Gothic for Life: a reflection

Dear Spookies,

So maybe this should have been my introduction post, but there's something to be said for inspiration, isn't there? I've recently been re-watching episodes of the 2004 Sci Fi channel reality show "Mad Mad House" which first ran on television when I was 16 or so.

I could not miss an episode of this show, I adored it. I fell in love with the "Alts", the alternative people who hosted the show, and I wanted to be more like them. Especially Don, the Vampire and Fiona, the Witch. I hated the house guests. Not only because they were out to fool these Alts, but because they felt like they didn't have to be open minded. Somehow I felt offended on a personal level when the house guests refused to participate in demonstrations by the Alts, because I would have been so happy to be there and learn from all of them.

Cheesy as it might sound, I think that show was a final realization that I was going to be Gothic forever. I had never seen an adult Gothic person before, and that sort of made me fall in love with Don the Vampire. He was everything a Gothic man should be in my eyes. He was well dressed, pale, handsome, slept in a coffin.... of course my vision has broadened a bit after I realized how impractical being that pale is unless you actually are nocturnal.

In re-watching the series, there was a particular segment where two of the Alts (Don and Art, probably the two most extreme looking) and a few of the house guests went to the grocery store to pick up some things. People laughed, pointed and one woman even confronted Art about how he looked like a demon. One of the house guests spoke up to the woman who said this saying "if you knew this man, you'd know that he has a bigger heart than any one of us". Which really spoke to me as to how accepting alternative people in general are. Truly, we don't have the easiest lives by choosing to look the way we do. Perhaps we truly are big-hearted, or maybe we're just gluttons for punishment. Either way, we alternative folks don't generally shut out the badness of the world just because of a few mean people, and we generally don't treat eachother badly either. We're just generally kind, and I think that's pretty cool.

Rambling aside, that show made me realize that my "dressing Goth" wasn't necessarily a childhood phase, but more importantly, that it didn't HAVE to be. My parents might have worried about my baggy black pants and corsets and lectured me that one day I'd have to "grow up" in order to be an effective member of society, but now that I'm an adult (and my clothing tastes are a bit more refined/age appropriate), they.... still don't LOVE it. But they understand that it's a style of dress that makes me comfortable and feel most like myself, just like they would feel at home in sweatpants and a t-shirt.

Maybe 22 is a bit early to be making judgements about the rest of my life, but I feel pretty confident that I would be very bored in the mainstream. I can see myself as a cranky eldergoth one day, still handing out sanctimonious advice from my high horse about "back in the day", and I don't know if I would have come to this realization had it not been for that silly little reality show.

LOVE LOVE LOVE!
Miss Manic

On Labeling: Should You be Offended?

Happy St. Patricks Day, Spookies!

I've unfortunately been forced to put the super-special post I promised you on the backburner because of extenuating circumstances (i.e., finals....wish me luck. I will need it). Nevertheless! I have vowed to bring you more postings, and so I shall. This (still very special) topic will overview the idea of labels, being referred to as a "goth", "punk", or what have you, and wether or not the whole idea of labels are offensive.

First of all, a disclaimer. This post is mainly based on my own experience, and the experiences of my friends. It may come off as a bit preachy, too, to those of us who have been in the scene for a while. If you disagree with anything I've said here, please feel free to share your own experience by commenting on this blog post.

I personally see nothing wrong with labels. Certainly the idea of a stranger judging you on your outward apperances and then condensing that down to a single dubious descriptor does not sound pleasant. But then again, it is very useful. After all, if it's got feathers like a duck, and it swims and quacks like a duck....

With that out of the way, there are a lot of words in American culture that are acceptable, or even complimentary when people of the same social group say them to eachother, but they become offensive when people outside that social group say them. Let's take a moment to identify a few of these words.

I argue that "Goth", "Punk", "Skate Rat" and the like fall into the same category. When an outside person calls a goth such, the immediate reaction is to get defensive. After all, what does that person know? I could have just chosen to wear black today. The tables become shifted, though, when two goths discuss the subject, or call one another goth. In this case it becomes complimentary, an understanding between two people who share a culture.

And in running with the common theme of politeness, if someone from outside your particular sphere of hanging-out politely approaches you with genuine interest (especially if they have genuine interest!), it'd be a nice gesture to answer their questions. After all, who wants to perpetuate the stereotype that alternative lifestyle people are an impenetrable clique of snobs?

I hope you've all enjoyed what I've had to say. As always, if you agree, disagree, or want to post your own opinion, please feel free to do so, and keep suggesting topics for future posts!

Love,
Miss Manic