Help! I am 58 years old and want to know what "emo" is...?

Question

Where was I when they were passing out simple three letter words, huh? in the nursing home potty? A simple definition would be appreciated......Thank you! ;)

OMG! I had no idea. Some girl on here wanted to know if she was 'emo'? I will pick the best answer a few days from now...but, wow....I wasn't prepared for some of these answers. How terrible to want to cut yourself???? I have to think about this ..... Thanks ahead of time to all! These first 4 answers are chilling!

Thanx eckzl...went to that site....wow. Even an ole dog like me can learn something new.

You too, cireengin...went to that site. I am learning that I don't like this emo stuff.

Thanks FT...I can relate to that def. better than to emo... lol

I didn't know this has been going on in waves...I guess I didn't know because my girls are all grown up and have been since before 2000. I went to all of the sites you all have listed. I am in awe...really. What is Baldie talking about with his def? Is it really ehmo?

Kimberly, I visited that website and wow between your answer and that website I am getting a better picture of what emo is and also what it isn't. I guess we are scared of that which we don't understand. Fear makes us narrow minded. Your answer has shown me both sides of the story....how can I not pick it as the best answer? I can only pic one answer and in the broader sense of the term Emo...you, Kimberly have really answered my question to my satisfaction. Thank you....

Thanks to everyone for your poigant answers...I must choose Kimberly's answer because she shows both sides of the question/answer. Thanks to all!

xkickass...good answer. Both sides of the coin were shown in your answer...thank you for helping me better understan EMO. Thanks!

Answer 1

Hi Ellie,
Someone who is 'emo', is just someone more in touch with their emotions, this is usually "stereotyped" as a depressed teenager, but really... That's just a stereotype ;) .. not reality....
>>>>>>
Emo is also confused / associated with Goth, but they are entirely different IMO, Emo is more about being in touch with ,and harnessing your emotions, whereas Goth is more about creatively using the dark side of life, or being able to bring something helpful out of something others see as nothing but evil, etc ... (That could just be the whole 'only wearing black, looking evil, etc' because it makes you feel good about yourself, or maybe the Gothic music, which has helped thousands of young people handle difficult situations in life... etc....
>>>>>>>>>
It really sickens me, how people treat 'emos', I challenge ANYONE to explain how it's justified, and no one has ever managed to. :)
>>>>>
I put you a link, below...

Thanks, for the question!;)

My regards!

Take care!

Answer 2

This type of behavior is not new. It is more out in the open now, which I think is good. Because attention has been drawn to this darker culture, and these kids need some attention. You can't solve a problem that you are not aware of. Also I'm not sure what he meant by emho, I think he was making a dig at the emo kids combining emo with ho (whore). Just a guess though.

Answer 3

Ah, it's amazing all the new "buzz-words" teens keep coming up with? We had them in our day too!

Emo stems from "emotional" and represents those depressed, dark and gloomy kids. Why aren't punkers (those all in black and diapers pins etc.) considered emo too????

Cutting is the new craze to show off how emotionally depressed you are. It's scary but a lot of kids do it. Many do it for attention while others are truly suicidal.

Teachers should pay special attention in gym classes and report these kids. They need help.

There are really terrible kids out there who bully and make fun of these kids too and they are really scum too. That much I have to say. They hide behind the "guise" of being goody two-shoes and popular and athletic but they are just as screwed up if not worse.

It's another clash of the rich and the poor, the have's and the have nots.

Some people like to look emo because they like the fashion of it. We looked like tom-boys as kids (gosh the alternative was that fruity girly-girl look--no thanks!)

I think emo means very different things to different people. You can scale it from 1-1000 and that is how different it will be from how one person sees it to the next. It's come to encompass goth, grunge, soft and hard core punk and likely much more.

But it is also home to the very depressed, who hide behind that image like a shield and harbour dark thoughts and suicidal tendencies.

Most of these kids are just shy and want to be left alone, and like the fact they can hide behind that image and people "get them." But as parents, adults, educators etc. we need to pay special attention to what teens are going through these days. It takes a village to raise a child, and sadly people don't care or just don't have the time or inclination to step in and get involved and do something.

It's a sign of the times we live in. It's also a sign that many adults don't do their job well at all.

Answer 4

emo isn't merely a word, but a way of life. the general emo public can often be spotted wearing tight black/blue jeans (with a studded belt), converse shoes (in all fashion colors, but the darker the better), a band tee (but not just ANY band, examples: dashboard confessional, brand new, my chemical romance, fall out boy, panic! at the disco) that is tight-fitted and shows off their normally skrawny body figure, and any and all dark eye make up. their hair is normal longer, bangs covering eyes, because they want to hide the tears they've cried because of a recent break up. also, sometimes thick wrist bands to cover their cutting scars. they lead horribly sad lives.

if they're smiling, they're NOT emo.

Answer 5

jheithmar: fall out boy & Panic! at the disco are NOT emo. they're lame punk/hardcore wannabe bands who are extremely mainstream and therefore do not fit into the scene.

senses fail, bullet for my valentine, & a static lullaby: THOSE are emo bands. and the first 163497 posts on this are WRONG.. everything that those people said is a STEREOTYPE. you do not have to cut yourself to be emo. some people might, but its not a general characterisitc.
yes, emo does mean emotional. many people who are "emo" have become that way for a particular reason, such as a bad experience/hardship, like a loved one dying, or like a friend of mine, a significant other killing themself and writing a letter blaming it on them..

although "emo" kids have a gloomier outlook on life, they dont dress a certain way, people just stereotype them as such.

Answer 6

Well, Emo is a person who is usually depressed about life etc; like the answers above, but it is also a style of clothing!
Emo's dress darkly usually and have original looking clothing. Dressing Emo doesn't mean that one cuts his or her wrists, but just likes the style. it has become popular to wear clothes like this now-a-days.

Answer 7

Emo is a type of music and lifestyle. Emo is marked by introrospective and depressing lyrics. Kind of oh woe is me attitude. Just a phase teens go through these days.

Answer 8

"emo" is what the teenagers today call punk rock. It has also been know as "goth" and "grunge." They usually dress in filthy clothes and behave in an "anti-social" way. Most teens grow out of it, if they don't they usually wind up without a job and homeless, because, who would a hire a person like that?! You can get the definition here : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emo_%28slang%29

Answer 9

emo is short for "emotional"
if you've ever seen those "gothic" and "punk rocker" type people who wear all black and guys who wear black eyeliner and stuff, thats usually what people classify "emo" as.
lots of people classify emo as people who cut themselves, but thats not always true. lots of times, the emo ones will cut themselves but not all the time. just the depressed ones.

Answer 10

emo...emotional

emo is a slang word for teens/adults who listen to punk music, dress in tight, dark clothes (similar to gothic), appear to cut themselves etc. A truly weird branch of social cliques