Self-Presenation in Gothic Culture

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What is the meaning and significance of self-presentation in Gothic Culture to members involved in it?

INTRODUCTION

Goth, as a subculture, has a range of styles and a considerable degree of both consistency and distinctiveness (Hodkinson 2002: 56). Compared most frequently to that of the punk and fetish scenes, "Goths often sport unusual hair, makeup, and clothing, and are fascinated with mysterious and frightening things" (Acker, 2000:2). Gothic music was at one time a subdivision of punk rock "a musical style that is usually blatantly offensive, aggressively expresses anger at the state of society, and challenges the status quo"; however, while punk musicians tended to express this frustration outward, Goth culture focuses inward as seen through their "intensely dark theatrics, costumes and makeup, and powerful imagery surrounding notions of aesthetics and beauty" (Acker, 2000:15).

There is no use in attempting to generalize an entire worldwide subculture; however, this study hopes to illuminate the importance of self-presentation as a means of expression and distinctiveness for members of the Goth community. This inquiry shall investigate issues as the performance of identity, commodification of uniqueness, body modifications, and expression of self in virtual space, through the research of multiple subculture and identity focused studies in a thorough literature review, the attendance and associated observation of various Gothic events, and the collection and analysis of multiple ½ hour interviews with members of the Gothic community.

LITERATURE REVIEW

Various theorists have discussed the meaning and significance of self-presentation and its range forms in contemporary society (Kozinets 2002; Polce-Lynch, Myers, Kliewer, Kilmartin 2001; Rosell, Hartman 2001; Tarrant, North, Haroreaves 2001; Tian, Bearden, Hunter 2001). Studies indicate that both male and female participants alter their self-presentation and associated attitudes and stereotypes to maintain their status in their 'in-group' and to facilitate group cohesion (Rosell, Hartman 2001; Tarrant et al. 2001). This adaptation of self is reflexive to the highly influential nature of self-esteem as led by external pressures from their peers and the media (Polce-Lynch et al. 2001). As can be expected from the media, society is convinced that through the consumption and display of 'unique' material goods, personalized identity is achieved (Tian et al. 2001). These distinctive goods are then embraced by the collective subculture's need for uniqueness, which typically aims at creating emancipation from traditional consumer labels (Kozinets 2002).

Commodification of uniqueness is seen throughout the entire vocabulary of dress, "which includes not only items of clothing, but also hair styles, accessories, jewelry, make-up and body decoration" (Lurie 1981: 4). As a means of permanent body decoration, 'body art' is also commonly employed as a tool for self-exploration, which attempts to connect an outward symbol to an individual's identity (Carroll, Anderson 2002). Body modifications such as tattoos and piercings have been speculated to serve as markers of 'risk-taking behaviors', symbols for feelings of depression or (internalized/externalized) anger, and a creative outlet for individual expression (Carroll, Anderson 2002; Carroll, Riffenburgh, Roberts, Myhre 2002).

Self-presentation in present day society also extends to the new realm of virtual space (Papacharissi 2002). Interactions over the Internet (verses face to face contact) create a unique opportunity for expression of people's 'true-self' qualities with others due to its relative anonymity and consequence free boundaries (Bargh, McKenna, Fitzsimons 2002). This new outlet for self-expression opens up avenues of communication and creativity for producing and representing an online personality in which people are free to experiment with various versions of one's 'self' (Bargh, McKenna, Fitzsimons 2002; Papacharissi 2002).

Rosell and Hartman (2001), and Tarrant et al. (2001) study on self-presentation and stereotypes included the use of questionnaires. Rosell and Hartman's (2001) study also employed the use of public and private discussion groups which revealed that men and women's 'private beliefs were inconsistent with their public responses' in that people 'strategically' presented their beliefs about gender discrimination and feminism by the effect it would have on others [658]. Tarrant et al. (2001) found that when comparing 'in-group' and 'out-group' stereotypes, the results show a higher degree of positive feelings towards the in-group's music, characteristics, and self-esteem and the out-group was negatively stereotyped with discrimination related to self-esteem.

Carroll et al. (2002), Carroll and Anderson's (2002) research on body modification both used surveys. Participants' results in Carroll et al. (2002) study, varying by gender and age, showed that males with tattoos and females with body piercings show tendencies towards violence, and males and females with both forms of body modifications are shown at greater risk (than those without body modifications) towards cigarette, alcohol, and marijuana use. Carroll and Anderson's (2002) work showed that there were connections between the girls' body modification and their self-esteem deficits, depression, anger and aggressive impulses.

