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| Articles: More questions from our Anthropologist |
Posted by
maranda on Saturday, June 09, 2001 - 01:42 PM PST
Hi everyone,
First, I want to thank all of you who have taken the time to answer my questions thus far. I have GREAT QUOTES now!
For those who don't know me yet, I am a writer who is pulling together a long online article on Goth, which you all will see just as soon as it's up. In the meantime, I'd like as many of you as possible to answer some questions, if you feel like it.
Why do you think Goths wear so many crucifixes?
How do you all feel about the myth of the Vampire being what people first learn about Goth?
Were any of you in high school when Columbine happened? If so, how did the events and media coverage affect your experience as a Goth?
What is your personal favorite bit of Gothic culture?
If you could describe Goth in one word, what would it be?
Any answers you feel like giving me would be extremely welcome. By the way, I'm not a total outsider. I'm somewhat Goth myself. So you're not talking to some mainstream yuppie who's going to completely miss the point.
Thanks again
Maranda
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Note:
Everyone should post comments to this and answer these questions. It would be nice to get a broader sample of what people really think. -Devin |
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| More questions from our Anthropologist | Login/Create an account | 13 Comments |
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| | Comments are owned by the poster. We aren't responsible for their content. |
Re: More questions from our Anthropologist
by Devin (devin-at-vibechild-dot-com)
on Jun 09, 2001 - 01:47 PM
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Goths wear crucifixes because people percieve them as evil, and since crucifixes are a symbol of good, it creates irony. Goths live off of irony.
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Re: More questions from our Anthropologist
by Schizo on Jun 09, 2001 - 02:55 PM
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I wasn't in High School during Columbine, but a close friend of mine was. She told me that the principle announced something over the intercom about how the kids who did the killing wore black and were anti-social. He completely skipped the neo-nazi part. My friend said that when he said it, everyone in the classroom turned and stared at her, like she had a gun hid under her shirt or something.
I don't know about other goths, but I wear a cross because it symbolizes both my Christianity and my gothness. A lot of goth symbolism is drawn from the Catholic church (by the way, I'm not Catholic.) Perhaps because Catholicism is viewed as dark and mysterious. There does seem to be a similar flavor to both ways of life, although of course the one doesn't equal the other. Also, the cross is a symbol of life through death, which is a very goth concept, as well as Christian.
If I were to describe goth in one word, that word would probably be "contrast".
My favorite part of goth culture is the fact that people who think for themselves receive respect, even if they are not agreed with.
I think the stereotype of goth as vampiric does us a lot of damage. Many people think that they can't be goth because they think that vampire wanna-be's are stupid. They don't know enough about the culture to realize that those people are generally despised by "real goths". But the vampirites generally make the most noise and are the most noticeable, so they get all the press.
There. All the questions, just not in the right order!
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Re: More questions from our Anthropologist
by heather on Jun 13, 2001 - 12:04 AM
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I personally don't wear much of anything that pertains to religion of any kind simply becasue I can't condone to conformity hidden within principles of all organized religion. Most of the jewlry I wear consists of dark beads and exotic stones. However...When I do where a cross...I do to pretty much mock the basic principles of religion as there it usually sits about a black background right next to its good friends the pentacle and Buddha.
As for the vampire thing...as far as I knew...that wasn't how it worked? But maybe I'm not the best person to offer knowledge. I didn't even know words like "goth" or "morbid" existed when I first began picking out all black wardrobes when my mom would take me shopping. Goth has always been an intrinsic part of my personality and there was nothing that I can think of (not even vampires)that influenced it...although...I can't say I'm not intrigued by vampirism and don't live accordingly because I do.
I was in high school when the "teen violence epidemic" exploded into the media with Columbine...my own school went into lock down several times a week during bomb scares and several were legitimate. However...I was advanced classes and many of my classmates knew better than to associate my appearance with maniacle tendecies. The doesn't mean I wasn't attack by the occassional ignoramus...I just wasn't singled out as often as I know many goths were under less enlightened circumstances.
The non-conformist attitude of Goth Culture is the most intrepid and respectable aspect I've experienced. I don't care what anyone says...We've all got our own styles and we don't dress and act as we do to express suicidal tendencies and if none of this statement is true of anyone who reads this...let me personally issue you my disapproval...whatever that would be worth to you.
I'm like Swift, Hemmigway, and Faulkner (none of which I particularly enjoy as creators) all put together. I'm wordy by nature and I love language. There is no way I could possibly describe Goth in one word and at the risk of seeming vapid (though I couldn't give a ***** if I wanted to what people I'll never really know think of me) I refuse to philosphisize on this matter again. I hoped this helped some. I'm out.
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Re: More questions from our Anthropologist
by Xaoswolf (Xaoswolf@hotmail.com)
on Jun 14, 2001 - 09:41 PM
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Sometimes I wear a cross, but then again I'm christian, I don't know why other people wear them and find my head hurts less when I try to figure out other people out.
As for the vampire thing, I think it is because of all the little kids that dress up like dracula to play goth, so it has become one of the larger stereo types, creating a loop of idiocity that just gets bigger and bigger.
My favorite bit of goth culture would be the people, sure you occasionally get the immature jackass paradeing around in his cape and manson shirt, but most of us are intelligent thoughtfull people.
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Re: More questions from our Anthropologist
by callei (psanguis@yahoo.com)
on Jun 15, 2001 - 12:16 PM
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The few goths that I know that wear crosses do so because they are Christian and see it as a way of expressing thier faith or because they got it as a gift from someone that they love and respect.
The "vampire" thing.... I think the village idiots always stand out. As vampires per se have little or nothing to do with goth; are even the antithisis of goth, i think that the irony is great. I dont think that "the myth of the Vampire being what people first learn about Goth" is true, or is no more true than the first thing that people learn about Native Americans how many and various those cultures are.
My favorite part of goth culture would be the clubs! I love mixing music with people and seeing what happens.
goth in a word? can i get away with a phrase? a sense of the absurd. in a word humour.
where did you get your degee? is this your thesis? are you aware that your questions are leading to one and only one answer? If you want a little help stucturing your questions to suit your thesis, I have taught methodology and survey techniques before and have been involved in both achedemic and commercial survey systems. Heck, I have even been paid for it!
I wasnt in high school for Colombine, but then Columbine wasnt the first act of Neo-nazi violence in a high school. I was in high school for the organized neo-nazi riots of the 80's.
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Re: More questions from our Anthropologist
by bettie_x (strangersangel@hotmail.com)
on Jun 18, 2001 - 07:38 PM
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I know I used to wear them because they are pretty (to me) and the cross was a strength symbol before the romans made it a habit to string unlucky folks up along the roadside. Also because they are usually big, heavy, very decorated, and easy to come by. I actually stopped wearing them for the most part...partly because of the reaction (negative) I gained from them, and also it's a little odd to claim to be a satanist when jesus is strung out on your chest....even though it is fun...
vampires? stupid stupid stupid. Don't get me wrong, i do enjoy my share of creative vampire stories and novels, but please...the ONLY thing I don't do in excess :) I hate being associated with that garbage....I had to explain in highschool to a jock kid that no, vampires don't exist, which rules me out as one, and that I'm a vegetarian....you know, like bunnicula. The light went on, I lived to see another day....
I was not thank GOODNESS. I saw/heard the reprocussions though....makes me very glad I wasn't around for it...it was tough enough as it was.
favorite part? the music...
one word? how 'bout two...counter culture
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