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February 25th, 2006.

"Emo" "How dare you have emotions! How dare you listen to a song with well written lyrics that has emotions behind it? How dare you have a side fringe?!" - The new nations'-teenagers-subcategory-label-hate-craze. Emo. Three letters. Three fucking years later maybe the hype will disappear. If you have had similar experiences to mine, a couple of years ago I couldn't walk out in a hoodie without being called a Goth (cos Bowling for Soup were almost death metal in those days =p) Goth was the Emo of today, yesterday. (How poetic. Fucking emo. *Gets bottle thrown at her*). Seriously, I detest narrow mindedness. And I think labelling comes into that. Let's think of all the stereotypes we've got these days - Burberry/Nike/Cigarette = Chav. Any sort of spike/black in excess/make up = Goth. Baggy jeans/beanie/Vans = Skater.... In fact, let's stop there... Stereotyping and labelling is INFURIATING isn't it? "I AM A HUMAN BEING! Let's just leave it there, maybe?!" - is the reaction I often want to give when asked "What are you?" .. Some sort of plankton.. WHAT DO YOU THINK I AM?!.. Anyway, back to the issue at hand. I could single out any stereotype, but emo seems more fitting, as A) I am accused of being emo. B) It is all any one talks about. C) You can't escape it. D) Apparently it is a sin to be considered emo. Wash your fringes with holy water now!! I like Taking Back Sunday. I like Funeral For A Friend. I like Fall Out Boy, Panic At The Disco, The Academy Is, & Something Corporate (who knew some of these were considered emo?) - Yes. I listen to them lots. However, I listen to the Stereophonics, NOFX, Iron Maiden, The Cure, The Smiths, Savage Garden and Less Than Jake too, not to mention Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross and the odd bit of James Blunt. (Categorise me now, motherfudgers!...mwahar). So - what does this prove? I'm a dirty outcast? So be it. Works for me. Then again I don't care if I'm called an emo or not... But what is it exactly that has made emo the new craze?... Lord Knows, is the honest answer. I certainly can't pin point it... If anyone does know, please get in touch =p One stereotypical "asset" to being an emo is. Depression... and. using. dots. in. sentences. a. lot. Is it any wonder these individuals are pissed off with the world when every time they walk outside they hear "Whinging little emo fucker go home and cut your wrists EEEEEEEEE" etc etc.. When did self harm become comical? In fact, when did people become so damn apathetic about something so serious? Someone I know was crying, and cutting in a lesson once. Nobody did anything. Why do "non-emo" folk consider themselves invincible to any depression or sadness? And how can they rule out such a horrible experience ever happening to them? "You're self harming. What a disgusting person you are. Be ashamed" Yeah, well done bozo, really help the cause! People who feel depressed, sad, angry, so much so that they struggle to go home/go to school/go anywhere without panicking/crying/feeling helpless has my full sympathy and I encourage them to find help and sort any issues they have out. I (as a human who feels emotions) have felt these things once or twice, and it's not nice (to say the least) - why on earth you should be criticised for it... Well, anyway, to EVERYONE - take care (not in the "Look both ways" way =p C'mon I'm trying to be nice here =D) and never give up. Someone can always help, and will always want to help. I promise you that. So what if people wear drain pipe jeans and slip on shoes and have a fringe? If people say "I am emo" then fair enough, as well "I am a chav" - your choice, well done for committing to something, yadda yadda yadda.. But I don't really believe in labelling full stop. What reall bugs me is how everyone in the "Rocker" *cringe* community is pushing the "emos" out for being so ridiculous to convey feelings in a journal. Why are people so narrow minded? Well, maybe it'll change and it'll be "punk" soon. Ahh, happy days waiting, eh? Emo > Emotional. Oh! So it's EMOTIONS that are the problem. Jeez, don't I feel stupid. It's because I listen to music that has EMOTION behind it, well tha- hang on. Emotion in music - That's BAD now?... So, Red Hot Chili Peppers - Under The Bridge - a brilliant song, brilliant band. Not "emo".. But there sure was a hell of a lot of emotions in that song. And every other song they've done. Same with Marvin Gaye, Rammstein, The Cure... In fact, every band in the damn world has emotion behind their songs - atleast I hope they do. Music is a passion. Passion/emotion, all comes into play. That's what makes a beautiful song. It's what makes a song full stop. So.. emo music. You work it out - you don't like it? You'd better stop listening to any type of music. As for the sane, non-judging, fellow people out there - thanks for reading, it's a pleasure, as always (even though I've been away for ages. Damn black holes and swirling vortexes). And thanks most of all to the contacts on my MSN for consistently hating something that doesn't exist enough to put up on their screen names "I H8/ATE EMO, ESPECIALLY MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE"/"EVERY EMO SHOULD DIE"... Smooth, guys, don't fall over your disillusionment on the way out - but, thanks for inspiring this rant! Peace, love, and all that jazz -Kirst, x