Why do goths wear black?
It's such a straightforward sort of color. I never squint at a black tee shirt, wondering if it goes with my black jeans. I never have to get up in the morning, thinking "I wonder what color I'll wear today." And black goes with anything. As long as the anything is black.
Are goths evil?
Goths consider themselves witnesses of the horrific. The media interprets this as meaning they are
the perpetrators. Goths are peaceful and respectful in a way that
would put most norms to shame.
Do goths think they are/want to be vampires?
No. Some goths think that vampires are very cool, others think the
whole concept is stupid. In general, goths are not crazy. There
are always fringe people that attract media attention, but this
problem is not unique to the gothic world.
Is Marilyn Manson a goth?
No. Among adult goths, there is an unusually strong
consensus. Manson is considered more of an Ozzy Osbourne type shock rocker.
Are goths religious?
Some are, some aren't. All goths are in love with religious imagery, though,
because of its power, darkness, and intangibilty.
Is goth a fad?
Goth culture has been around for 20 years and is showing no sign
of waning. However, some say that dark themes tend to appear and
disappear at the end of an era, much as was seen in the gothic
movement in literature at the end of the 19th
century.
Mainstream interest/tourism/purchasing in the gothic world is
certainly fad-based, and tends to come and go.
Is goth a movement?
Artistically, yes. Socially, probably not. Goths don't try to
recruit normal people and they don't care whether the
mainstream appropriates aspects of gothic culture. They mostly
want to be left alone.
It's widely believed that you can't
learn to be goth; it's some personality type that you either
have or you don't. (The make-up, on the other hand, takes a
lot of practice ;-)
Isn't goth attire the height of pretension?
How can I become goth?
Believe it or not, this is the most frequently asked question at this site.