You can ask 10 different gothic people, and they will all give you a different answer on what it really means to be goth. Because there really isn't an answer. Some would say it's a state of mind, but does anyone really know what that exactly means? When the new age gothic style first began, it was a way to stand out. The art and music, was all there before they decided to dress the way they did. Just like black and red, aren't “goth” colors, but many would consider them to be today.

When it comes down to it, you just be yourself. Most would say that is the major part of being goth. Being able to stand out of the norm, but in a way that appreciates the darker sides of art, music, and style ect.. So maybe thats what people mean by it being a “mind set”. Yet it doesn't say anywhere that you have to love classical music, or gory movies. And the styles that your major gothic stores like “hot topic” doesn't really depict what you should wear to be goth. Standing out, and not following the crowd, is a major part of it. That's why I'm not going to tell you to wear black, start listening to Marilyn Manson, and write poems about how life sucks. Yeah, that pretty much makes up most of the gothic community except for the 10% calling the rest sheep for listening to Marilyn Manson. But any of those doesn't necessarily make you gothic.

But maybe your reading this, because you share the same interests, attitude, and / or emotions of goths, but your afraid to express it. The word poser is constantly being thrown around by people who consider themselves “goth”. Like any other put down, it's just a way of feeling more important and better than those they are judging. And really everyone is a poser. No one came out of their mothers womb dressed in black with a mohawk. You begin somewhere, everyone does. By dressing and doing what you want to, regardless of what those actual posers might say... Makes you truly stand out from the norm, also known as being goth.

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