Polce-Lynch et al. (2001) and Tian et al. (2001) conducted research through self-reported surveys. The results of Polce-Lynch et al. (2001) showed that self-esteem (based on grade and gender) is highly influenced by perception of self-image, which statistically affect girl's body image and boy's emotionally restrictive attitudes. Tian et al. (2001) found that individuals who identify with counter-conformity differentiate themselves by consuming unpopular choices and by avoiding overly mainstream choices.

Kozinets' (2002) study of subcultural consumption involved a lengthy informal observation, active participation in the Burning Man Internet Community, textual analysis of related information (photographs, articles, documents etc.), and participant observation. The studies indicate that subversive consumption creates a new means of self-expression through communal ideals that lead the participants in an emancipation from traditional consumer labels and reorients them with new 'rebellious', 'anti-structure', 'expressive' consuming practices.

In the Bargh et al. (2002) study on expression of self in the Internet, participants were paired up and engaged in a variety of face-to-face and Internet chat communications with one another. The study showed that the Internet assisted in the communication of 'true self' qualities and facilitated in the projection of 'idealized' qualities on to their chat room partners. Papacharissi's (2002) study of web pages combines online survey research and content analysis of personal homepage motives and objectives. The results show that the majority of web authors create sites for information and entertainment purposes, self-expression, and communicating with family and friends.

Rosell and Hartman's study (2001) was conducted at a small, private liberal college in the rural Midwest and 82% of the participants were Caucasian/White. Tarrant's work (2001) based its 'out-group' as the opinions about 'boys from other schools', which assumes that boys dislike opposing schools instead of comparing it between in-group and out-group debates take place between subgroups within the school.

S.Carroll et al. (2002), L.Carroll and Anderson's (2002) research assume a correlation between tattooing and body piercing and the other 'trouble' symptoms in their basic research question. In addition, the design of both studies was in the format of a survey and each only taken from one location.

Polce-Lynch et al. (2001), Tian et al. (2001), Kozinets' (2002) generalized their smaller skewed communities as representative of a larger picture. Polce-Lynch et al. (2001) was based on responses from private, conservative, religious schools with primarily Caucasian students. Tian et al. (2001) through his study assumed that people have enough money to continually purchase goods, and the questions encode a bias of 'unique consumption' into the survey. Kozinets' (2002) used burning man participants as representative of subcultural ideals, and as such, demonstrative of subversive sub-cultural consumption representatives.

Bargh et al. (2002) assumes that psychology students at NYU are an unbiased population from which to conduct this study. Of the 1,000 homepages randomly generated in Papacharissi's research (2002), only 260 responses generated surveys and these responses typically consisted of people who had the means to maintain their site frequently: upper middle class, Caucasian Americans (77%), the majority with at least some college education (58%).

The gothic subculture is relatively unexplored in the field of sociology. In order to create the literature foundation for this study it became necessary to focus on facets of the group's behaviors and leanings in order to piece together the framework for my research. The articles chosen included studies on: clothing, hair styles, accessories, jewelry, make-up and body art/body modifications, music, the presentation of self online and the 'consumption of self' as extended to sub-cultural groups. My question now stands firm on the groundwork of these studies: What is the meaning and significance of self-presentation in Gothic Culture to members involved in it?

The following sections will begin to inquire about the importance of self-presentation as a means of expression and distinctiveness for members of the Goth community through issues such as the performance of identity, commodification of uniqueness, body modifications, and expression of self in virtual space.

RESEARCH DESIGN

Methods

For purposes of this study's general design I will be using inductive reasoning, meaning "ideas which move from less general to more general statements" (Adler, Clark 2003: 549). Additionally I will be using exploratory methods, meaning that my research is groundbreaking on a "relatively unstudied topic or in a new area" (Adler, Clark 2003: 549). The methods used for analyzing the general Goth population will include a snowball sampling of participant observation at the various Gothic shows in the San Francisco area, private ½ hour semi-structured interviews, content analysis of Goth flyers/posters, music, literature/poetry, films, dress/accessories, and online Gothic personalities/websites.

General Design

Goth/Gothic Culture: As defined in The Goth Scene, "Followers of the Goth aesthetic include people of different ages, sensibilities, religions, politics…careers…[and] sexual leanings"(Acker 2000: 21). The typical surface association of gothic culture is that many members dress all in black, have uncommon hairstyles, and often wear black lipstick, nail polish, and makeup that make them appear pale and ghostlike. Another stereotypical attribute assigned to members of the Gothic community is their tendency towards being overly imaginative, creative and artistic for the mainstream. This pull away from mainstream often moves such members to identify with outcasts and others who feel alienated from society. Goths are said to be a subculture of people who embrace the exploration and expression of the "deepest, darkest parts of themselves and of human nature…they recognize that sorrow, sadness, fear, and even pain are essential parts of the human condition" (Acker 2000: 19).

