Hypocrisies in the gothic community?

[Bloody Loon]

Well, college is wonderful, and I get along with most people at my art school. Except the gothic community. I don't know why, but they seem to stick their nose up at me, acting extremely pretentious. Now, is this because I smile, and am a joking person, and there is an extreme animosity towards that, or am I just surrounded by the gothic version of preps?

For example, when I said I was a goth, at least 3 of them practically yelled at me 'no you're not!' I'm a happy person, and I consider myself a goth, does that not count? I enjoy gothic music, and I like the gothic style... and I consider myself a nice, polite person. I think a lot of the goths I talk to on the internet seem nice, polite and intelligent, but I'm wondering if you act that way in front of everyone.

I've been a goth for about 2 years, and lived somewhere where there were no other goths, so I'm wondering exactly what's wrong...

Help, discuss, flame, or otherwise, I'm just feeling kind of isolated right now.  

[Awesome Akwardness]

Your not alone man. Alot of kids in this town are like that.They all seem to think if they wear more black than you, their automatically better than you.

Most of them are far meaner and more stuck up than any cheerleader or anyone else could be. Infact, these cheerleaders died in a car crash around here recently, and my step brother and some of the 'goth' kids around here were all laughing and going on about how they deserved it just because they were cheerleaders, and they didn't even know them. neutral  

[Silent Manipulation]

Yea it defiantly happens a lot to more friendlier people. My friend is very hyper and jokes a lot so most goths kind of look down on her. It's even worse because she just wears blue jeans and such so all of a sudden she is less goth by their standard. However I understand as to why it happens at times, hell sometimes I do it. But usually I do it because they are blatantly trying too hard or just are an obvious mall goth.  

[Bloody Loon]

Yeah... I'm also sounding very whiny because I'm slightly depressed at the moment. (Very cloudy weather, new to college, homework piling up, classes being long, etc... wonderful isn't it?)

But yeah, I really don't know why friendly people tend to get... I dunno, excluded, from the gothic community... I really haven't had any experience with a gothic community, considering I was the only goth (and by goth, I mean non-posers... [the only other 'goths' (only 2 people) near me were convinced MCR and the like were the gothest of goth, and they were blatantly pissed off at my existence, I don't know why]) within about 10 miles.

By the by, I normally wear black t-shirts (sometimes band, sometimes not), black jeans, a pinstripe dress shirt (open), and some black slip-on boots (I'm lazy, so sue me). My hair is weird, but not dyed. (something called a devil lock, apparently)  

[-Resurrected Writer-]

Say that Rozz wasn't as much of a d**k as they're being. razz

Anyway, as I really haven't run into any goths in my area, I haven't gotten into this situation.  

[Henneth Annun]

You've got prententious elitists in every subculture.... rolleyes

Kyouki, next time one of then yells at you and says you aren't goth, you ask them why they think they're goth and what goth is. If they can't answer it, you answer it and tell them why you're goth, (for you it's the music and fashion bit.) Just come off as knowing what you're talking about, okay?

Maybe they're acting this way because they think they're better than other people or they have this little elite group that's been together for awhile and don't want to include you for whatever stupid reason. That type of thing happened to me at one of the highschools I used to go to. There was this small group of goths that had been in their own private little isolationist elitist group for a few years, and just refused to acknowledge me and let me into their group. A few of them were nice though, but most were like the people you have at your art school.

"Looking the part" may have something to do with it too. These people might just have a "my wardrobe is more awesome than thy wardrobe" complex going on. I'm serious, this happens sometimes. (Should I explain this?)  

[Sayga Takaino]

I don't have much experience with this subject but the only real way to fix it is to ignore them. Wraith's idea seems good to but if it doesn't work my plan should do the trick.
I live in an area where there aren't any goths but some baby bats i turned goth and have been teaching most things goth to them (this guild has been a huge help in doing that, thank you all!) I've teaching them a lot lately that goths come in a lot of different rappers and just because they're rapper is different then yours you shouldn't say they aren't goth.
 

[Laharl Part Deux]

People in so called "community's" especially one's centered around a subculture tend to be cold to those who are either new or not people who are in the said "community," because of the fear of poseurs. Which in this day and age of thee teeny bopper bands passing themselves as genres they aren't, it seems to them more likely you'll run into them.

I'm not saying it's right, because I think it's personally bitchface, but that's the way it is. Besides if they are mean and snobby to you there's no reason you should be friends with them.  

[Slayer Igraine]

I don't really have this problem, because there is no goth community at my uni. There are only Ras (English version of prep, as far as I can tell). But I've learned enough to know that whenever you get two "goths" in the same room, there will be a disagreement about what "goth" is. So the best solution to me, seems to be to stop giving a s**t what you or anyone else labels themselves as. But, eh.  

[Digital Malevolence]

I haven't had that problem.

I actually just found out recently that many people look up to me. neutral  

[VampyricOrigins]

Goth Is A Way Of Life, Is A LifeStyle....Just Because You Dress In Black And Listen To "Gothic Music" Doesn't Make You Goth....To Be "Goth" Is To Have A Dark State Of Mind, But I'm Not Saying Your Not Because I Don't Know You..But Maybe They Feel Like Your Being A Poser? No Idea >_< Some People Are Just Anti-Social And So On  

[GilAskan]

Goth, as a movement, has no real goals or ideals. It can't be hypocritical.  

[This Old Oscillator]

If you're not a pretentious elitist, you're not a real goth. talk2hand  

[AEtherclaw]

VampyricOrigins

Goth Is A Way Of Life, Is A LifeStyle....Just Because You Dress In Black And Listen To "Gothic Music" Doesn't Make You Goth....To Be "Goth" Is To Have A Dark State Of Mind, But I'm Not Saying Your Not Because I Don't Know You..But Maybe They Feel Like Your Being A Poser? No Idea >_< Some People Are Just Anti-Social And So On

no, it's really first and foremost just music, a genre of post-punk/punk with a heavy glam influence. though there can be mindsets common among fans of it and often expressed through it the only thing that makes someone a goth is being a fan of the music even if they dress like Hanna Montanan, live in a tree house, and constantly smile. but they do get extra points if there cross dressing lol