What is a Goth?

Question

I asked what is a chav and got some fab answers (thanks to all) now I want to know what a Goth is and more importantly, if you are one, what makes you choose to wear those types of clothes? I am not picking on you, just want some answers as my son has become one. I think he looks better in white T-shirts but then he said he isn't dressing like a chav ;)

Judging by the answers so far, that will explain why my son listens to such awful music. (Kill my Bride????)

Oh dear, sounds like my son has mental problems, hmmm? Or is it the fact that his gf wears this style of dress? I was wondering if it was a fasion thing.

Answer 1

Hmm. Sounds like you've gotten some rather discouraging answers - go to goth.net, they have accurate information. Good luck.

Answer 2

Originally, the Goths were a race of Northern marauders who sacked Rome and burned lots of libraries and basically wreaked havoc and caused the Dark Ages. For more information on THAT, follow the link below.

The modern Gothic subculture is widespead and has many different facets. The one commonality seems to be a fascination with all things "dark."

As Morrissey of The Smiths says, I wear black on the outside, because black is how I feel on the inside.

Even though I'm a little old to be concerned with stereotypes and teen angst, I would still consider myself a goth chick. I no longer dye my hair black... or wear weird clothing. I don't have anything pierced other than one hole in each earlobe. I look completely normal in every way.

About the only comment I have received on my appearance lately is my predilection for a certain type of clothing... black. I wear almost exclusively black clothing. I do this because it is always easy to find in the store, and it always matches. No more worrying if it's going to clash when I get it home, no more wondering if I matched the right color from the closet this morning. Black is easy, and that's why I wear it.

I do still listen to the music. When I was younger, Goth was partially about my dissatisfaction and disillusionment with life. Now, it's got more to do with enjoying it. When I listen to the music, now, I feel soothed, tranquil. It's kind of like life is one long Tim Burton film or Danny Elfman soundtrack. Just because it's dark doesn't mean it has to be humorless or violent.

Of course, some goth kids are like me. Others -- as in any subcultural group -- are a little more disturbed. Just keep the lines open, pick your battles carefully, and you should be fine. =)

Answer 3

Im am not goth but here is sum about the orgin of it all....
"By the late 1970s, there were a few post-punk bands in the United Kingdom labeled "gothic." However, it was not until the early 1980s that gothic rock became its own subgenre within post-punk, and that followers of these bands started to come together as a distinctly recognizable movement. The opening of the Batcave in London's Soho in July 1982 provided a prominent meeting point for the emerging scene, which had briefly been labeled positive punk by the New Musical Express.[1] The term "Batcaver" was later used to describe old-school goths.

Independent of the British scene, the late 1970s and early 1980s saw death rock branch off from American punk.[2] In 1980s and early 1990s, members of the emerging goth subculture in Germany were called Grufties (engl. "vault creatures" or "tomb creatures"). They generally represented a fusion of the goth subculture and the new wave movement with an influence of new romantic, and formed the early stage of the "dark culture" (formerly called "dark wave culture").


[edit] Goth after post-punk
After the demise of post-punk, gothic continued to evolve both musically and visually. This caused variations in style ("types" of goth). Local scenes also contributed to this variation. By the 1990s, Victorian fashion saw a renewed popularity in the goth scene, drawing on the mid-19th century gothic revival and the more morbid aspects of Victorian culture."

Answer 4

As my name might suggest, I am a goth. But there is a whole world of goth. I am a 'trad' goth; I like 80s music, uniforms, lace, morning suits, big hair, bands like Sisters of Mercy (who are a bit crap, really) and the Mission, the Damned, Clan of Xymox; and a bit punky too. I make my own fashion, with ties, safety pins and zips, and I love charity shops. I wear white face paint only at clubs, have some piercings (ears and face only) and corsets and things. I like nature, and being outside, and I don't sit around in bed all day writing awful poetry and complaining about how awful it is to be middle class. That's just sad. There are other brands of goth. Those kids with the big next spikes and T shirts that actually say 'goth' on them, they're 'nu' goths. Splitters. The ones with glow sticks and t shirts with moving graphic equalisers on or flashing crucifixes are 'cyber' goths. Hope that clears it up.

Answer 5

I work with adolscents and I am not that old myself so maybe I have a new insight. Goth is characterized in dressing in black all black. Which means black nail polish (girls and boys) Many have tall black boots that lace up. Goth is often associated with loud heavy metal music but not required to be goth. Some of the children I work with who are goth state that they chose this to see how it is and because they were picked on and kids wont pick on you if they dress this way because then the other kids will be scared of them. This is just what my adolscents said that I work with and they are in a treatment facilty. Also Goth also has crosses and long chains that are worn with the outfits as well. This is pretty much what i know. Most of the time the kids are kind of trying it out to see what it is like to dress this way. Hope this helps.

Answer 6

The Goths (the precursor race of the Visigoths and the Ostragoths) were an East Germanic tribe that existed between the 2nd and 4th centuries AD (the two 'spin-offs' were 5th and 6th century). They inhabited land that is now part of modern-day Poland and Ukraine (and Belarus, etc).

Wikipedia has a pretty good section on them. I'be been playing as them in Rome: Total War, Barbarian Invasion.

Answer 7

Member of a Germanic people that invaded the Roman Empire between the 3rd and 5th centuries ..or a style of rock music typically having apocalyptic or mystical lyrics..
>a member of a subculture favouring black clothing and goth music
ORIGIN..gota,,superseded in ME ..by the adoption of late L..
Gothi..from Greek Gothoi,,from Gothic Gutthiuda
the Gothic people....

Answer 8

"Goth" is a subculture with connotations of nonconformity, darkness, and spirituality associated with witchcraft. Adolescent Goths are typically youth who have felt disenfranshised by their larger peer group... despite many stereotypes, most Goth kids are not into dangerous behavior, and find the outrageous dress code fun and are amused by the reactions of others... there is a subgroup of the Goth culture that do engage in high risk behavior including rituals that involve among other things "vampire-like" activities...
there are many websites on the culture, here's one of them:

www.religioustolerance.org/goth.htm

Answer 9

This is my most favorite definistion to what is a goth today. A person with a little darkness in there soul who wants to express to the world. I'm a Gothic person except I don't like to just wear black all the time of everyday or a lot of make-up all the time. I like dark colors and wearing black to me just seems boring.

Answer 10

I used to be goth and it is a way of life. Goths usually hang out at goth night clubs, listen to electric or goth music, wear all black and makeup and hair to match. I was a very depressed teen so I went goth but I came out of it eventually.

Answer 11

Im a goth because i want to be. I like the music and i like the clothes and it is who i want to be. Isn't it the same for everyone? Not just goths. You are who you are as it is who you want to be.

Does that make any sense?