In a day and age where expressing yourself is no longer shameful but rather rewarded and exalted, it stands to reason that more and more groupings or classifications of people are popping up here and there. One such group is something known as emo. In order to truly understand the psyche of a teen or person that classifies themselves as emo, it is important to first and foremost identify and explain just what emo is.
What Does Emo Mean?
Emo in the simplest of terms means emotional, to be emotional, to be in touch with emotion and to express emotion. Unlike individuals that identify themselves as goth, people that see themselves as emo are simply more in touch with their emotions. These emotions can be happy, sad, excited, etc.
It is important for those that identify themselves as emo to be in tune with their innermost feelings. In most cases, those that identify themselves as emo are considered to be sad or down. This is because of the way that these individuals dress and often act. Unlike others that they feel hide their sadness, they are in tune with it and they embrace it rather than pushing it down and pretending to be happy when they are not.
What Does Being Emo Mean?
There are a few different connotations when it comes to identifying oneself as emo. First and foremost, those that are considered emo or consider themselves emo have to be willing to not only identify and see their own emotions, they also have to be willing to tell others about them.
In some cases this can mean in song, poetry, stories, or just sharing feelings. If you are one that does not like to share feelings, then you are likely not emo. To be emo means to be in touch with emotions and to be truly willing and ready to share and express your feelings even if they are sadness and unhappiness. When someone asks what does the word emo mean it essentially is an abbreviation of the word emotional.
What Does Emo Girl Mean?
In terms of social structure, when someone is an emo girl they are often a girl that cries, that laughs, that expresses how she feels no matter what and to anyone that she feels comfortable enough to confide in. It is helpful that to identify someone that is emo at a glance you first understand some of the social attributes that society has placed on these individuals.
What Does Someone that is Emo Look Like?
Though it is exceptionally deceptive to judge a book by its cover or to depend entirely on outside appearance to understand what someone believes, there is a typical look that society associates with those that call themselves emo.
Not to be confused with goth, those that consider themselves emo often wear dark colors, heavy makeup, lots of accessories that tell of their interests, and even popular items that are often associated with the goth look.
These individuals are also often part of drama groups in high school and other groups that encourage self expression. Though this is just a societal determination of what someone that considers themselves emo may look like, they can also look like every other student.
What Society Thinks Emo Is
Though there are certainly truths about those that consider themselves emo and those that do not, there are also activities and images that society has attributed to these individuals. In the eyes of society, most people assume that being emo means you sit in your room and think of morbid things and self harm.
This however is not necessarily true. In most cases those that feel as if they are emo are simply a more sensitive individual that may be flustered easily by their own emotions and have a hard time controlling them in public. Often times, those that are considered to be weird or strange and that are labeled emo by society are simply those that may have social anxiety and the only way they can handle it is to be in touch with their feelings.
Emo in Mainstream
There are certainly mainstream approaches to being emo and to those that society sees as emo. Some celebrities that are often considered slightly emo are Johnny Depp. His popularity with those young adults that are often classified as emo makes him a perfect example of how one can be in touch with themselves but ultimately successful.
Tim Burton, who often works with Depp is also an emo icon. Often times movie stars are a bit out there to be considered emo and the larger number of emo celebrities are instead in music.
Pete Wentz, Patrick Stump, and the other members of the popular band Fall Out Boy are all considered emo heroes. With their edgy hair cuts, avante garde style and sound, and the ability to tap into their emotions they are often sighted as one of the most emo bands in Hollywood.
Another celebrity that is considered emo is Trace Cyrus, this is of course the older brother of Hollywood bad girl Miley Cyrus. Trace is seen as a tattooed proponent of being exactly who you are even if it makes other people uncomfortable and angry.
Avril Lavigne is another prime example of an emo celeb. She is not afraid to use past emotional events to writer her music. Drawing from a series of failed relationships, Avril makes a case for the broken heart and has created songs that have helped many get past personal heart break.
Demi Lovato, former Disney sweetheart, is also considered emo. Not only is she considered emo for her very personal lyrics, but also because she struggled with self harming and eating disorders. She is now a strong supporter or all those that are struggling with their own demons. Lovato is also a strong supporter of getting in touch with yourself and getting the help that you need to recover and move on.
One that you may not think is emo is Kristen Stewart. Kstew is constantly brooding and edgy and her style, persona, and attitude make her the perfect poster girl for the emo lifestyle and how to become famous. She is also the main star of one of the most emo book series that has ever been written.
As the insurmountable Bella Swan it the Twilight Saga, Stewart is an emo girl fantasy. Another celeb that is emo is of course Kelly Osbourne. As the daughter of the King of Darkness however it is no wonder that she is somewhat emotional.
One surprising celebrity that many people associate with the emo lifestyle is pop sensation Rihanna. This sultry siren is considered emo for her involvement with Chris Brown. Though the two have had a very tumultuous relationship the pair keep coming together somehow. They are volatile for one another but they are drawn together making Rihanna a classic example of an emo individual. Often, these individuals will follow their heart even if their head is yelling no.
What Does it Mean to be Emo in Society
Often society sees those that are emo as weak. They are seen as people that have no ability to block emotions and function in normal society. This however is not the case as many of these individuals are much better at coping with emotions than those that are considered normal in society.
These individuals are not necessarily comfortable with sharing how they are feeling but they are certainly ready and willing to work on it themselves. There are plenty of people that are considered emo that function in normal society without any problem at all.
Emo Individuals and Bullying
Those that consider themselves emo are far more susceptible to bullying for a few different reasons. First off, they often wear their heart on their sleeves making it possible for bullies to pick up on problems, issues, and insecurities that they may have making them a key target.
Also, these individuals often use their clothes and body to express themselves which often ends up setting them apart from the crowd again making them a prime target for bullies. Though this is a horrible thing to admit, the way these individuals act is also ammunition for bullying.
Often, as mentioned before, those that identify with the emo lifestyle are going to be a bit out there and are going to be part of clubs like drama that allow them to express themselves but that also makes them a prime target for those bullys that are insecure themselves and need someone to pick on.
Those that are seen as emo are often far more likely to be bullied than those that are considered normal. Often times, bullies will pick on the fact that these individuals are willing to wear their hearts on their sleeves and that they are willing to be different.
It is not all that common for people to consider those that identify with the emo lifestyle as different, strange, and hard to get along with. When it comes to those that identify themselves as emo, it may be difficult for those individuals to become part of normal society. Often, these individuals band together as it is much easier for people to spend time with those that have similar feelings.
The Evolution of Emo
There are plenty of instances in history in which people may have been considered emo by today’s standards. Often, poets, writers, and artists would fit the definition of someone that today is called emo. Often, those that are considered emo are more often likely to be artistic and use their own artistic side to express themselves.
In most cases, those that see themselves as emo are going to be a bit more likely to express themselves and show their feelings through the ways that they act, they dress, and they behave.
Some people that may have been considered emo by today’s standards would be someone like Shakespeare, Sylvia Plath, Oscar Wilde, Picasso, and more. These individuals would be considered emo by today’s standards for several reasons. First off, these individuals are very in tune with emotions that for their time, would have been suppressed and taken for granted.
Another reason is that these individuals are not all that concerned about the way that other people see them. These individuals are more likely to spend time thinking and being part of themselves rather than part of popular society.
It is not at all common for people to spend time thinking and therefore becoming somewhat introverted. In some cases, those that are considered emo are introverted which makes it harder for them to make friends, become part of society, and become part of what people consider normal.
No matter how you think about emo individuals or the emo lifestyle, it is common for these individuals to be truly great people if you take the time to get to know them and really take the time to see what is going on with them.
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