Why the backlash against the "emo" stereotype?

<p>Huh. I remember a few years ago, the emos were, well, not exactly cool, but had their own little niche and were generally condoned. A lot of people had empathy or sympathy for them, and it was seen as a phase. They seemed to be the rebels of the late 90s.</p>

<p>Now, it's just a joke. People who are in every other way like the emos rat on them for being posers, often without reason, as far as I can tell. Calling someone an emo is now derogatory, and in recent history, I've only encountered the word being used with negative connotations.</p>

<p>It's not unlike the backlash against the hippies, now that I think about it. Is it a cylical thing?</p>

<p>I didn't know emos existed in late 90s.</p>

<p>I thought it was post 2000 thing.</p>

<p>Oops, you're right. Early 2000s, then.</p>

<p>Most ppl think Emo's are ppl who feel sorry for themselves,</p>

<p>Yeah, the common perception (at least at my school) seems to be that Emos spend all their time crying or cutting themselves.</p>

<p>Emos dress in jackets with sewn patches, get weird hairstyles, wear tight pants, wear slip-on shoes like Chuck Taylor, use legging, dye their hair, put on make-up, listen to punk bands usually, hate school work, play guitar, are in a local band, etc.</p>

<p>You get my point. </p>

<p>What I described apply to both males and females by the way. I just combined descriptions into one sentence.</p>

<p>They're sorry *******s who don't look forward to challenging themselves with their lives.</p>

<p>There's always an exception though. A person may dress, act, and talk like an emo, but he or she may be just as academic and motivated as anyone on College Confidential.</p>

<p>However, I have yet to meet that person.</p>

<p>I've met a few people who do fit into the category, but they've lost their focus because they're too occupied with fitting into their groups.</p>

<p>add smoking and drugs to ^, and you get an idea of emos at my school</p>

<p>Smoking and doing drugs... how could I have forgotten those?</p>

<p>"There's always an exception though. A person may dress, act, and talk like an emo, but he or she may be just as academic and motivated as anyone on College Confidential."</p>

<p>hello :p</p>

<p>At my high school, the emo kids were just annoying (not to mention incredibly stupid know-it-alls for the most part). They went around saying how they were oh-so-original (ha!) and the coolest kids that have ever been through our school...ugh...as I said before, just annoying. </p>

<p>I've met some "emo" folks in college that fit in with their stereotype, but I've also met some really intelligent and cool emo kids so yeah...I try not to stereotype emo kids too much anymore, but the majority of them are stupid little conformists that think they're being different and cool when they aren't...so it's difficult.</p>

<p>Yeah, but why are they singled out for derision for being conformists? Aren't the kids in the AP bubble equally conforming? While they think that they're not because they're over-achieving, hardworking, and open-minded?</p>

<p>That's the thing. Conforming to any stereotypical whatever and thinking you're being all original is issue I have with these things. Everyone conforms somehow...so stop trying so hard!</p>

<p>Most people are classified in one particular group. You've got goth kids who listen to Slipknot and moan about life. You've got band kids. (I don't have any problem with band kids though. They're all nice.) You've got super nerds who hiss at you when you go near them. You've got preps who show off their expensive wardrobe and drool over Abercrombie & Fitch's newest catalog. You've got athletes who argue over how much they benched the day before. You've got drama kids who are always singing a song from a broadway production. You've got idiots who think they're the bomb. You've got overachievers who discuss about SAT scores and AP classes. (This is basically a smaller version of College Confidential.)</p>

<p>Emos are pointed out because they're somewhat annoying. It's infuriating to see emos whine about everything when I'm busting my ass every night until 3 in the morning for straight As. It's also ironic that these emos complain about life when they're blessed with excessive items; they have cell phones, cars, weird accessories, and even guitars. </p>

<p>Again, you get my point. I could go on with other cliques.</p>

<p>I think that it's kind of ridiculus that our society can now see sadness, disappointment, and depression as something to be stereotyped. I wrote a poem two months ago about the superficiality of modern day society and my friend labeled it emo, simply because it was sad/held a negative view of the world. One day last month I was rejected from NHS, NJ Govschool, and an appointed leadership position in Model UN in the span of 6 hours, so I wrote a poem to vent. Again, I was labeled emo. Is it wrong to feel unhappy when your situation actually warrants it? Is that how emotionless we have become?</p>

<p>That said, the "emo" stereotype of wearing black clothing, heavy makeup, spiked collars and whatnot is really kind of annoying. I just love how they say "don't label me" when they're really labeling themselves. It's actually just human instinct--the need to fit in, but they're really trying to fit in with the wrong crowd. I mean, there are far better ways of expressing your frustration and sadness than cutting yourself.</p>

<p>
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Yeah, the common perception (at least at my school) seems to be that Emos spend all their time crying or cutting themselves.

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<p>Same at my school.</p>

<p>And all of the emo's at my school complain about how the popular people always make fun of them when it's completely the other way around.</p>

<p>In my school there are actually some kids who act "emo" but are normal and are actually quite smart. Even though they do drugs and other stuff, they are still driven. But, needless to say, there are true emo people too who are the embodiment of the stereotype.</p>

<p>I think the entire emo "culture" {notice the quotes} has become too pervasive to be considered 'oh-so-individual', at least at my school. Nearly 10% of my school is emo to emo-ish, and each and every one of them thinks they are one against the world, fighting The Man. Quite funny to watch, though.</p>

<p>You guys really the nailed the point, I don't think I've seen better definitions of emo kids. I'd also like to add to the list that they tend to think their taste in music is unique and superior to all others. (I hate that a few bands that I like are considered emo.)</p>

<p>I have an even bigger problem with the anime kids in my school.
Several of them stink like hell.
Some of them are even Furries.</p>

<p>
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I hate that a few bands that I like are considered emo.

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</p>

<p>That's a silly statement. A band is good regardless of what they are defined as. There are a lot of great bands that are called "emo" but you shouldn't redefine your choice of music, or feel bad about it, just because of how the majority classifies it.</p>

<p>Edit: And I have a lot of friends that would be defined as "emo" because of the way they dress. I think someone nailed it on the head when they said not all of them have the same attitude about life.</p>