I know I'm gonna sound dumb but....?

Question

whats an Emo?

I'll probably ask other questions like that and its either because I'm too old to know what the "kids" are talking about or I'm just far enough out the the whole computer jargon loop....

Would someone please be kind enough to help me out with some of these terms.....

Thanks in advance for not laughing at me for being a dork.

Answer 1

Emo is a subgenre of hardcore punk music. Since its inception, emo has come to describe several independent variations, linked loosely but with common ancestry. As such, use of the term has been the subject of much debate.

In its original incarnation, the term emo was used to describe the music of the mid-1980s Washington, DC scene and its associated bands. In later years, the term emocore, short for "emotional hardcore", was also used to describe the DC scene and some of the regional scenes that spawned from it. The term emo was derived from the fact that, on occasion, members of a band would become spontaneously and strongly emotional during performances. The most recognizable names of the period included Rites of Spring, Embrace, One Last Wish, Beefeater, Gray Matter, Fire Party, and, slightly later, Moss Icon. The first wave of emo began to fade after the breakups of most of the involved bands in the early 1990s.

Starting in the mid-1990s, the term emo began to reflect the indie scene that followed the influences of Fugazi, which itself was an offshoot of the first wave of emo. Bands including Sunny Day Real Estate and Texas Is the Reason put forth a more indie rock style of emo, more melodic and less chaotic in nature than its predecessor. The so-called "indie emo" scene survived until the late 1990s, as many of the bands either disbanded or shifted to mainstream styles.

As the remaining indie emo bands entered the mainstream, newer bands began to emulate the more mainstream style, creating a style of music that has now earned the moniker emo within popular culture. Whereas, even in the past, the term emo was used to identify a wide variety of bands, the breadth of bands listed under today's emo is even more vast, leaving the term "emo" as more of a loose identifier than as a specific genre of music.


Emo is a somewhat ambiguous, controversial slang term[1] most frequently used to describe a fashion or subculture which is usually defined to have roots in punk fashion and subculture[2], as well as some attributes of gothic fashion and subculture.[3]. It is loosely defined, and its meaning varies by region, but most definitions share a number of similarities.[1]

1980s
Emo was not always used as slang referring to a subculture. The term was born in the 1980s to describe a genre of music stemming from the hardcore punk music scene in Washington, D.C. Early bands labeled emo (or sometimes emocore) in this scene included Rites of Spring, Embrace, and Fugazi.[2][4][5]


1990s to present
The word has more recently been used to describe a subculture as a slang term, but still describes a music genre as well. The term emo as a music genre has become broader and broader with time, and now is loosely understood to mean "rock music with emotionally-based lyrics or effect." Bands included in the genre range from Bright Eyes to The Get Up Kids to Sunny Day Real Estate. The term is so loosely defined because its definition is still the subject of debate.[1][2][4] Emo now often refers to a person's fashion, personality, or both, as well as the music genre.


Fashion
Emo fashion is usually defined to have roots in punk fashion as well as gothic fashion.[3] By almost all current definitions, emo clothing is characterized by tight jeans on males and females alike, long fringe (bangs) often brushed to one side of the face, dyed black hair, tight t-shirts which often bear the names of rock bands, studded belts, belt buckles, Chuck Taylor All-Stars or other black shoes - often old and beaten up - and thick, black-rimmed glasses.[1][2][6][7][8][9] In the satirical video, How to Be: Emo, the main character, Billy, is told that he should purchase his new emo attire from the local thrift store, and that "the smell of old is the smell of emo gold."[10]

Past emo trends
Emo fashion has changed with time; early trends included haircuts similar to those worn by the Romulans and Vulcans in Star Trek, tightly fitting sweaters, button-down shirts, and work jackets (often called gas station jackets). These trends are not as popular in the emo scene anymore.[6]


Personality
When referring to a person's personality and attitude, most definitions of emo hold that an "emo person" is candid about their emotions, sensitive, shy, introverted, broken-hearted, glum, and often quiet.[7][11]


