Mad Geek

There's a saying I heard somewhere (or perhaps made up myself, I don't know); "The tortured artist is never tortured, and rarely an artist." It took me awhile to divine the meaning of that little tidbit, but once I did, it really opened my eyes to a whole new understanding of human stupidity.

For those of you who haven't been to America in the past 20 or so years, there are people who prefer to dress in a manner called "Gothic". Over time, they have simply been termed "Goths". Goths generally dress all in black (it's the standard, but not the rule) and act like they are more in touch with their mystic side than the rest of us.

Before you think this is a bash entry, let me clear the air here; I have known many goths. Some are stupid, and some are dear friends. The stupid ones are REALLY stupid, and the decent ones are REALLY decent. They are just like everyone else.

My particular beef is with the ones that not only use this as a style of dress, but more a lifestyle. I once lived with a goth who felt compelled to comment everytime he thought I was living life too much in the mainstream. If he heard me listening to something on the radio or watching a popular TV show, he would comment how I was just an obedient little sheep following the rest of the flock. The problem with this was the fact that he couldn't see he was also following a flock; only his was more predictable.

Here are some standard things goths such as my former roommate do or say:
Take pictures of themselves and friends in graveyards in various poses, acting like their favorite dark spirit.
Buy every piece of eclectic silver hand jewelry off eBay they can find.
Think that they are in some way artistically gifted.
Make little or no money.
Drink . . . alot.
Do all the above while feeling superior to the "cattle" surrounding them.
Do all the above while feeling that they are so original in doing this.

There becomes a point where you are so anti-mainstream, that you become your own mainstream. What's sad (read: mildly amusing) about this is that they are so narrow sighted that they can't see that themselves. I speak, of course, in general. There ARE people out there who simply like wearing black, and are really good people. Of course, there is also a guy out there (I'll bet you money) who calls himself "Voltar, Lord of the Dark" and keeps up on the High School gossip at the clubs after working his shift at the call center that pays him minimum wage.

There are problems with the whole term "Gothic" anyway. Websters defines the word as;
Of or relating to the Goths or their language.
Germanic; Teutonic.
Of or relating to the Middle Ages; medieval.

Of or relating to an architectural style prevalent in western Europe from the 12th through the 15th century and characterized by pointed arches, rib vaulting, and a developing emphasis on verticality and the impression of height.
Of or relating to an architectural style derived from medieval Gothic.

Or there's always this; American Gothic by Grant Wood

Not exactly the type of people who go to raves.

My favorite thing about the goths and their nonconformity: I'm going to dress in tattered black velvet and dye my hair purple...JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE! BECAUSE I'M A NONCONFORMIST, DAMMIT!

Ah, young minds...how delicious...if not the brightest crayons in the box, at least they provide amusement for those who can see it :)