The evolution of "Gothism"

"But I don't think anybody with any self-respect would admit to being Goth" -- Rozz Williams [Christian Death, Shadow Project] "

HEY! I'm a Goth and I'm DAMN proud of it, Mr. Williams, sir!

(Interesting look at our little culture, though... I suppose for the earliest Goths, it must have been semi-confusing... not identifying with anything around you, and failing to be able to place a finger on your "kind"....

(I seriously do not even know what I would do with myself if I didn't have like-minded people here to talk with, who see the world as I do. I don't know one other Goth IRL!)

^^^ You'll know me soon irl my dear We definately have to hang out sometime. Just have to see what's in my schedule.

I think theres a decline in the goth movement.
Clubs are shutting down because they dont have enough patrons to keep it running. Or they boost up the age limit to 21 because they cant afford the insurance for under aged anymore. Shops are shutting down because their isn't much of a market. The ones still around hike the prices up to insane amounts, because goth clothing is more a luxury item.

angelofthenight wrote:

^^^ You'll know me soon irl my dear We definately have to hang out sometime. Just have to see what's in my schedule.

!

Personally, I hope it never gets so big it's mainstream (as is threatened by the likes oh "Hot Topic"). I like being in minorities (I tend to have an attitude to popular art, culture, what-have-you: "If that many people like it, it must be garbage"). Except maybe round the time of Elouise, This Corossion, and Severina; Goth has always been a nice little exclusive club, big enough to be friendly but small enough to be nicely elitist.

It'd be 'orrible 'orrible 'orrible if it grew to the stage that it was mainstream. Can you imagine all those vile, tacky marketing men getting hold of it (and they would if it was big enough to make money). All those things that made us turn our backs on mundane society in the first place would be being rammed down our throats re-packaged in the style of cheap-and-nasty Geiger and Poe look alikes. Bleuch!

Akasha'sMistake wrote:

"But I don't think anybody with any self-respect would admit to being Goth" -- Rozz Williams [Christian Death, Shadow Project] "

HEY! I'm a Goth and I'm DAMN proud of it, Mr. Williams, sir!

T'was a strange thing back in the 80's (at least over here in Blighty) The goth quote was "I'm not a goth!".

edgeeffect wrote:

Personally, I hope it never gets so big it's mainstream (as is threatened by the likes oh "Hot Topic"). I like being in minorities (I tend to have an attitude to popular art, culture, what-have-you: "If that many people like it, it must be garbage"). Except maybe round the time of Elouise, This Corossion, and Severina; Goth has always been a nice little exclusive club, big enough to be friendly but small enough to be nicely elitist.

It'd be 'orrible 'orrible 'orrible if it grew to the stage that it was mainstream. Can you imagine all those vile, tacky marketing men getting hold of it (and they would if it was big enough to make money). All those things that made us turn our backs on mundane society in the first place would be being rammed down our throats re-packaged in the style of cheap-and-nasty Geiger and Poe look alikes. Bleuch!

Nothing like walking into town seeing everyone dressed like you. That would just be too weird for me. Since most people really don't care much for the Goth culture, we have a chance to be crative and unique. If everyone starts doing it, you just feel like another face.

Though I find it funny seeing mall goths and have them ask me where I get my clothing from, like i'd ever tell.

angelofthenight wrote:

Though I find it funny seeing mall goths and have them ask me where I get my clothing from, like i'd ever tell.

My girlfriend once had this very young girl come round her house and ask her "How can I be like you, how can I be a Goth?" My girlfriend's answer was (of course) "I'm not a Goth!"

That's always the number 1 question. I remember when I first entered college, I had these girls come up to me and ask "Are you Goth?" Of course, I said no and they rolled my eyes at me. Then from then on, everytime they saw me they called me Wednsday.

^^ reading the above comments i was just wondering are people shy when tellingother people they are goths?

^^ i can see the world soon coming to a government controlled embassy. We will soon be known as an ID rather then a name. We need FREEDOM!!!

Vampira132 wrote:

^^ Oh Evolution get a hold of yourself man!!

ohh, i detect some frustration from u vampira!!

Evolution666 wrote:

^^ i can see the world soon coming to a government controlled embassy. We will soon be known as an ID rather then a name. We need FREEDOM!!!

Complete freedom is an illusion. Looks good on paper but when someone considers that has the freedom of take your things, kill your child and rape your spouse you think otherwise...

Evolution666 wrote:

^^ reading the above comments i was just wondering are people shy when tellingother people they are goths?

I would be a bit shy to admit to a gothier person that I am goth, but I can always try to get them to help me out a bit.

And yes, there is no such thing as absolute freedom. We are all slaves to something; plus absolute freedom means absolute anarchy.

Evolution666 wrote:

^^ reading the above comments i was just wondering are people shy when tellingother people they are goths?

I don't really ever need to tell people, they seem to work it out for themselves.

And on the subject of freedom. Try the following thought-experiment: You have absolute freedom now! At this very minute you are free to do whatever you want to do. I'm about to have a cup of tea, but I could choose to go outside and... I dunno... maybe murder someone. There is nothing at all stopping me doing that if I was 'orrible enough to want to. Of course the police would then come round and lock me up in a prison, but that's because freedom has repurcussions, and the free need to be responsible for their actions.

do you think this woman looks goth?

no but her dog has a human face... creepy

when you look at this painting in person, her appearance is very pale, and she has obvious qualities that stand out from a 'normal' painting of the period. this was painted in the 1500s

The pattern looks familiar, but I can't say if the date on the url is in fact the true date for the portrait. Black was a vary popular color during the renaissance especially when it comes to mourning. People would always try to outdo each other when it came to mourning that laws were passed on how long a person could wear black.

your right. 1410 is wrong. it was probably painted in the mid-1500s

Eyvind wrote:

when you look at this painting in person, her appearance is very pale, and she has obvious qualities that stand out from a 'normal' painting of the period. this was painted in the 1500s

Pale was a sign of wealth and women strove to be pale. In renaissance Italy having pale skin and blonde hair was sought after, so women wore special hats that shielded their skin but let the sun bleach their hair.