Poetry
Emo personality is also often connected with writing poetry, which addresses confusion, depression, loneliness, and anger, all resulting from the world's inability to understand the author.[3] Emo poetry uses a combination of any of: a highly emotional tone, stream of consciousness writing, a simple (ABAB) or nonexistent rhyme scheme, references to the flesh, especially the heart, heavy use of dark or depressing adjectives, concern over the mutability of time and/or love, and disregard for punctuation, grammar, and/or spelling. Themes such as life is pain are common.[12]


Self-harm and emo
Some definitions of emo hold that typical "emo persons" are likely to inflict self-injury, most often by means of cutting, burning, or otherwise mutilating themselves.[3][11] The theme of self-injury is also common in emo poetry.[12]

Answer 2

Emo
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Look up emo in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.Emo may refer to:

In music:

Emo (music), a genre of rock music
Emo (slang), a slang term used to describe a wide range of fashion styles and attitudes somewhat affiliated with emo music
Emo (album), an album by Screeching Weasel
"Emo", a song by Blink-182 from their Dude Ranch album
In business:

Emo (oil), an Irish oil company and filling station chain
Media:

How to be: Emo, an internet movie explaining the subculture of emo and emo music

Answer 3

I've looked up EMO darn if I can figure it out exactly
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See source
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http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11720603/
What exactly is ‘emo,’ anyway?
Misunderstood genre means different things for different people
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emo_(slang)
Emo is a somewhat ambiguous, controversial slang term[1] most frequently used to describe a fashion or subculture which is usually defined to have roots in punk fashion and subculture[2], as well as some attributes of gothic fashion and subculture.[3]. It is loosely defined, and its meaning varies by region, but most definitions share a number of similarities.[1]

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=emo+gay
1. emo gay 109 up, 16 down
A common characteristic of an Emo boy. The fashion of an emo has some similarities to a gay but many emo boys are in fact bisexual or gay. Peoples opinions of Emo boys kissing saying they do this just because of publicity is ridiculous as many gay teenagers turn to the emo stereotype because of the emo community being free of prejudices. As a gay teenager you have a lot of soul searching and a troubled time and may become depressed this is also how they are most suited into an emo culture.

Answer 4

Genre of softcore punk music that integrates unenthusiastic melodramatic 17 year olds who dont smile, high pitched overwrought lyrics and inaudible guitar rifts with tight wool sweaters, tighter jeans, itchy scarfs (even in the summer), ripped chucks with favorite bands signature, black square rimmed glasses, and ebony greasy unwashed hair that is required to cover at least 3/5ths of the face at an angle.

Answer 5

People that are emotional. They may cut their wrists, but usually not. They wear dark clothing and listen to depressing music. Not really bad people, just different. I recommend listening to I'm an Emo Kid. By Adam and Andrew. Search purevolume.com for Adam and Andrew!

Answer 6

short for "emotional"

Don't worry. I didn't know either until I took a myspace survey and figured out I am....

Classified by being all depressed (similar to goth, but not so scary), writing poetry, being sappy wappy, crying a lot, thinking about life, whatever. Be what you wanna be. lol

Answer 7

Emo is short for emotional. But they show it in a diffrent way. They slit there wrists to vent anger. They dress in all black to show how misserable they are. They usally try to be anti-social. It's a horrible condition.

Answer 8

it depends on how you look at it.. i'm 20 so i see it all the time with people my age ..

its a trend or "lifestyle" or genre of music..

yea it does mean emotional.. tahts pretty much it.. emotional people that express it through their style ( both guys and girls wear the tight pants, and have the side swept bangs usually..)... music is emo rock.. basically the i hate you, i'm so in love.. i'm so hurt... ..pretty obvious through the music...

Answer 9

I like to call them "emu." Check urbandictionary.com. It's derrived from "emotional," but has a bunch of additional connotations as well. They have a certain clothing style, posture, look,... like I said, go to urbandictionary.

Answer 10

I just found out what it was last week! Apparently it's just a label kids give themselvs when they think they are emotionally disturbed! I'm probably wrong though!