EMO...not to be confused with Elmo.
So...there's this....culture...subculture...of kids that call themselves "EMO". It's short for "Emotionally Disturbed"...
So, the "EMO" subculture of today is different than the "EMO" related punk style of yesteryear (from what I've read...), but it's kind of all followed a general trend to deviate from the norm, but LOOK just like everyone else in your group. Stand out, but fit right in, if you know what I mean.
So What Is Emo?
Some Basic Truths About the Emerging Emo Sub-Culture:
Emo is a state of mind and distinct lifestyle choice which involves one or more of the following dimensions in varying degrees and proportions.
1.Emo is a genre of music that's suffering character dilution and becoming harder to define
2.Emo is fashion statement
3.Emo is a form of identity that influences one's geopolitical views and belief system
4.Emo "kids" are characteristically "hetero-flexible", "bi-sexual" and open to experimentation in their sexual dealings
So, current EMO trends that you may see (my opinions of course, based on what I've read & seen so far):
* cutting.
* a bunch of talk about crying blood.
* b*tching and moaning about how tough & hard their lives are.
* everything is soooooooooo tragic, and they're just heart broken.
* love of drama, for drama & tragedy sake.
* lots of repeated suicide attempts, or gestures; lots of talk about suicide.
For fashion trends...
They've got black hair(usually)...jagged hair cuts with the side-swept bangs that constantly require tossing out of the eyes if the EMO individual wants to actually see...but of course, they don't b/c they want the hair to block their eyes, and therefore they can be more withdrawn & tragic & turned into themselves.
Makeup. Both boys & girls. Particularly around the eyes. (which, is bizarro, b/c the shaggy bangs usually hang down over the eyes...) hmmm....
Showing of scars.
Many cutters try to hide their scars & do whatever it takes to hide them. Not all of the EMOs. for them, it's kind of like a sticker nametag that says, "Hello, My Name Is EMO."
A book about "EMO" for those that want more info about this group...
And of course...there are the anti-EMO sentiments, that just make fun of them & their "SO MISUNDERSTOOD" mentality:
Now...do I think this is stupid? Yes.
But...as a parent, I think it is disturbing. Sure, every teen feels misunderstood & cannot fathom that THEIR parent could POSSIBLY know what they are experiencing. Sure there really are tragic stories out there in the world. Lord knows that I know that! But....any little trend that involves self-mutilation is NOT okay.
I would TOTALLY freak out if Gage were involved in this.
You want to wear your hair all like that--fine. I think you look like an idiot, but go ahead.
You want to wear make-up like a girl & be bi-sexual, bi-curious, gender-ambiguous, whatever. Hey--be safe about it. It's going to result in heartache I'm sure, whether it's from discrimination, or being judged & harrassed, or feelings of guilt or shame that may result... It's not the life I would choose for my child, but if you need to test the water...I will absolutely not judge for sexual identity /experimentation /preference, whatever. I just won't. But---no matter what, be safe about it!
BUT...cutting? NOT OKAY.
B*tching & moaning about how tragic life is....NOT okay. Why? Because (and I'm basing this on Gage's life so far...& then relating it to him being 16 & caught up in the EMO-thing...) well, Gage's life is not tragic, has not been tragic, and I'd be PERSONALLY offended by that crap.
Anyway...that's on my mind today.
The EMO subculture.
The cutting...NOT okay.
NOT cool.
And when they grow out of this EMO thing, (if they don't kill their tragic little selves first), then they will be sporting scars on their wrists forever. That'll be great to explain to their children...and grandchildren...
posted by Lainey-Paney @ 8:46 AM
8 Comments:
On American Idol it appears that the lead singer of Green Day is turning a little Emo.
And Gina Glocksin looks like she's got an Emo haircut.
I don't think it's JUST the haircut...I think it's the whole style & cutting, and tragic thing.
But...they're so MISUNDERSTOOD...and goodness knows I don't understand it all!
My 11 year old informed me about Emos not too long ago and when I was giving her friend a ride home I heard them talking. Her friend said that his brother is a goth.
My daughter said "does he cut himself?" I'm listening thinking "WHAT?"
Her friend, "No."
"Oh good. Then he's a true goth. Emos cut themselves."
With ya.
What a post to meet your blog on! I had no idea about this goth branch-off subculture (though I suspect my ex-goth friend might if I ask her). Yikes! Hopefully it will be on its way out by the time my girls are teens...
Thinking about the clothes and make-up, though, I remember my brother getting all skate-punk in junior high in our small Southern town where there were NO skate punks. My mom told him, "Well, if you want to dress that way, fine. But just know that you're gonna have to be able to beat some rednecks up when they get pissed off at you." It seemed like funny advice at the time, but she was right. and he did.
*sigh* one more year and she'll be 20. that's what i keep telling myself. *sigh*
They do know that they're just following in their parents' footsteps, right? I'm going to be 39 this year, and kids were doing all of this when I was in high school, 20 years ago.
Is it disturbing in a different way now that I'm a parent? Yes. But, taking the long view, Robert Smith survived The Cure, Pink Floyd got around The Wall, and most of the kids who listened to, and were sucked into, all of that also survived. Most without visible scars. Most with embarrassing pictures that they'll have to keep from the kids.
So, kids, if you really want to shock your parents while you're still young enough to know everything, give up on the makeup, the haircuts, and the cutting. Become bankers. Wear silk shirts. Play polo.
I'm so with Papa Bradstein. This is so old and recycled. When my students walk in dressed like this and talk the way I do, I just sigh. We (mostly) all grew out of it. And about the cutting, I don't know. There was a lot of that when I was a kid, also. Having it be a mark of a certain culture is a little worrying.
Hubby and I both suffered from major depression as young people, so I suspect that we'll pop our poor kid into therapy at the first sign of anything even close to depression. I doubt that embracing the whole depression and tragedy and misunderstood business will appeal to them because it will remind them of us. We'll end up with Polo-shirt wearing preppy kids who want to be in sports and cheerleading and all that.
Why can't all the kids just be hippies.
Let's get back to basics. Pot, acid, good music, nature. Ahhh....
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