential Goth: Be nice to each other.
Hypnosis
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| Is this Goth enough? |
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