What makes a mallgoth/poseur?

[SADERR]

( Pardon me if this is a topic, but I did not see it. If it is, feel free to delete and/or lock it. Thanks.)

This is another question that has srung up quite frequently in the community. What IS a poseur, and what is a mallgoth? And are the two at all alike?

I myself simply wear what I like. Though I wear many mallgothy-attire, I also wear many things that would be categorized under victorian, or whatever million other sub-types of goth there is.

So, what defines a mallgoth or poseur?

I myself believe the whole thing is rubbish. Naturally people are going to wear what they want to, and this is simply just a way for people to debate what make's a goth and what doesn't. I think you're goth if you think you are. WHether you're clad in hottopic apparel, lolita, or nothing at all.

But, for the sake of arguement, and knowledge. What's the difference between a poseur and a goth?  

[Rellik San]

A mall goth has at least rudimentry understanding of the culture and what it represents.

A poseur once saw some goths, thought they looked cool and decided to dress like them without understanding any of the culture at all.

Honestly its not that hard to differentiate.  

[-Resurrected Writer-]

To me it's whether-or-not the person knows the history behind the subculture and its divisions. If someone tries to correct me by saying that I mean death metal when I say deathrock, and they self-identify as goth, I know I'm talking to someone who is a bit misinformed.  

[SADERR]

Thanks. Those two answers pretty muh cleared everything up.
I know a couple people like that. My ex, for example. xP  

[Spike23080]

I personaly would never use the word poser, but It would prob be someone who had no clue about the history of goth, like the others have pointed out. Someone who just gos and buys all there clothes from mainstream stores like hottopic and dosnt even do any kind of research on the goth colture.  

[Ms Dahl]

To me it depends on the person's intent. If someone dresses in baggy pants and listens to Slipknot because they sincerely like it I don't consider them poseurs. While I may consider them a babybat/mallgoth I wouldn't consider them a poseur. You can be a poseur and still know everything about the music, dress, and history if you're doing it for the wrong reasons.

I'd still have to talk with that person to know if they're a poseur/babybat/Goth or not. I can't tell whether or not someone's a Goth by their clothing. I've met plenty of people in my scene that dress in baggy pants and band t-shirts. And, they're just as Goth as the next person. It's a huge misconception that all Goths have to "look" a certain way.

There's a huge difference between someone who's new to the subculture and a poseur. It all comes down to the heart.

I don't consider mallgoths to be poseurs. While they may never admit it many people in the subculture started out as mallgoths. It's not something to belittle some kid over. Picking on someone for not following the "rules", as it were, is painfully ironic in a subculture that prides it's self on diversity and open minded thinking.  

[Rellik San]

Ms__BabyDahl

To me it depends on the person's intent. If someone dresses in baggy pants and listens to Slipknot because they sincerely like it I don't consider them poseurs. While I may consider them a babybat/mallgoth I wouldn't consider them a poseur. You can be a poseur and still know everything about the music, dress, and history if you're doing it for the wrong reasons.

OI! Stop muscelling in on Metals territory, just cos you guys are having a member shortage, doesn't mean you can go poaching metals intiates.... regardless of how terrible their music taste is.  

[Ms Dahl]

Rellik San

OI! Stop muscelling in on Metals territory, just cos you guys are having a member shortage, doesn't mean you can go poaching metals intiates.... regardless of how terrible their music taste is.

Slipknot was just an example I used to get my point across. The name of the band is irrelevant actually. Not to mention there are a few baby bats that do listen to Slipknot. It all depends on the kid and what subculture they're more interested in.  

[SADERR]

Ms Dahl

Rellik San

OI! Stop muscelling in on Metals territory, just cos you guys are having a member shortage, doesn't mean you can go poaching metals intiates.... regardless of how terrible their music taste is.

Slipknot was just an example I used to get my point across. The name of the band is irrelevant actually. Not to mention there are a few baby bats that do listen to Slipknot. It all depends on the kid and what subculture they're more interested in.

Where's the word Baby Bat come from anyways? Me and alot of my friends call our younger friend Bekka "Baby Bat", simply because she's younger then the rest of us. I had no cle there was an actual meaning to it.  

[Death of Cool]

Jonathonn

Ms Dahl

Rellik San

OI! Stop muscelling in on Metals territory, just cos you guys are having a member shortage, doesn't mean you can go poaching metals intiates.... regardless of how terrible their music taste is.

Slipknot was just an example I used to get my point across. The name of the band is irrelevant actually. Not to mention there are a few baby bats that do listen to Slipknot. It all depends on the kid and what subculture they're more interested in.

Where's the word Baby Bat come from anyways? Me and alot of my friends call our younger friend Bekka "Baby Bat", simply because she's younger then the rest of us. I had no cle there was an actual meaning to it.

That's pretty much exactly where it came from. Older goths using it to describe young kids just getting into the scene who may not be very familiar with it. I've always heard it used as less derogatory than something like mall goth though. Like, it's slightly patronising, but not really meant as an insult.  

[Ms Dahl]

Death of Cool

That's pretty much exactly where it came from. Older goths using it to describe young kids just getting into the scene who may not be very familiar with it. I've always heard it used as less derogatory than something like mall goth though. Like, it's slightly patronizing, but not really meant as an insult.

Very true. I use the words synonymously but never in an insulting way. That's just me personally though.  

[Death of Cool]

Ms Dahl

Death of Cool

That's pretty much exactly where it came from. Older goths using it to describe young kids just getting into the scene who may not be very familiar with it. I've always heard it used as less derogatory than something like mall goth though. Like, it's slightly patronizing, but not really meant as an insult.

Very true. I use the words synonymously but never in an insulting way. That's just me personally though.

There is no non-insulting way to use mall goth, nor should there be.  

[Ms Dahl]

Death of Cool

There is no non-insulting way to use mall goth, nor should there be.

And that's your opinion. It all just depends on how you see things I guess. If someone's a mallgoth I don't see what's so wrong about it if the person is truly enjoying themselves. Is the person a bit embarrassing? Maybe. However, personally I don't feel it's right for me to penalize someone for doing what makes them happy.

Everyone has their opinions on such things though. I'm just acting out my own convictions. I am in no way holding others to my own. Just a little disclaimer. wink  

[Angel of the End]

Honestly, I believe the largest posers are the people who claim to have "always been goth", or who are constantly using their label and the term "goth" to define themselves, even to people they already know well. It can get very annoying, or else they go around calling themselves vampires or part vampire and they do not even understand what they are claiming. (For example, there are some crazys that have killed people and drank their blood in very brutal fashions due to an occult like obsession, or else they will kill animals. Both horrible and illegal acts which can not, under any case, be considered justified) They can't just say, "I like vampires," or "I started kinda becoming goth at this point in my life", or "Yeah, you could call me goth", they have to go way-over the limit. Which if you ask me, shows they are very insecure in their own skin, and do not have a proper understanding of such things when they go spouting off on how they are a vampire and have been goth ever since they were born. Or else, they will hate "preps" and "norms" they don't even know for no reason at all, other than that they just look different than they do.  

[Teachidoll]

I agree with angel of end...