Self-Presentation: As defined by Erving Goffman (1959), the presentation of self can be seen as a "performance," constructed to provide others with a constant "impression" of identity. This "front," facilitates others in understanding how the individual fits into a social role and how they should interact with them. For purposes of this study, self-presentation extends from outward appearances, perception of inward emotional and psychological state, as well as constructed online personalities.

Tainted Events: Tainted events are a large component of the Gothic scene in Santa Cruz, California. The group is essentially the followings of a disc jockey team that tours to various venues; because of the group's mobile nature, the scene has created a sizeable and diverse membership.

The sampling of the general design will focus on active members of the San Francisco Gothic Scene. The people interviewed will be gathered from the weekly Goth events held in the San Francisco area. By means of snowball sampling, the study will progress through its connections with insiders and their advice; this means I will make connections with people at one event, which will then lead me to my next group of study. This procedure will continue until I have reached saturation (estimation of approximately 50 interviews). After creating a relationship with the members of the Goth community I will begin asking people to part-take in ½ hr interviews; once the interviews are collected, I will begin content analysis. For my units of analysis, which do not seem to have any evident independent or dependant variables, I will focus on people in the San Francisco Gothic Scene. The content analysis will explore all of the collected interviews, and be supplemented with similarly analyzed Goth flyers/posters, music, literature/poetry, films, dress/accessories, and online Gothic personalities/websites accumulated through discussion at the various Gothic events.

It seems rather unfeasible to generalize an entire subculture, nor should one want to do as such; people are unique and especially in counterculture groups, attempt to maintain their individuality. However, for this study, it is hypothesized that a saturation of answers from interviewees will not be unattainable. With the cooperation from respondents, by means of snowball sampling, the research should be fairly attainable by means of creating and maintaining insider relationships instead of relying on a response rate for surveys or the like. After thoroughly investigating the San Francisco Goth scene, the overall responses will most assuredly come into form.

Data collection will include:
Ø Half hour interviews with members of the San Francisco Gothic Community. These will be collected by means of establishing contacts within the scene, creating and maintaining relationships with the members and asking for the interview. All interviews will be archived on DV video footage for later analysis.
Ø Content analysis of Gothic art, including popular and underground Gothic music, literature/poetry, and cinema/theater. These works will be accumulated from: the books Goth, and Goth Culture; online; word of mouth.
Ø Flyers and posters of Gothic events in San Francisco in the years 2003-2004: This will take place through the attendance of Goth shows, online, and by word of mouth.

In terms of reliability, meaning the degree to which a measure yields consistent results, this study may have some issues because of the personal nature of the interviews. The validity of the descriptions in the interviews will also depend on the degree of openness created and maintained in the interview process: qualitative interviewing has a high internal validity. For this study, reliability may be difficult to achieve because of its temporal placement and the individual interview process.

A follow-up on this study, though interesting, is not necessary for purposes of the study's general design. The data collection should take no longer than one year's time (2003-2004). Only one researcher and one digital camera are necessary to produce the results of this study. Access to a scanner and funding for Digital Video tapes will also be necessary (approximately $600 for the DV tapes).

The ethical considerations for the general design will include the protection of the subjects being interviewed and their personal information divulged in the studies. For purposes of this study, all information pertaining to illegal activities and/or overly personal information will be excluded and or kept confidential. Because of the studies use of video archiving, the subjects will be given a copy of their interview for screening purposes and will have the option to withhold any portion of their documented interview from the study. Because of the nature of video, only the subject's names (and not identities) will remain protected from the tapes. For purposes of the objective written study, the subject's names and identities will be maintained to safeguard against potential harm. If necessary to create an open environment for the subject, they will also have the option of facing or turning away from the camera.

Pretest

The pretest will begin to give a sense of the meaning and significance of self-presentation in Goth culture. The pretest, including six ½ hr interviews taken from the Santa Cruz "Tainted" scene, will hardly reach saturation levels, however it will hopefully hint at the main areas of importance and significance in the Santa Cruz gothic culture which will help structure and focus my study's general design.

I will begin my participant observation by attending both the smaller "tainted" event at the Peachwoods hotel in Santa Cruz, and the larger event held at the Blue Lagoon Bar. The initial pretest step will enable me access to viewing and mingling with the subjects in hopes to establish primary contacts for the interview portion of the study. After locating the six individuals with whom I shall interview, I will set up the ½ hr interviews in which I can ask various questions regarding the meaning and significance of self-presentation to them as active members of the gothic scene in Santa Cruz. Before doing the interviews I will have them sign the consent forms.

