Why do people become goths? What are the reasons why many teenagers join this counterculture? What are your motivations behind this change?
Since the Skull World team is absolutely passionate about this topic, they will answer your questions to provide clarity. ✌️
People become goths primarily because they want to join a movement that is characterized by otherness. Mindset is what drives a person to go goth. Dress style and rebellion against the norm are among the main reasons.
In this article, we will cover some of the following topics:
- Why people become goths
- Why this counterculture is more likely to affect teenagers
- The motivations behind this shift in thinking and style
After reading the following lines you will know exactly why one becomes Gothic. And also the reasons for joining this movement that is so « different ».
Let’s start right away 👇.
Gothic youth, adorn your atre with “”skulls”” and become lord of your desti
Reasons to go Gothic
The goth movement is a subculture defined by a style of dress and perspectives quite different from most people’s. For example, you wear a lot of black clothes and listen to Gothic music.
But why do you do that? We asked ourselves this question. And here are four reasons why people (often young people) are joining this movement.
1) Be different
The term “Gothic” dates back to the Middle Ages, when the structure of buildings such as Notre-Dame Cathedral was not initially appreciated. Since then, the term “Gothic” has been attributed to things that were different, mysterious, or just plain twisted… Today, the first image that springs to mind when the word “Gothic” is mentioned is that of a group of dark people resembling devil worshipers act. 😈
However, this is not true (although there can be such people). In truth, one of the main reasons people are Gothic is to show the world that they don’t live in the same world as everyone else. They want to assert their otherness , and they do so by adopting this style, which has been referred to as such since the Middle Ages.
2) Need for escape
The Goths are a group of people who are often rejected and condemned. Their different styles are not accepted by everyone. This is often before a person joins the movement. They feel rejected and need something to find themselves through. That’s what the Gothic community offers it.
It is the simple need to get away from it all and to welcome others into their community that draws everyone to join the movement. The escape from this world that sometimes disgusts you. Because the music, the style as well as the other goths offer the fact that one detaches oneself from reality in order to live in peace. 🙏
3) Respect everyone
Although they may seem strange to most people who don’t understand why one is goth, these rebels are people who accept you for who you are and will always be there to support you.
Respect for each individual is at the heart of this counterculture. As goths there is no judgment among ourselves, we are fed up with being judged by others. So anyone who wants to join us is very welcome. 🙌 That’s why we try to convey that one person z. B. should not judge based on their appearance.
4) rebellion against the norm
Breaking the rules is one of the reasons a young person joins this movement. The idea of not succumbing to capitalism and ever-changing fashions is one of the sources of motivation for the black dress fan. Anything that society causes you to find normal, a goth isn’t! The rebellion against the norm begins with clothing. Why should you dress like everyone else? A “”skull and crossbones t-shirt””, for example, does its job perfectly in this regard. The general ideas also differ greatly from the “norm”. About death, about politics, about social relationships and much more…
Rebellion against the norm in terms of dress or ideas is a feature of many adolescent subcultures . As is the fact of seeing yourself as different. Finding your own identity is a teenager’s job. And the Gothic movement serves to find a way, a train of thought.
What makes you want Gothic?
We just saw four of the main reasons people join a completely different movement. With that in mind, let’s continue and delve deeper into goth culture itself.
1) Be part of a community
When asked why you want to be Gothic. The simplest answer one can give is that people want to be part of something, of a group, of a community. That you can share your ideas with a group of people just like you. Not being alone in your corner anymore, or worse: being surrounded by people who don’t understand why you choose this or that style of clothing or that or have that mindset…
Just like a group of fans of a soccer team gathering to express their passion for a sports club, goths come together to share their way of seeing the world and society. We’re social animals, and it’s in our nature to associate and mingle with like-minded people. Being together in a group also allows us to feel superior as the sum of our personalities creates that identity that makes us a strong group. 👊 And not being alone but being surrounded by people who think the same things as us is one of the easiest ways to be happy.
