Labels, stereotypes, the whole lot.
If it sounds like I'm whining or complaining constantly or annoyingly, please forgive me. My day at school today encouraged me to do this XD
OK. So we've heard it all. Emos, punks, goths, teenies, sluts, groupies, jocks.
To me, emo seems to be most overused of all. Anything is emo, according to most people at my school. Or my sister, who's a perfect example of one of those school people.
For example, I put eyeliner on.
My sister: "What are you trying to be? Emo? Or just like Green Day?"
Me: "I swear, you use the label ONE more time, and you're going down."
The thing is, what causes these labels to be created? Is it a fear, dislike or disapproval of the labelee? Or just ignorance?
I realised that these labels could very well have started off with the hippies. Yes, the hippies. Sounds weird, I know. But it was in history while learning about the Vietnam War protests that I realised how its been going on for years.
The hippies were most prominent during the 1960's and early 70's. From then on, with the birth of bands like the Sex Pistols, it was then that the old-school punks formed.
I'm not sure what came next, but goths became quite a popular phase during the...late 90's?
And of course, emos.
I swear, if anyone can give me a proper definition of emo then I'll buy them an icecream. Because the latest definition I heard was: 'Emos are people who wear read and black and eyeliner.' This was used in the context of describing Green Day as emo.
o_O
I hate using these labels. I hated writing the stuff above.
What interests me is that a lot of things that influence these stereotypes is the style of music listened to. Apparently I'm an emo because I swear eyeliner and like Green Day and My Chemical Romance.
Sounds like a pretty stupid label to me.
What is also interesting is that a punk today is classed as emo.
But must these people be judged differently? Because they dress different? Because they like the music which happens to be created by people who dress differently?
I'm trying to find the answer to these exact questions.
But then (again), labels are part of society. I s'pose I'll have to get used to it.
OK. So we've heard it all. Emos, punks, goths, teenies, sluts, groupies, jocks.
To me, emo seems to be most overused of all. Anything is emo, according to most people at my school. Or my sister, who's a perfect example of one of those school people.
For example, I put eyeliner on.
My sister: "What are you trying to be? Emo? Or just like Green Day?"
Me: "I swear, you use the label ONE more time, and you're going down."
The thing is, what causes these labels to be created? Is it a fear, dislike or disapproval of the labelee? Or just ignorance?
I realised that these labels could very well have started off with the hippies. Yes, the hippies. Sounds weird, I know. But it was in history while learning about the Vietnam War protests that I realised how its been going on for years.
The hippies were most prominent during the 1960's and early 70's. From then on, with the birth of bands like the Sex Pistols, it was then that the old-school punks formed.
I'm not sure what came next, but goths became quite a popular phase during the...late 90's?
And of course, emos.
I swear, if anyone can give me a proper definition of emo then I'll buy them an icecream. Because the latest definition I heard was: 'Emos are people who wear read and black and eyeliner.' This was used in the context of describing Green Day as emo.
o_O
I hate using these labels. I hated writing the stuff above.
What interests me is that a lot of things that influence these stereotypes is the style of music listened to. Apparently I'm an emo because I swear eyeliner and like Green Day and My Chemical Romance.
Sounds like a pretty stupid label to me.
What is also interesting is that a punk today is classed as emo.
But must these people be judged differently? Because they dress different? Because they like the music which happens to be created by people who dress differently?
I'm trying to find the answer to these exact questions.
But then (again), labels are part of society. I s'pose I'll have to get used to it.
Punk today at my school is Goth.
I hate it.
Tigger, March 21st, 2007 at 06:51:47pm
The other day in class our books were handed out after the teacher marked them. This girl, Claire, noticed the covering of my book as she gave it to me and said 'I knew this would be yours!' (in a nice way) I laughed, because of the Green Day pics and lyrics stuck on it.
But then I heard a smart remark from some complete jerk who is trying to be cool.
'Yeah, her books are emo.'
What the f*ck? Labelling my books emo now, too?
