Defending your kind!

[Henneth Annun]

So, we have a thread about the insults you've gotten. What about what you've done to prevent them? (ex: What you've done to teach your neighbor you're not a stoned devil-whorshiping whore.) Has a non-goth friend ever begun to insult/make fun of a fellow member of your subculture/another subculture, did you do anything about that? Are you educating your friends a little, ripping down the walls of stereotypes from anothers mind so they see you for what you really are? Is anyone showing their younger siblings the truth about goth? Are the people you taught any wiser now, or have they refused to open their eyes, what are some of the problems you've faced doing this?

EDIT
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Please do not post comments about Megadeth or their music. Communicate your opinions through the poll or the music forum on this guild.  

[Malakoi]

I'm an elitist. I believe that the more that people misunderstand or hate Gothic subculture the better because then they won't want to be a part of it.

I discourage as many people as possible from having an interest in Goth-related things, especially musically speaking.  

[Bloody Loon]

Yes, I have done that quite often. I try not to make fun of another subculture myself, lest it be one of the following (if you could even call them subcultures): Chavs, Emos, Wiggers, Preps (AKA barbies), fundamentalist christians, and radical republicans. Even then, I just point out rather large idiocies within them, and very politely say 'Now go ******** a nailgun'.

When people try to make fun of a goth, or anyone, by using stereotypes, or unnecessary profanity (Such as 'f*****t' or '******') in front of me, I will verbally berate them until their ears bleed, they punch me, or they go running away screaming, whichever comes first.  

[Rellik San]

I completely dis-spell the myth of metal fans being raving nut case's, by being very friendly, very polite and very helpful to the elderly and handicapped, I carry myself with an air of dignity and have found despite my appearance, my good work has harbored results of the elderly in my area trusting people who look like me, over those who look like 'normal' people.

To be honest I do poke fun at other sub-cultures (and my own) more then I probably should, but at the end of the day of your going to be insulted by someone playing on the stereotypes of your culture and their own in turn, then you are a very humourless person.  

[Rellik San]

Milo Hephaistion

I'm an elitist. I believe that the more that people misunderstand or hate Gothic subculture the better because then they won't want to be a part of it.

I discourage as many people as possible from having an interest in Goth-related things, especially musically speaking.

I'm sorry to say this, but your part of the reason so many 'poseurs' exist, you refuse to help people with an interest in the culture, so all they have to work on is the stereotypes creating and perpetuating this negative image of the culture you represent, if someone comes to me wanting to know about metal, I'm more then happy to teach them, the way I see it, thats one more kid that won't grow up to think I'm some kind of baby raping freak of nature and will instead respect my choice for music, even if they don't personally like it. As in the end wider social acceptance of the culture I represent is only a good thing, it means more bands from that genre will play locally, it means music is more readily available in stores and it means I get treated with respect like everyone else.  

[Toasterladd]

Milo Hephaistion

I'm an elitist. I believe that the more that people misunderstand or hate Gothic subculture the better because then they won't want to be a part of it.

I discourage as many people as possible from having an interest in Goth-related things, especially musically speaking.

Why? Do you think ignorance is bliss? The more people misunderstand, the more fakers and haters. The more fakers and haters, the closer we get to being alienated. As soon as that happens, horrible things(not the lovely kind, either!) will ensue. this may be a dramatization, but it happened to the Jewish, just a little different. But it happened to the Muslims after 9/11. And the reublicans after Bush was elected the second time.


Theres no-one over here that stereotypes goths except my parents, and they dont even realize i am gothic. So, theres no problem were im from.  

[Devils_lilboy]

Milo Hephaistion

I'm an elitist. I believe that the more that people misunderstand or hate Gothic subculture the better because then they won't want to be a part of it.

I discourage as many people as possible from having an interest in Goth-related things, especially musically speaking.

i agree with u  

[Rellik San]

Toasterladd

Milo Hephaistion

I'm an elitist. I believe that the more that people misunderstand or hate Gothic subculture the better because then they won't want to be a part of it.

I discourage as many people as possible from having an interest in Goth-related things, especially musically speaking.

Why? Do you think ignorance is bliss? The more people misunderstand, the more fakers and haters. The more fakers and haters, the closer we get to being alienated. As soon as that happens, horrible things(not the lovely kind, either!) will ensue. this may be a dramatization, but it happened to the Jewish, just a little different. But it happened to the Muslims after 9/11. And the reublicans after Bush was elected the second time.


Theres no-one over here that stereotypes goths except my parents, and they dont even realize i am gothic. So, theres no problem were im from.

And as I pointed out, the music becomes harder to come by locally, the shows become rarer, the club nights disappear, there will be literally no where for Goths to congregate and socialise with one another. New idea's aren't formed, the genre and culture becomes stagnant and dies out completely.  

[Malakoi]

Toasterladd

Milo Hephaistion

I'm an elitist. I believe that the more that people misunderstand or hate Gothic subculture the better because then they won't want to be a part of it.

I discourage as many people as possible from having an interest in Goth-related things, especially musically speaking.

