Sunday, May 22, 2016

World Goth Day Introspection

Edit: When I originally posted this on May 22nd, I forgot to add a couple of sentences to my post. Sorry about that! 

 One of the things I really love about World Goth Day is that it has given me time to reflect on the role Goth has had in my life. I remember writing this a long time ago on the backwaters of the Internet, and reading The HouseCat’s post on what Goth means to her made me think that perhaps it’s time I gather my thoughts and revisit this topic once more.

 I can definitely say that being Goth has offered me a different perspective on life and allowed me to explore darker emotions and aspects of the human condition, as cliché as it is. I used to go on cemetery walks as a way to “take a break” from society. I would take in the beauty of the tombstones and enjoy the solemn atmosphere as the strains of Big Electric Cat emitted from my earbuds. Each time I left, I was humbled by the realization that everything in life is temporary. I appreciate being able to share my perspectives with other like-minded individuals without being seen as a “freak”. It was also nice to hear musicians who wrote about pains and struggles and to not feel that I was alone in my emotions. Songs like “Other Voices”, “Transience”, and “Summoning of the Muse” are so beautiful because of the emotions they evoke. Since then I’ve been able to express myself through writing and art, and I feel encouraged knowing that there are others with the same outlook as me.

I also found Goth different because it really seemed to encourage learning and exploration. There’s a lot of rich history of the subculture, and many years later, I still feel like an excited young child when I stumble upon something I don’t know. While I feel like my knowledge of the culture has vastly increased since my teenage years, there are still so many bands to listen to, so many books to read, and so many interesting influences on Goth to uncover.

That being said, I still think there are some things in the culture that need discussion. I do hope, for example, to touch on the subject of Goth and race some point in the future. I also want to continue writing about the Goth label and elitism. I think it’s important to be aware of the flaws in the cultures we take part in; this allows for a realistic perspective and for us to work to make them better.

Overall, this is a lovely and rich culture that I am very glad to be a part of. I don’t know if I will remain a Goth forever, as there are many things I claimed to be permanently rooted in but changed due to circumstances. If that were to happen, I would look back on my years in the culture with fondness. As for now, I am happy to make this culture my home.

With my wistful thoughts out of the way, I wanted to create a playlist of dark, danceable songs that have really spoken to me throughout my years in the subculture.




The playlist can also be accessed here in case it doesn't load.

Track Listing:

Bauhaus - Bela Lugosi's Dead

Joy Division - Shadowplay

Siouxsie and the Banshees - Spellbound

UK Decay - Unexpected Guest

Sexbeat - Sexbeat

Killing Joke - Darkness Before Dawn

The Danse Society - Heaven is Waiting

The Cure - The Hanging Garden

Death Cult - God's Zoo

Clan of Xymox - Back Door

Xmal Deutschland - Qual

Das Kabinette - The Cabinet

The Sisters of Mercy - Marian

The Frozen Autumn - Is Everything Real?

Corpus Delicti - Staring

Lotus Feed - Supervision

Children on Stun - Cat's or Devil's Eyes

Siiiii- Over

She Past Away - Rituel

Geometric Vision - Stranger

 I hope you enjoy!

2 comments :

  1. No matter if people stay within the subculture or not, once you took a deep breath something of it stays within you :-) lovely post and I am curious for what you will write about in the future!

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    Replies
    1. Thank you so much, and I definitely agree that it does stay with you! For now I really enjoy being apart of this culture :)

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