The Gothic Subculture

             We live in a society filled with stereotypes, in which we shun those who happen to be different from us. The gothic subculture chooses to take upon itself the role of the "other" in society. Goths unashamedly celebrate the dark recesses of the human psyche. Close your eyes and its all there in your head: dark sensuality, sweeping sadness, morbid fascination, forbidden love, and the beauty of enduring pain. All of us have a fascination with death. The Goths try to find a different way of thinking about life, trying to find beauty in it all - life, pain and death. It is all a part of the eternal quest for immortality
             The name "Goth" originally came from a Germanic tribe (i.e. the Goths). The Romans regarded them as barbaric and uncultured, much like the Vandals. "Gothic" was later applied to a style of medieval architecture by critics who regarded it as similarly barbaric and uncultured. The term was also used in the late 18th, early 19th century, as a name for a style of literature which had a fascination with death and the supernatural.
             As a lifestyle, Goth is as varied as its supporters. There is no one unifying stereotype or dress code. Not all Goths are depressed, nor do they all wear black, listen to the same music, or employ the same modes of self-expression. This tends to make Goth spotting a little tricky and creates part of the tangled confusion over what it is to begin with, but this diversity is also one of the Goth culture defining factors. Many people turn to the Gothic subculture after having a hard time in school, feeling alienated, and looking for ways to express themselves, mirroring those feelings. Others find the scene through literature, and still others simply want to be shocking. Some people just find black clothing slimming. On a different note, Goth music often deals with thought provoking topics, concentrating on common problems, such as racism, war, hatred of groups, etc. They tend to concentrate...

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The Gothic Subculture. (1969, December 31). In MegaEssays.com. Retrieved 01:00, March 29, 2024, from https://www.megaessays.com/viewpaper/16962.html