The definition of 'Goth'

[Storm Daughter]

Now, social labels can be forced (Ohhhh, you like black and heavy make-up, you must be goth!), they can be purely self inflicted (I'm goth because I think its cool to be different and dark) Or they are a complex combination of the two.
After all, A rose by any other name.

So, the question is:
How do you define goth (your own sort of personal opinion, or the mainstream sort, or the 'old school' sort, ect.), and are you 'goth' according to that definition.

I hesitate to attach 'goth' to myself, simply because of all of the baggage it carries, but I adore alot about the subculture. How can you not love a culture that so acutely expresses the breadth of human society? I speak of its evolution out of Gothic art and architecture and its eventual sprawl into Gothic novels(Dracula, Frankenstein, the horror genre) and finally the subculture of today that spoke out as a reaction to it.

If your familiar with Socrates cave analogy, I see it in reverse:
Take a society that lives only in the light and put them in the dark. They panic because they cannot see, and they attempt to flee. Only by letting themselves adjust to the darkness can they hope to view all that likes beyond the pool of light.

I want to know what is in the dark, I don't fear the dark and what is unknown. I want to know it.

By my own definition, I revel in darkness. The light can be painful when I reemerge into it (which I need to do because I also like sparkles!), but its worth it. And so in this way, I am goth.

And also not. I own alot of black clothes, and the only colors are no lighter that dark jewel tones (and the occasional gift I keep in stalk for emergencies), but I don't normally dress hardcore 'goth'. I don't like the way society perceives it. I wear fairly heavy eye makeup, but it stays on the 'normal' or 'taistful' side of heavy.

And that is that.  

[Sylvia Noble]

My definition of goth isn't wearing black or even having black finger nail polish in. Its the involuntary action of dark thoughts accruing in your head. A goth enjoys anything dark without realizing it. When I was younger I would be asked if i was goth all the time, not because of what I wore or even looked like, just the way i acted and talked people used to be afraid of me and i wouldn't know why. Now I do lol. Plus a goth doesn't have to worship the devil and doesn't have to act so negative all the time.  

[Shadow__Dweller]

My definition of goth is actually the stereotypical fashion and culture of (mostly) young people today who wear black clothes, paint their nails black, wear black make-up, listen to goth music like deathmetal and (sometimes) wear the old victorian goth style clothes with the lace and top hats etc. If I called someone a Goth that is how I would picture them. Like Abby Scutio from NCIS.

However, if you use the term goth to refer to other things it can be different. For instance, gothic architecture or gothic fiction.

I'm not a goth because I don't dress like one. I feel a bit "too old" now at the age of 21 to wear stuff like that.(I'm not saying adults are too old to wear it...not at all...it's just that I personally feel like a teenager if I wear clothes like that). I'm not interested in fashion and I don't ike to stand out in the crowd. I don't want people to notice me for being different. My personality makes me different, I don't need to shout it out to everyone by what I wear. I just wear what I like. However, I just happen to like some of the things which Goths like...such as:
gothic fiction (I love vampires and urban fantasy novels).
gothic architecture

I like these things because they represent darker things in life..the things that aren't so good..like evil etc that people don't usually like to enjoy...they just like the happy, pleasant, pink flowerly things...and because I hate all that fakeness I feel that gothic things interest me more because they deal with things people like to push into their subconscious.

That's why I created this guild in the first place...so that people who love those things (be it gothic horror movies or the sub-culture of vampires or just rock/alternative music) could come here and talk whether they are a Goth or not.  

[Angel of the End]

Considering how long the subculture has been around, it is, anymore, several things. However, I consider the definition of a goth to be something along these lines:
They know where the gothic subculture came from and when it began
They know what gothic music is, they listen to past (Siouxsie, The Cure, Sisters of Mercy) and more modern gothic music (they know AFI and MCR are NOT goth... nor is screamo or metal in general)
They know goth is not about tripp pants and metal music
They follow the fashion of the subculture, which has a lot of variety, from cyber, to trad, to lolita, to rococo and victorian.
Last but not least, you are involved in the gothic community to some extent, and you refer to yourself as a goth.
There is also the liking of more depressing and shall we say, unappreciated, unnoticed? Aspects of society. There is a certain mindset, as well, which can be perky, but typically both looks deeper than skin deep, yet brings it to the surface as though it were just that.
It is artistic.

I do consider myself a goth, and have for about 5 years now. And actually, my Christian faith matches up very well with being gothic, much more than most I do think most people would realize. It just fits. I love the music. I love the fashion. I love the art. I love the community. When I look in a mirror, it's like saying silently to myself, "yes, I can tell now, that this is me I'm looking at". It makes me happy, irreguardless of the things I and my friends and my lover have had to put up with for it. As well... I know that if all gothic music and clothing were to be taken away and burned, I would still be a goth. Give me Mercy or give me death!!! (lol, jk jk.)

Also, I have always been outcast. I always loved darker things, read depressing poetry, watched shows about murder, ever since I was little, yet I remained, although melancholy, happy. I don't like the suffering of others. I always thought about things before I claimed them. And I have never cared about fitting in with anyone, just about doing and living how I saw to be right, and trying to love people reguardless of if they accepted me or not. This also means, however, having to face harsh realities and accept them.

So, that is my personal thoughts, in very very short hand, on the matter.

If someone does it to be "cool" or to "stand out", or to get attention, obviouly it reflects a need that person has that has not been filled. However, I wish they could do it in someother way than in subconciously taking advantage of an entire subculture without even knowing what they are doing. Unless you know what Bela Lugosi's Dead is, or you have atleast heard of it, please do not call yourself a goth. Gothic Lolita is fine, as long as you don't get everything from Hot Topic and as long as you can list atleast 5 gothic lolita/visual kei bands and atleast 7 gothic lolita/lolita designers in Japan and America.  

[asetamankh]

i pretty much agree withall of you, there isn't a set belief in goth. i consider myself perky goth, but i am diverse. 3nodding  

[ttoki]

i think goth can be wearing black, painting your fingernails black, and wearing victorian-style clothes.

but i think it has more to do with how you act and your point-of-view on life. i consider myself goth, because im a very anti-social, dark person. stressed

i think that goth can be either one, but i mostly think its on how you think, and how you feel about your life.  

[GothVampireSWE]

My definition of goth is being yourself, exploring the mystical and dark and the music genre. It's a lifestyle. I also think gothic is kinda of a feeling.  

[ReshefTheDark]

I think that Majesty's and Chaotic's thoughts fit mine best. I believe that being 'goth' is more of a thought process. I can look at anything happy, and point out the one thing that can make it dark. I can't go a single day without having "thoughts" that are looked down upon by the majority of people around me. I dress in all black because I dislike color. Some of my actions do fit into the stereotype, but most of them do not. I've been smoking since I was 15 (bad idea. If you do not smoke, I insist that you never do) and have been diagnose with severe depresssion since I was 5. My hair is longer than most other males, but I like it that way. Sorry, I'm ranting, and seem to have swayed from the subject. Goth. A life style, a choice, but above all: a state of mind.