It's a state of mind. And was invented by Lord Byron. On absinthe.

[reddragdiva]

(prompted by eyeliner297)

Goth is a subculture composed almost entirely of people who are not members.

So. How did you end up being not a goth?

Comments

[ladykathryn.livejournal.com]

Naturally pale skin, an inability to match colours and a lack of money leading to only having my sister's old Cure cassettes to listen to as a teenager.

Luckily, I now make enough to supply my own music.

[seph-hazard.livejournal.com]

I blame flickgc and her unfortunate habit of loosing her lighters in her cleavage.

[mjg59.livejournal.com]

I've no idea what you're talking about. I've never been a goth.

LJ needs an "edit comment" button

[unagothae.livejournal.com]

I'm told I'm a freak for being so pale.
I can't help it that I burn easily, so avoid the sun.
I'm told I'm a freak for wearing black all the time.
I'm lazy. It makes doing laundry and throwing an outfit together a piece of cake.
I'm told I'm a freak for my taste in music.
It's more interesting and evocative than that pap they call pop.
Not my fault if others don't enjoy what it evokes.
I'm told I'm a freak for my awareness of my mortality and the things I find comfort in.
Some cemetaries are huge tourist locations and who doesn't love a giant cathedral?

I'm not a goth. I'm just a freak ;)

[reddragdiva]

That "loosing" gets you this icon!

[happyblade.livejournal.com]

I *AM* a goth. An OLD goth.

[reddragdiva]

You'd make such a good one, though. You have the cheekbones for it.

[reddragdiva]

You're an old post-punk in black and stop pretending otherwise!

[fluffymormegil.livejournal.com]

damerell lent me some cassettes.

[happyblade.livejournal.com]

mmmmOK.

[hazyjayne.livejournal.com]

YOU!

[hirez.livejournal.com]

... Though it does bring to mind that rare and devious beast, the free-range cleavage lighter. Stalked for days by chaps with special cameras from the BBC natural history dept...

[hazyjayne.livejournal.com]

But I had the right taste in music for years beforehand....

[hirez.livejournal.com]

Joy Division, Ballard and corsetry. Alt.gothic came before rec.arts.sf(.fandom) in the newsgroup list.

[cookwitch.livejournal.com]

I did it all by myself, I'm pleased to say. The music and the clothes were just what I enjoyed growing up, then I found charlie_mouse again after many years apart, and we both pointed at each other and went "GOTH!" It was she who introduced me to everyone else.

[notintheseheels.livejournal.com]

He got asked if he was a goth by a fresher the other week. How we laughed.

[loosechanj.livejournal.com]

I was so unpopular in school even the goths wouldn't hang out with me. Also, I was so amazingly and tragically unhip I'd never heard of Joy Division until someone mentioned them on usenet a couple years ago. I could probably blame my father being a southern bible thumper, but that would be too emo.

[jauncourt.livejournal.com]

Hmmm. A fondness for strange hair, having been a punk (and having grown beyond getting drunk for drunk's sake, music being loud for the sake of loud, and vandalism-as-art), and a nasty tendency to spill things on my clothes (i.e. a need for black in my wardrobe), oh, and having been through that pubertal-angsty period (I was such an aaaaaaaaaaaaaartist for a while but I grew up and now I actually make art, not aaaaaaaaaaart).

[bellinghman.livejournal.com]

But I'm not a goth.

The closest I get is dressing all in black. But those are sensible shoes, not boots. Honest.

[reddragdiva]

I thought they were from playout.

[reddragdiva]

"No, I'm an embittered Debian Ubuntu developer."
"Oh, OK. And the difference is?"

[deathboy.livejournal.com]

perf got in touch because he liked my music, having found it on mp3.com and introduced me to #uk_goffs when I was new to London, so I started going to SLUTS meets and Slimes and suchlike.

he has a lot to answer for.

:)

[mirukux.livejournal.com]

the afore mentioned inability to match colours and a londer induced interest in "dark music" got me snagged via nin, although unfortunatly (or not) i'm obviously far to young to have caught any of the older punk/industrial/goff/ebm stuff first hand :/

[arkady.livejournal.com]

Hah. It was Jason who introduced me to SLUTS. He used to nag me to come out when I was on #uk_goffs!

[individuation.livejournal.com]

1. Lack of new music that I liked.
2. Sick of the clubs
3. Sick of the people who hung out in the clubs (save a few).
4. No dating potential because everyone who hung out at clubs (where I met people) was a loser without a job and no motivation.
5. New indie bands started coming out that I really liked.
6. To fill my days one summer I quit smoking and started exercising.
7. I rediscovered how much I like jeans -- oh and color.
8. Being goth and being a teacher at an upper class suburban high school is a tough combo.
9. Um yeah...I'm just not scene affiliated. I'll always have a warm spot in my heart for the goth scene - but at this point in my life, it's just not a place that I feel I fit in anymore. I still love all the folks I met on alt.gothic and am glad I get to keep in touch with them because regardless of goth status, they're good people. That's that.