TCAHR - Better Living Through Memetics Issue 1 A Letter on Gothic Racism 07/10/00 ------------------------------------------------------------ Asked to share some of his theories on Goth and racism by the head of the SilverLining mailing list, our protagonist wrote back: Awwwh, nah! You done it now! *L* Actually when it comes to the problems with Goth, I pretty much divide it in two sections. "Symbology" and "Finance". "Symbology" seems to breed racism, while "finances" do the same for classism. I don't think "finance" needs much explaining. It's an argument that's been going on since the last days of Punk and the infamous "Sex" clothing store in England. The Punk look started as an expression of self, but the well- known Punk became the easier it became to be punk. The stores began to sell the "Punk" look. Even worse, these look were stratified according to price. So all the poorer punks had to make do with what they could afford--thrift stores and the like (which strangely enough stayed true to the spirit of the music), while any newbee from an affluent background could buy a expensive "authentic" Punk look. Of course, the look they were buying into were almost uniform. These rich Punk somehow were considered real Punk while the poorer ones were considered trash (Wild idea when you think about it!). Of course, this was in Punk in the death stages...it became Goth; the 80's fired up and the values went up in smoke! We never did get rid of the homogenization that crept into Punk and into Goth. The homogenization became a set standard of symbols based originally (and this is purely my opinion) on bad b & w films based on the mangling of 17th and 18th century European books. Our society stresses Eurocentric learning with its source being that of Eurocentric males. This source is already poisonous. If we read the unaltered works of persons such as Kent, Freud, Marx and Nitcheze; we find racism and sexism within their writings. It is no wonder why understanding is so difficult among different genders, races, and classes. No matter how much Goths say that Goth is a refute of culture, it is still a product of this culture and prone to its failings. If we accept the idea that the only acceptable color on clothing is black, then we become resistant to wearing other colors. Likewise, if we base the idea of perfect beauty on the pale white woman in some "Gothic" film or book, we count out a lot of people who don't fit that image. We seem to be basing Goth in old symbols which won't let other symbols in. As you see, the problem is in thinking Eurocentrically. The solution? Easy enough. Think out of the box and break this symbolic trend. Goth *IS* Eurocentric, but that doesn't mean it has to be. Personally, I like wearing my black (and purple) Chinese and Indian outfits to the club. I write my poetry to those with a "Gothic Bent", but I'm using symbols from different races, ethnic groups, and religions. That doesn't mean I ignore things from a Euro-American background. I do, after all have the blood of Spain as well as Boriquen and Africa in my veins; denying one part of myself leaves me incomplete. On a semi-sidenote, my Boriquen ancestors, the Tainos, used to have stone breast plates carved with bats and owls. They prayed to the Great Earth Mother, Ataby, and believed in two powerful forces in the world, the light and the dark. Couldn't this fit in somewhere in the big jumble of symbols which are Goth? Do you even realize the many vampire and witch stories which come from Africa? Yeah, you can wear that silver ankh to the club, but you can also wear a voudon pattern on your clothing! To bring all this to a head, I guess what I'm trying to say (or write) is, yes, if we add in all these elements from other cultures into Goth, we're going to lose that comforting, familiar world Goth is. However,we're going to gain a lot more. After all, if Goth is as some people say, a state of mind, we can only enrich it. I honestly believe that. And on that cheesy inspiring note... ------------------------------------------------------------ tcahr@hotmail.com Copyright 2000