We all are, are friends with, or have at very least seen "emo" kids. But what makes someone an emo? If you ask most people to define an emo to you, they'll say "whiners, cutters, people who just can't handle life" and often we just agree with it. But my recent experience with a few emo friends has altered my personal perspective on what truly makes someone emo.
The emo, or emotional phase of life begins when there is someone who has something happen to them, a parents divore, the death of a loved one, or anything else, even little things, can set a teen or pre-teen into the emotional spiral. My friend, who for the sake of this blog will be named James, is a hard core emo. He is proud of himself for not conforming to society's basic nature (trying to become popular, making millions, big houses, etc.) He thinks that everyone attempting to strive for the same purpose is becoming less comical everyday. He believes that is will simply diminish the world of individuality and expressiveness.
I really began to wonder if we are being robbed of our personal unique qualities in order to be accepeted. How far has our world gone in excluding others that acceptance require modification? I realize that becoming a better, more productive person is essential, however, it should be a personal road. It should be something that makes us come to our own awakening about ourselves, and it shouldn't be pressed upon by others.
So, now off of the philisophical and back to the practical. James has run into many bad relationships, which is why he chose to wear his hair in a certain way and listen to a different style of music. He however is one of the funniest people I have ever been around. He loves to have fun, and will be best friends with anyone who gives him a chance. But he doesn't constantly try and be everyone's favorite person. When he gets sad, he gets really sad, wishing for death (and I admit, this part isn't his best feature).
So now i get to reflect again. I know a ton of people who wear only aeropostale and ambercrombie, but they don't know how to smile. When you ask them what they want to do, they don't know, but they always know exactly what they don't want to do, which is almost anything. Great fun being with them, but sometimes I feel like crap after hanging out with them.
Getting past the outer shell that everyone wears is essential to really getting to know someone. So when you're hanging out with a bunch of friends again, take time, step back, and see if you just walked into hollister with a bunch of prepped up emos.
It never fails to amuse me that all the people who are so proud of "refusing to conform" all dress, talk, act, etc alike. That's why there's an "emo" culture/stereotype.
I may be an elitist Indie rock snob who only hangs out at local coffee shops and cuts my hair funny and makes fun of your music, but at least I can admit that I'm not refusing to conform. I know perfectly well I look and act exactly like all the other elitist snobs out in the world.
"What I lack in decorum, I make up for with an absence of tact."
Don Williams, Jr.
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I find most "emo" kids are between the ages of 12-16 lol.
I sometimes wonderd what would happen if the counbtry stars dressed "urban" and the hip-hop raooers dressed "emo"
i find that young adults tend to mimick their music idols. think about it.
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I find most "emo" kids are between the ages of 12-16 lol.
I sometimes wonderd what would happen if the counbtry stars dressed "urban" and the hip-hop rappers dressed "emo"
i find that young adults tend to mimick their music idols. think about it.
Check Out MY NEW and UPDATED Online Portfolio!!!!!
myspace.com/osnaphotography
~I want to know God's thoughts, the rest is just details.-Albert Einstein~
I agree with the irony that due to their drive to not conform, doing so makes them conform. But my friend did help me realize something that I enjoyed. He pointed out that often the actions of someone might be done in order to impress someone, they are done if a different way. So lets take the coffee shop hang out as an example. You say you like to hang out there, and I agree, they are really fun, and a great place to empty your mind and relax. But lets say you go to one coffee shop and I another. We're doing the same thing differently. As an emo "James" is extremely bright and sunshiny, and when he does fit the emo stereotype, he does it very differently. Now, I'm bringing this up not to say that noone conforms, because conforming lies in the motive of the action, but that our individuallity is never entirely lost. So your "funny" haircuts might not be considered funny or conforming. If there is a different motive than to do is because a movie star/ your best friend/ the top model does it, then you don't have to be the elitist snob they are, but you can be one none the less.
An emo is someone who does not have to necessarily dress like the stereotypical emo, but can be someone who just really recognizes their feelings for what they are. I don't dress like an emo, but have been called it because of my love of emotional music that really means something (including classical). An emo is any one person who can really express their feelings. I admit that I write poems (influenced a little by Shakespeare and Anne rice) that have deeper meaning than what is just written. Life is an emotional experience, and so there are people who seem to feel it more.
I'm glad you recognize it because the term emo has such a negative connotative meaning when the actual meaning is quite deeper. I definately think that the emo culture has been a little wongly classified over the last year plus, which is exactly the reason to write this blog. As for the poetry, I definately think, although many scholars will disagree with me mainly because of emo's connotation, that Emily Dickonson is one of the most emo out there.