2) The richness of this counterculture
Another factor that comes into play when looking to join a community group is the fact that the goth movement is extremely diverse. It doesn’t stop at a simple symbol or wearing a specific piece of clothing like a football fan might do by wearing their favorite team’s jersey.
There are even different ways for a person to join our counterculture. Some get into it through the music, some because they’re drawn to ideas related to life and death, and still others because they just like the goth style of dress. And that is exactly what makes our subculture so rich. The entrance doors are very numerous! 🚪 The reality is that goths, like everyone else, came to join the movement because they found something that resonated with them and identified with it.
3) The Emotional Awareness
We don’t want to lose you in complex psychological debates along the way. So let’s make it easy for ourselves and summarize the idea behind this title in a few lines.
It’s obvious that most goths (not all) listen to their souls and try to think outside the box much more than most people can see. The goth movement is very concerned with the afterlife, dealing with death, and many other things. The goal is to be aware of who you are and to delve deeper into yourself than is possible for most people waiting for society to tell them what to think and what not to think…
Houna explains why she went gothic
This week we met Houna, a young woman of 27 who has been Gothic since she was 14 years old. She talks about her passion and her perspective on the subject.
I became goth before I even knew there was a goth movement. For me it wasn’t a fixed thing, it was just a kind of development of myself. It’s not just about the clothes. For me it’s a lifestyle and above all the music I listen to reflects and relates to the thoughts of my childhood and youth.
It’s not something that just happened to me. Or a friend who converted me… It came very naturally to me, like a kind of self-evidence. When I was five years old, I asked my parents to only wear black. ⚫️
So I didn’t change as a teenager like a lot of people do. And while I hate categorizing people, it was obvious that (not against my will) I was quickly categorized as “Gothic”. Because I found myself in almost all points of the movement.
Unfortunately, “Gothic” now seems to have changed and passed through many different styles. And for many it’s just a “look” without the lifestyle or the openness of the beginnings. 🧐 The movement seems to have been distorted over the years, and openness and individuality have become a stereotype that was never the origin of our culture.
Manu tells how he joined the Gothic movement
Like Houna, we also met Manu, a 30-year-old goth who joined the movement a few years ago. He chats out of the sewing box. 👇
Nobody just, by accident, aspires to go Gothic… You just realize at some point in your life that you’re different, that the way you think doesn’t conform to the norm. And the good news is that there are other people just like us. It was a revelation for me to know that other people share my taste and sense of aesthetics.
For me, being Gothic means appreciating the darker side of lifeand to use them as a source of happiness and reassurance. To see the light where the vast majority of people see only the dark. As a kind of connection to the things that we cannot see and cannot control.
For the beauty of the dark. Because yes, there is beauty in the dark. There is beauty in the side of humanity that we don’t see, or don’t want to see. To me, being Gothic means exactly that. It’s the “category of people” I feel most comfortable with. Because I like black better than white.
Because for me, for us, it is the embodiment of romance. Because it means looking at the twisted, the macabre, the strange and finding solace in that. 😉 And if that feels true to you, it speaks to you, you feel a connection to it? Then you, reading these lines, surely have a Gothic soul !
I would say being goth is something you just feel. It’s just a need to know who you really are. knowing it And then embrace it fully. This can happen at any point in a person’s life. And if it comes over you, know that there is a whole culture full of people who think the same way and are similar to you! That is the good news. You are not alone, join us. 🤟
Become a Gothic yourself!
We just looked together at the reasons that make people (often young people) go Gothic. We have listed the various apparent qualities of our subculture so rich. You now know exactly why people become gothic and what values fans of black clothing unite.
Whether you’re already a goth yourself or planning to become one, you’ll need to arm yourself with the hottest accessories to achieve devilish style! 😈 And there is nothing better than decorating your hands with “”skull rings”” . Don’t miss out on this accessory. We have put together a selection of the hottest rings for you.
If you want to learn more about other gothic jewelry that isn’t just rings, you can read our article on gothic necklaces .