I've been thinking about holding off on this entry for a while, now. But I feel as if it should be mentioned as soon as possible. It's a good way to get into some "deep"-ish topics, of a sort. Why this isn't on BBTxx, we'll see in the end...
Before I begin, this rant....vent...whatever, is all based upon my observations and are all my opinions.
As I watch and read articles created by alternative folk from all around the world, save for those many who are scarcely even recognized past their multitude of rather small followers, I've come to realize something...extremely annoying from the ones who are recognized.
There is too much—painfully too much—repetition within the subcultures, almost exclusively with the goths, since they seem to be the real popular ones, nowadays; must be a phase. There was recently a YouTube video going around within the YouTube networks of dark-clad types entitled "An Honest Goth Talk" by LigeiaResurrected. I was rather annoyed, finding that her ideas of what is "wrong" or what have you within the scene were not truly considered.
Now, as someone who only made videos on YouTube four years ago and has since stopped uploading videos (for now), I may not have much valid input in the matter about these things. But from mere observation, it would seem as if, no, it's not necessarily that people are ignoring one another, if you will, after they've made it "big" on YT. It's simply harder and harder to respond and connect to those in the scene through YouTube when you have over a thousand comments on a single video, for instance. In my opinion, the real problem lies in simply not connecting off of YouTube, as far as that's concerned.
I severely digressed.
I love the goth subculture—or at least, what it was. If you're someone like me who tries to connect to every online goth presence there is, or in this example, the "popular", well-known ones, you'll be looking up every account they have. Subscribing and following every account you can find. Nowadays, however, it seems as if more often than not, the scene has seemingly degraded to a fashion show with little to no other life to it than makeup, "get ready with me"s, clothing, makeup, and item hauls, piercing showcases, and very stylish outfits, no matter where you so happened to find it and bonus points if you made it yourself.
To some very small degree, I get it. People do what's "popular". What's "in". What their viewers "want". Because, lucky them, they either get income from said videos/blog entries, or simply because they want to be, whether they acknowledge it or not, the next big thing. Or whatever.
At the same time, in a way, that's also the problem.
Because of that, this giving in to the masses, they've lost a huge asset of their individuality and are lacking with originality.
And don't get me started on the painful redundancy of the same reaction videos, the same people saying the same YouTube video or online blog "goth" this and "goth" that. The stupid, pointless clarifications and blatant opinions and hypocrisy of saying what "is" or what "isn't" goth, "in their opinion". It shows a bit of duality.
If you want to go with one popular opinion, that goth was invented because a mass of like-minded people who liked similar music came together because they liked what they liked and the mainstream didn't, there is very little you can say "is" or "is not" "goth".
And what is that, "what is/isn't goth", as if "goth" was created to be labeled on things and not people?
Aren't the people "goth", and anything else they like outside of the origins' spectrum simply something else they like? Do they have to BE that stringent definition of a goth, day-in, day-out, or are they not human beings who have a myriad of interests? That pigeon-holding is toxic!
...Hmm...does this mean...anyone can be a goth?
Yes. Yes it does.
Anyone can be a goth and you wouldn't even know it. To say otherwise is...asinine.
Because once upon a time, goths dressed in a way that was "of the time", albeit a bit strangely. As time itself moved on, goth, too, has evolved. The goths of today also dress "of the time", albeit strangely. Furthermore, now we have such a history, such a myriad of colors, textures, and collaborative interests that we share—vampires, zombies, witches, cemeteries, Halloween, crosses, gore, skulls, skeletons, bats, spiders, Tim Burton movies, stripes, pumpkins, horror, macabre, roses, flowers, witchcraft, magic, magik, Edgar Allan Poe, literature, art, books, writers, artists, music, 80s music, 90s music, coldwave, darkwave, post-punk, black, whatever combination it may be—that we can dress however we want, look however we want, and listen to whatever we want.
But with the amount of nonsense that goes on online, which is currently the only place I can connect to anyone even remotely like me, the modern goth label has become a joke. It's not unique anymore. It's not something I personally can be proud of.
My interests haven't changed. Because of this solemnity, I doubt they ever will. I simply refuse to call myself a goth. For now. Maybe. I think. Goths, to me, were always people that couldn't be held down to a single definition. Simply similar interests. And even then, those interests were never all they were; again, they're human. This pigeon-holding is so likely the reason why so many young goths leave the scene so early. Because not the mainstream, but the people within the subculture make it as if goth has to BE this and that, not simply a multitude of interests that are shared by its members. Because not all goths wear black, and not all goths aren't Satanists.
Being told they "have" to be something they aren't within a subculture that claims to be a reject of the mainstream because the mainstream told them to be something they aren't is two-faced. So then why did the "goth" name interest them at all?
Hm, maybe because of that initial little idea of things goths have in common...that seems like the be-all that modern goth is, but is actually something that makes them all attach themselves to one another to begin with.
Whatever the case, I'm out of this mess. I've had enough of my own struggles of trying to "fit in" to the modern portrayal of goth, only to realize I cannot fit in without changing who I am. At 23 years old, I don't need that nonsense when I have life trying to strangle me in my sleep, thank you.
Be you. Honestly, that's all that matters. Listen to what you want, dress the way you want, do what you want, dance the way you want. Don't do what you don't want, and don't feel pressured into feeling you have to do it. So if you make the modern definition of a goth but don't want to be called one, that's fine, too.
This spooky dark-clad type has to go to bed, now. I need to wake up early, and I doubt that'll be happening, anymore...
