What is GOTH?

Question

What IS GOTH, and whats the attraction to it?
Does it have anything to do with "the dark side" opposed to the 'light side' of things?
What is the purpose of Goth?

Answer 1

This is probably the hardest question any goth could try and answer, one may as well ask 'what is society?' as it has so many facets it defies any definitive explanation.

Goth in its simplest form, is a subculture. A group of people who feel comfortable within each others company. There is no specific thing that defines what you need to do or be to fit into the goth scene (except of course the implied black clothing). People in the goth scene all have different musical tastes, follow different religions, have different occupations, hobbies, and fashion sense.

Most goths become goths because they have been spurned by 'normal' society because the way they want to live their lives does not fit in with how most people are told to live theirs. Goths are free thinkers, people who do not accept the moral rules of society because they're told 'This is just how it is' or 'This is what God says!'. Rather goths tend to listen to what you have to say, and make up their own mind. This kind of free thinking and rejection of dogma earns only rejection in todays society.

However because of this rejection from 'normal' society, goths have banded together to associate with other free thinkers. This has a beneficial effect on both the individual and society as a whole. For the individual they have a sense of belonging, and friends they can associate with. For society it removes one more misfit filled with rage from society's streets.

This of course is not the case for all goths. Many goths today are goths for a variety of other reasons. They like the music, or the clubs are better, they have goth friends and joined in with them, or they just like staying up late nights and goths are the only ones awake to talk to.

Answer 2

What is Goth - a person, group or thing?
In the beginning, Goth was a music form, not a philosophy. Goth rock is synonymous with some of the gloomy post-punk music from the late 70's - 80’s.

The band Bauhaus, best encapsulated 'Goth'. Bauhaus probably (unintentionally) kick-started Gothic 'darkness' with their foreboding music style, poetry and imagery.

What are some Goth music styles?
Goth rock, dark wave, industrial rock, industrial dance. You can't summarize them all, but they do share a serious outlook, and invoke certain atmospherics.

Are the European Visigoth tribes linked to our Goths?
No.

And what about Gothic cathedrals?
No connection. Many Goths do like rustic, European art, though.

Can you be a Goth by dressing Gothic?
No. A model doesn't make a Goth.

Is there a Gothic look?
There are no absolutes - but if there ever was one, it's the much-imitated Bauhaus look. Girls, on the other hand, can opt for a softer, Victorian Romantic look if they wish.

What about philosophy?
‘Dark’ literature is only an interest, not a philosophy in itself. Look up American Gothic literature.

Is Evanescence a Goth band?
Strictly speaking, no. Their music and image are inspired by European Gothic Metal music (more akin to metal than Goth), albeit in a much diluted form.

And what about Marilyn Manson?
There is little, or nothing Gothic about Manson and his music.

Why call yourself Goth?
Interestingly, the old Goth rock pioneers shunned the term ‘Goth!’ In 2 decades, Goth evolved from being an unpopular underground subculture - into a much sought-after, highly visible image for our Y2K youth!

Why Goth?
First, you have to like the music. Everything else is secondary and comes after it. Me? I'm naturally attracted to things Gothic, but I can never claim to dress the part, ever! LOL.

Answer 3

I really don't think it has anything to do with "the dark side". I've been a professional musician all my life and known many a goth, and low and behold, have been dating one for 2 years, and would love to spend the rest of my life with her. As I've experienced it, most goth people are very forward thinking, and EXTREMELY creative. For most, the "meaning" of goth culture, is simply a way of saying, "Hey, I for one, don't stand in line to pay $4 for coffee, I don't care what your car looks like, I don't get my clothes at the same 4 places, my friends actually relate to me, and I have politics and feelings, as opposed to cold indifference of pop culture." You might think, "Well why can't they just feel that way quietly?" My answer would be that if you ever spent some time with them, you would find that they too are some of the most attractive, intelligent, and well rounded people you will ever meet. I personally don't fit in with the goth crowd...I'm more of an extreme metal guy...Every culture has a look...It's how they identify with each other. Hippies had long hair, hip-hop has sporting clothes, and jewelry, Amish people have beards, and dresses, and black pants, Grunge had flannel, disco had bellbottoms. Goth wear is just more extreme, and forward thinking because everyone else around them looks like an Abercrombe Fitch magazine. You'll find that most goth people only dress extreme when they go out, and not necessarily in they're everyday lives. I'm all for it as an art, expression, and message.

Answer 4

This should get you started. The web site is wonderful and the forum is fantastic. I've been hanging around there for years.
Goth in its simplest form, is a subculture. A group of people who feel comfortable within each others company. There is no specific thing that defines what you need to do or be to fit into the goth scene (except of course the implied black clothing). People in the goth scene all have different musical tastes, follow different religions, have different occupations, hobbies, and fashion sense.

http://www.goth.net/goth.html

Answer 5

Goth is a modern subculture that first became popular during the early 1980s within the gothic rock scene, a sub-genre of post punk. It is associated with gothic tastes in music and clothing. Styles of dress range from gothic horror, punk, Victorian, fetish, cybergoth, androgyny, and/or lots of black. Since the mid-1990s, styles of music that can be heard in goth venues range from gothic rock, industrial, punk, metal, techno, 1980s dance music, and several others.

Answer 6

Not sure if this is what you mean, but there is a type of music called goth

Answer 7

Just another sub-culture where people want to be 'different' but they all wear a uniform and dye their hair but end of all looking and acting the same.

Answer 8

Just another LABEL. People always have to follow something. It doesn't make u a dark SOUL though. TREE-HUGGER+peace and love. NO MORE WAR!720 I hate RACIST PEOPLE< THAT"S ALL THOUGH!!!!!!!Atlantis was so much brighter!!!+

Answer 9

Read this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goth