gothicpage

Well, since I am your host and I am a goth, I thought perhaps you might like to know my own personal definition of what I am, and what a goth is in general. So I now give you my own explanation into what label means.

Gothic Lifestyle

A complete answer to "What is gothic life" would be impossible to find. However, one can try and offer a minute bit of enlightenment into the lifestyle of a goth. All I can give you is a few of the similarities I see between goths, but each of us are all so different that attempting to pinpoint us exactly is futile:

1. Fascination with most things dark and with the night. Vampires, werewolves, witches, spirits, the paranormal........all of this is generally of interest to goths. The night is our element, we revel in it. If given the choice, we'd probably pick to live at night (I know I would) but jobs and school prevent that sometimes. Dark things, those are basically what the rest of society views as evil or satanistic or just plain freaky. We like these things, different things, things that are off-the wall. Immortality and religion, need I say more??

2. The all-black clothes, the makeup/hair, the jewelery, we have that in common, it's how we recognize each other outwardly.

3. (Compilation of several) Sex. Blood. Music. Alcohol/drugs. Pain. Fire. Torture. Magick. Death. Art. Literature. History..............It all starts to blend together.

4. We can quite often be either EXTREMELY depressed, or upbeat and perky. You have your psychotic ones too, these are the people who get us into trouble because they become violent and carry things too far. They aren't what we are all like, they are a selective and minute group of idiots. Everyone gets depressed at some point in their lives, goths just tend to be more so than the average person.

I think it's because we are extremists, we take everything to the edge and push it over, just because we want to see what will happen. Call us crazy, we just like to have fun. And when we do things, we do them with our whole heart body and soul, 100% every time. Maybe that's something you think is ridiculous, but being so passionate about something that you are willing to give it your all is nothing to be ashamed of. Consumption in something to the point of obsession can be a problem among us, growing attached until it becomes your whole being, sometimes this can be a good thing, if it is the correct thing to be consumed by. The darkness has done that to every one of us, my quote at the top of my gothic page tends to hit the mark on that count. We are in our element at night, we revel in it. Given the choice, I know I would live at night, no question, but with school, that's impossible. And for other goths it's also impossible because of similar reasons. I believe goths are people with too much passion to live in the standard world, so they come into the night where they are protected and enveloped in its dark velvet wings. (Forgive me if I get poetic/cheesy) The night is a mask, a dim world of shadows and mysteries where nothing is what it seems and everything is begging to be discovered. At night, it's easier to hide your true self.......and discover the depths of your soul.

We can be party animals or complete anti-socialists, even the party animals and social butterflies need time alone or with an intimate group every once in a while. You may find a shy goth or two at any club, these are the ones who hide under tables and in dark corners, and start wide-eyed if you touch or speak to them. They remind me of deer caught in headlights if confronted........

Our hobbies we create with pride, creativity runs deep but not everyone will be your perfect creator or artist. Some just have talents in other places, dramatics, athletics, even just a talent for talking themselves into and out of things without getting caught. If you have a talent, use it to it's full advantage. Don't let it rot away inside, bring it into the world.

We love to find beauty in things out of the ordinary, take disgusting and make it beautiful. To try and find happiness in the littlest of things, everything is important, nothing should be neglected. The tiniest detail could make the greatest difference. We don't try and make everything perfect, that's impossible, but make it a point to make everything as good as it can possibly be.

(I'm going to preach a bit now *I know, I know, I already did* so if you don't care to read it, stop right now)

We aren't all satanists or pagans, we don't kill innocent people just to watch them die, we aren't evil and cruel although we have our moments just like everyone else. We seek out others like us because it is the dark that joins us, and that is a very powerful connection. We come from all different religions, races, countries, backgrounds, languages, states and people. There is no set standard for being a goth, and if you would try to establish one, you'll most likely be argued with a passion only goths posess. We are all a little different from the rest of humanity, and all a little different from each other. We love, we feel, we cry just like the next person, but we do it wit more intensity, more lust. We are who we are and we love it. To deny being a goth is to kill a part of yourself, to shut out and shut up a core part of yourself. It's unhealthy and it'll make you miserable. So you accept it and live it. Happiness comes from accepting and being yourself, you have to be aware of your soul, no matter what may lurk within. Everyone has personal demons, some just choose to let them ride on their shoulders.

My main reason for this, whatever it is, is because I am sick and tired of misconceptions. I live in a godforsaken town where the people are either perfect Christian examples of families and marriage, old enough to be my great great granparents, or are my peers who are either preppies or skaters (guess which ones I get along with best) and have no clue what to do with the black (no pun intended) wolf wandering in the herd of little white sheep. I'm tired of trying to explain and having them look at me like I'm an alien from the planet Futon. So THIS is my explanation, this is what I offer for whatever it's worth to whomever reads it. Now go on and look at the rest of my page, you've wasted enough time listening to me ramble and bitch.