Why? Do you think ignorance is bliss? The more people misunderstand, the more fakers and haters. The more fakers and haters, the closer we get to being alienated. As soon as that happens, horrible things(not the lovely kind, either!) will ensue. this may be a dramatization, but it happened to the Jewish, just a little different. But it happened to the Muslims after 9/11. And the reublicans after Bush was elected the second time.


Theres no-one over here that stereotypes goths except my parents, and they dont even realize i am gothic. So, theres no problem were im from.

These are my reasons for being an elitist about Gothic subculture:

1. Most people who are genuinely interested in Goth subculture will have the motivation to figure things out for themselves. This weeds out the "posers" and "kids going through a phase".
2. People who are not smart enough to determine for themselves what Gothic subculture is and is not should not be a part of it.
3. Stereotypes will exist whether or not "education" against them takes place.

And as far as music is concerned, I suppose that you're right in saying that "keeping it underground" is causing it's demise. I'll have to think about that.  

[Julien_Isfange]

My method is simple, I keep asking "why?".

If the person has any intellegence at all they will get the picture after about 30 minute of me bugging them with the same questions of "Why do you think that?" or "Why is it that image/trate?".

If they don't, bugger um. They arn't worth the time. mrgreen  

[-Resurrected Writer-]

Occasionally I'll make a speech (which 8/10 times makes me feel like an a**) defending the subculture, but most of the time it's, "Uh, hold on a second there..."  

[Argetlam13]

I actually don't know that many people who would insult us anymore... We tended to get in a lot of fights... And yeah... People don't insult us, and if they do, they're new to town, and their friends quickly correct them... We aren't thugs, we mind our own buziness, we're all mostly educated... We just don't take s**t, and we all have bad tempers, and we actually all seem to be good street fighters... Ironic? I think not... Destiny? That's more like it...  

[Spooky Wasabi Princess]

While I don't get or hear many insults these days, if they were directed at me I'd just let it roll off my back.
If someone was in my face, however, I think I'd just say something to the effect of "Ok man, you're wrong, but ok" because usually if people have a go at you for something as shallow as your clothes then they don't really care to hear explanations.  

[Bloody Loon]

Milo Hephaistion

I'm an elitist. I believe that the more that people misunderstand or hate Gothic subculture the better because then they won't want to be a part of it.

I discourage as many people as possible from having an interest in Goth-related things, especially musically speaking.

I disagree with this, mainly due to the fact that I'm a fairly recent addition to the goth subculture, but also because that's not what being goth is about. Goth is a love of a certain type of music, and also the love of the morbid and the dark. However, if someone has a misunderstanding of the culture, it could very well be just because of other people's reactions towards goth. They wouldn't have any information to go against the falsities, so they would accept the falsities as truth. In this instance, I believe it is better to inform them to the true goth, and maybe, in that case, turn them to it, or at least give them another opinion to work with.

But discouraging people from goth-related things? Man, that is seriously screwed up. If you discourage people from it, it will lessen the market for genuine goth products, and some great goth companies could go out of business. As for poseurs, really, you can deal with them after the fact, especially by SHOWING them true goth, and proving to them that they are, in fact, poseurs, and should just go and join the conformists, because in essence, that's what they are. And especially the music, the music should be shared, and if it is shared, then it can be appreciated more. It is great music, and it can easily be enjoyed.

Milo Hephaistion

These are my reasons for being an elitist about Gothic subculture:

1. Most people who are genuinely interested in Goth subculture will have the motivation to figure things out for themselves. This weeds out the "posers" and "kids going through a phase".
2. People who are not smart enough to determine for themselves what Gothic subculture is and is not should not be a part of it.
3. Stereotypes will exist whether or not "education" against them takes place.

And as far as music is concerned, I suppose that you're right in saying that "keeping it underground" is causing it's demise. I'll have to think about that.

Now, I will respond to each of those reasons.

1. What if they have no idea what goth is, and they think it's filled with satanic drug addicts? If you enlighten them to it, but not to an extraordinary degree(as I was), then there is more of a chance someone will gain a genuine fascination with the goth subculture (like me), and as you said, gives the motivation to figure things out for themselves (as I did). The poseurs, and kids going through a phase can be rooted out quite easily because they would only have a very basic knowledge of the subculture, and would act that way.
2. As I said before, without another opinion, even smart people can easily be ignorant towards something that has never been available to them. Society's word normally is supreme, until another opinion can be made present.
3. Yes, they will, but without the education, they will be much more prominent, and they can lead to an entire subculture's downfall.  

[MiZeRy-WhisperS]

Kaishi Kyouki

Yes, I have done that quite often. I try not to make fun of another subculture myself, lest it be one of the following (if you could even call them subcultures): Chavs, Emos, Wiggers, Preps (AKA barbies), fundamentalist christians, and radical republicans. Even then, I just point out rather large idiocies within them, and very politely say 'Now go ******** a nailgun'.

When people try to make fun of a goth, or anyone, by using stereotypes, or unnecessary profanity (Such as 'f*****t' or '******') in front of me, I will verbally berate them until their ears bleed, they punch me, or they go running away screaming, whichever comes first.

What's wrong with being emo?!?!?!