The Gothic Lifestyle
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Different Types of Goths and The Demographics
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Different Types of Goths and The Demographics
Among those who are considered Goths by society at large, there are those who go beyond the pale. Society considers them Goths just because they have a "dark" aura about them. They are the vampires and vampire wanna-bes...and then there are the Satanists, the dark Wiccans and those who have a fascination with evil. Because the notion of evil and notion of "darkness" seem to be similar for society...and maybe because the Vampire character and the occult are features from a techincally gothic genre, both groups are seen as one and the same. Looks are not the be-all end-all however. Not all vampires, wanna-bes, satanists, dark wiccans and evil-lovers are Goths. Some aren't and some are. The ones who are make up a very small portion of our community and can be seen within all three of the main types of Goth I will describe below.
(1) First of all, there are transients among us. They drop in and drop out sometime later. School kids go through an experimental phase and sometimes they try "Goth" as one of those experiments. (So Mom and Dad, they may not stay within our ranks just because they started dressing like us.) Occasionally adults join us when life goes down the toilet and then they leave when circumstances change. I think it is an important thing this be available to people. Where else would they go? The sports and yuppie cultures certainly don't embrace the melancholic side of life.
Our community provides an important service to people who need an outlet for their melancholy. It seems unnecessary to condemn transients with the ranks by calling them "baby bats" or - heaven forbid - "poseur." I've often wondered why they're not allowed to find themselves in peace. Could be a way of keeping the subculture separate from the "uber culture" but I find it judgemental. It can also lead to transients never knowing what it *really* means to be gothic before they leave.
(2) Beyond transients, there are what I call "weekenders" and "Goths." They are visible and they keep the events going. These are the people from whence come all the stereotypes. They like Emily the Strange, Hot Topic, Graveyards, clove cigarettes and the like. They dress out and are active in the "scene."
Of course, this means it's hard to be a Goth before a certain age or after another. Honestly, you can't go to a goth club as a minor and after a certain age you feel like a chaperone and look pretty stupid. The fashion and trinket industries thrive off these people. They place a lot of emphasis in finding a "look" which suits them. Music draws them in, spreads the message and keeps them interested. Some Goths are transients, some stand in the scene...and some are even more.
(3) I'm a Goth, but more importantly, I am "Gothic." I have a gothic lifestyle. I don't just do my thing on weekends - I live it 24/7. Sometimes I'll dress out, complete with dark mascara, black and purple clothing and boots...but most often, my expressions fall within practical limits imposed by my life. I'll admit that I am an "eldergoth" (ie I'm old, over 35 actually) and as such I've come to realize that as you age you start to look stupid in Day-Glo pigtails and platform shoes and I'm not about to wear raggedy ann tights when I didn't wear them as a child. Moreover, my company has this preference that I can't quite understand...it seems to frown upon the receptionist looking like the bride of Dracula. I'm sure the guests wouldn't mind (NOT!)
As with the rest of the population, we gothic people eventually find love, raise families, get degrees or trade certifications, own property and function in the world of work. Life happens and it's good for us. Sometimes we make the scene and sometimes we go on hiatus. We know we don't have to club hop in order to be comfortable with our temperament. We know that clothes are just clothes, they don't make me gothic. I can live and work around "normals" - even though I am different - and not give my life away.
As a whole, gothic people are individualistic, reflective, emotionally intense, artistic, moody, intelligent, introspective and lovers of beauty, the mysterious and the supernatural. If you have a serious, "dark" or melancholy nature and the above characteristics, it's possible you are gothic too.
