The Real Definitions of emo and goth....

Okay, I'm sick of poeple who claim their "emo" or "goth" when they are really just posers, here are the real meanings of the words....

EMO:

"Emo" is not short for "Emotional." "Emo" does not mean Taking Back Sunday and Dashboard Confessional, despite what MTV has lead you to believe in the last few years. "Emo" is not sidebangs, tight pants, and male vocalists who sing like little girls about their failed relationships. "Emo" is not the use of diluted, meaningless metaphors and similes such as "My arms are like pinecones," and most definitely is not the rampant use of words such as "autumn," "heart," "knife," "bleeding," "leaves," and "razorblade."

I just thought I'd clear that up after all of these "definitions" in which I have encountered an unbelievable amount of people who try to pass off their blatantly false pretenses as fact, and are slowly infecting others with their high-horse, holier-than-thou bullshit. Because honestly, with your ridiculous definitions, Beethoven, George Gershwin, and Britney Spears are/was "emo bands."

Now, onto the real definition.

In the early 90s there was a movement in the hardcore genre that came to be known as "Emotive Hardcore," spearheaded by Rites Of Spring. Harder-core-than-thou kids, who swore by Dischord Records a la Minor Threat, actually coined the term "Emo" as something of a put-down for the kids who really liked Rites Of Spring, Indian Summer and this new wave of "Emotive" Hardcore bands. That's right, "Emo" was once not something kids called themselves. The field exploded outwards from there - Level-Plane Records has always been the most famous Emo label. Acts like Yaphet Kotto, I Hate Myself, Saetia, Hot Cross, A Day In Black And White, Funeral Diner, I Would Set Myself On Fire For You, You And I, and hosts of others came in the next decade. Most emo bands have since broken up, but there's still the occasional hold-out (again, the majority of Level-Plane Records' roster has been a procession of emo acts). Like most DIY hardcore/punk of the time, a majority found its way onto vinyl and not much else. Some people consider bands like Fugazi, and later Sunny Day Real Estate, a progression of emo, but personally, I don't quite follow that philosophy.

Often, more recently, this gets intertwined with post-hardcore, and understandably so - that's nothing to make an issue of, since well shit, at least it's close.

Since the late 90s, though, bands have been emerging in the vein of Taking Back Sunday, Dashboard Confessional, and the thousands of their clones. As far as I can tell, some lazy journalist somewhere, writing an article about them, decided "Well, fuck, no one knows what emo is anyways, so I'll call these bands "emo" - sounds more appealing than bubblegum pop rock..." and the spiral continued downwards into the current amalgomation of bands MTV has told everyone is "emo."

Somehow, people decided that "emo" meant "emotional," which is obviously bullshit, as 99% of bands make music to illicit emotion, which would make "emotional" a completely all-encompassing genre from classical to opera to pop to rap.


GOTH:

Someone who likes the darker side of things. They usually listen to death metal and goth music, such as Dismember and Bauhaus. Marilyn Manson is NOT goth. He's just...weird. Real goths are not depressing and suicidal like the posers you see at Hot Topic. Goths are fun to be around and aren't afraid to laugh at themselves every so often. They don't worship Satan and aren't evil despite what some ignorant people might say. Goths don't all dress alike either. They like to create their own unique style. Goths are also very intelligent and creative. A lot of them are writers and artists. Goths DON'T envy the popular people. They are what they are because it makes them happy. Goths would rather stay who they are and be among the so called "freaks" than be like everyone else and be popular. They understand that there are more important things in life than popularity, and usually succeed in life while the popular ones don't become much of anything.

If someone becomes "goth" because they couldn't get any friends or are depressed and angry all the time, they are most likely a poser.

And if someone is self-proclaimed as a goth, they are most likely a poser.

And Kudos to my friend Jesse for clearing this up.

FINALLY SOMEONE SAYS SOMETHING!

I got this from my friend Jesse, he is wise in these matters

Everyone has that kind of friend

Yes, I think he's secretly gay though, it worries me...

COME OUT OF THE CLOSET!!!!!! ya well lucky him if he is kids in my town hate gay people...

So does my town >.<

Damned homophobes im like the only person who thinks...

Oh well, anyways, I hate poser emos like Vikk and 2Mur, those cunts don't know shit about being bipolar/

Ya.

I'll admit, I used to cut myself, but I did it because I liked it, not because I was depressed, I just liked it, and yes I'm a bit crazy....

Sadistic anyone?

Nah, it still hurt, But I like the look of my own blood.....

ooook and I dont but hey its your life...

Wait, how did we get to this anyways...oh yeah, I said it....

Well I think you are a bit crazy.....

And I agree with you, I hallucinate, don't sleep, and cut myself for fun...and I love it....

K and I hear things and have an unusual obsession with murderers...

Hell who doesn't....

"And if someone is self-proclaimed as a goth, they are most likely a poser."

I get called a goth all the time...maybe that's why people don't think I'm a poser...>.> Like in art class, we was waiting on the bell to ring, and this one guy goes 'Who in here is goth?' and they all look at me and say 'You're goth, aren't you?' I wasn't even aware I was giving off that vibe...

Huh...

I'm not...exactly sure what I see myself as.

That was bassist talking his stupid sister forgot to tell him he logged out

I know.

lolololololololololololololol I've done that so many times I wish she would tell me when she's logged in... SO ya im called goth a lot....