The Brightside., March 21st, 2007 at 02:06:08am
Everyone at school thinks I'm goth or emo, 'cause I like My Chem and Green Day. To try to get people to stop calling me that, I have tryed dressing in more colors, but the labeling continued, so I'm going back to my own style. I hate labeling, but everyone around me labels people so I have no control over it. I just have to say "I'm not goth!" 3 million times until they get the point.
Demonic., March 20th, 2007 at 03:23:50pm
Yeah, i agree with Funky Platypus, it is human instinct, since cavemen or whatever decided the tallish things with the brown thin thing and all the bushy green stuff at the top was called a tree, so now the young people with the fringe over one eye who wear skinny jeans and tight shirts and black hoodies or whatever are called emos. It happens, i've accepted, and you can't stop it. But i agree that it's stupid when just little things like eyeliner and listening to MCR can get you grouped together with a load of people you have no intention of associating with.
Boo Radley, March 20th, 2007 at 02:34:43pm
Very, very, very, very, very very true. I don't think you'll find anyone on this site who'll disagree with you.
The sad truth is, so many people can't see that, because they "NEED" to make these labels that separates them from others, for a number of reasons. For one, it makes them feel like they have some sort of control over something in this world where everything's out of control, and as humans we want to find things we can use to our advantage. Leading me to my second point, another instinct of ours is to find ways to better ourselves. By making these divisions and creating all these stereotypes, it puts some people down and raises them up. Like I said, we want to be in power because we are always looking out for ourselves.
So that's why labels came to be. It all stems from our instincts.
Funky Platypus, March 20th, 2007 at 02:11:19pm
you know what? i fully agree with you because that's so damn true.
the hippies thing makes sense.. but what adds onto these stereo types that are overused are that they're used on people just because they DON'T look like a cat Cat Doll. It's stupid when you think about it. It's the way things are you know. It's hard.. they'll never change.
threeam., March 20th, 2007 at 01:07:25pm
I agree. I cant define Emo. Nor can I distinguish between the Emo look or the look of a Scene Kid. I dont care either. I try not to associate myself with labels but they are inadvertenlty pushed on me. I'll give you an example; ever since I was old enough to do my own hair, I've had a side fringe. Then when I got glasses at 16, I chose a black frame (think Mikey Way before Lasek). Add to that I liked to buy Converse and wear dark clothes (my school uniform had select colours of red, black and grey and it stuck, even when I left school). I didnt really wear makeup, just heavy eyeliner and mascara and I've always liked Green Day and I bought Three Cheers by My Chem... All of a sudden, at age 23, I'm a walking poster child for the Emo movement. But I was just being me. But when you factor in my race, the labels are just beyond the joke. Im getting tired of people trying to define me. People call me different things, and my response is to quote Shakespeare; If you prick us do we not bleed?
f*ck labels, cos at the end of the day, we're all pink on the inside!
AndTheCowSaidMoo, March 20th, 2007 at 11:54:55am
i fully understand you there mate!
Vegemite, March 20th, 2007 at 08:45:06am
good point, my classmates call me and a classmate of mine emo lol, i think that you are a punk, goth or whatever label you use for yourself only when you really think you are one of those, not when someone else places you in that sector. In fact, i somewhat look emo but i dont really give a damn cause i can look whatever way i wish to. lol, but yeah, its frustrating when people label you all the time, and those silly arguments, dont get me started, and true, labels are a part of society, ...i just hate the fact that we are the minority, but if we were the majority...who'd rebel?
PaNcAkEs, March 20th, 2007 at 08:40:38am
no i totally agree with you!
i'm so sick of people in my school (even my friends!!) calling me emo or goth just because i wear different clothes than them!
just because i dont wear abercrombie or american eagle, i'm just automatically emo? apparently eyeliner is considered emo these days too?! it's just stupid and i'm glad you made this blog because for once, someone agrees with me! =)
Kelly Khaos, March 20th, 2007 at 08:26:55am