The pretest population will follow the "tainted" Goth scene in Santa Cruz. This population is a group that attaches itself to two of the most popular Goth Disc Jockeys in the area that attract a wide range of Goth members. The pretest will utilize the responses of the "tainted" participants, one of the mobile Santa Cruz Goth scenes (meaning it moves to various locations with the same, or similar group participants). The general design population will include participation from all of the Goth scenes in the San Francisco area. This pretest, using the "tainted" crowd, is a good sample of the Goth scene in Santa Cruz in that the clubs surveyed have a large following, are mobile and diverse in their touring nature and maintain a steady following.

The interviews will be ½ an hour in length, which requires a semi-quiet room for the interviews to take place. A version of the pretest survey will occur in person at the various "tainted" shows in which I will approach and secure interviews with the members of the scene which most obviously embody the outward Gothic characteristics. The data collection will begin by first attending the "tainted" scene as a participant. This will enable an insider approach to finding valuable connections with participants for interview purposes. After locating the needed connections, the data collection will rely on their willingness to be interviewed. The interviews will take place after the shows at various late-night post-show locations (The Saturn, Dennys, The Santa Cruz Dinner…), and if necessary by individual meetings.

Much like that of the general design, the pretest's reliability may also have some issues because of the personal nature of the interviews. The validity of the descriptions in the interviews will also depend on the degree of openness created and maintained in the interview process: high internal validity and a low generalizability. For the pretest, the reliability may also be difficult to achieve because of its temporal placement and the individual interview process.

In terms of guarding for possible reactivity, my identity and interests in the subject matter will be withheld (as much as possible) until the conclusion of the interviews. Furthermore, the questions during the interview will be delivered objectively in order to create a safe environment for honesty. To additionally protect the study from contamination, the interview participants will be given as little information as possible regarding the study before the meeting. This method aims at giving the participant little time to conspire and discuss the topic with other members and to formulate their own opinion on the subject matter.

Similar to the ethical considerations for the general design, the pretest will include the protection of the subjects being interviewed and their personal information divulged in the studies. For purposes of the pretest, all information pertaining to illegal activities and/or overly personal information will be excluded and or kept confidential. Because of the studies use of video archiving, the subjects have the option to withhold any portion of their documented interview from the study. Because of the nature of video, only the subjects names will remain confidential from the tapes, however for purposes of the objective written study, both confidentiality of the subjects names and identities will be maintained to safeguard against potential harm. If necessary to create an open environment for the subject, they will also have the option of facing or turning away from the camera.

ANALYSIS OF PRETEST FINDINGS

GOTHIC HISTORY
(Click here to see subject pictures and biographies)

As far as the Gothic scene is concerned, the older members of the subculture (such as Ashe, Victoria Star, Mr. DeVille, and Kaos) all reflect on watching the scene define itself as something definable. As Goth emerged out of the alternative subculture, the Gothic scene "grew, evolved, became definable, and then marketable, and is now available in a box at your local mall" (Ashe). The lineage of Goth culture dates back to "14th century France, the death cults and their worshiping of Lucifer the dark one" (Ashe). The Goth music scene on the other hand is "the bastard love child of Rock Operas and real honest to God British Punk Rock... it's a super theatrical flamboyant depress-itude that goes against the common norm" (Ashe).

Overall, the interviews showed that the term "Goth" is too vague to truly pinpoint. Neko, Mr. DeVille and Victoria Star were most vocal in describing the problems with calling something "Goth". Neko stated, "I think Goth has lost its meaning...it was a loose term describing a whole way of life, now there is just not that culture anymore." Victoria Star agreed in her description that the "scene is so fragmented...its kind of an all inclusive sub-genre [now]."

The Gothic philosophy as described by Stitch attracts people who "want to embrace the negative things in life; they want to accept and even enjoy these things... trying to soften up the blows of life and the punches it deals you." Ashe agrees in that the "Goth culture embraces conflicts head on: war, fighting, emotional trauma, personal issues, psychosis, mental illness... it is all a part of life. The philosophy is really Zen, rather than ignoring, they recognize the evil and embrace the harm and in a sense become all the stronger people for it." Stitch furthers this point in his description that the Gothic subculture is "not about violence, not about anger... its poetic, about expressing your emotions, about love and embracing the things in life...understanding why we are here... its not the meaning of life... but its a mindset that puts you in a more acceptable position."

Ashe and Stitch agree that the philosophy of Gothic culture is "totally against the false sense of happiness provided by our society" (Ashe). Stitch backs this up with his own personal philosophy: "I don't take drugs, alcohol bores me as well, I don't do any of the poisons everyone likes to use to have a good time... these things are meant to make you 'feel better' and the Gothic subculture is about taking the things that don't make you feel good and making them make you feel better... so we already have our own drug, and our drug is life." Overall, the aim of the Goths are to "bring the struggle of mankind, which is the muse of all creation, into the light... the Goth/Industrial culture stands as a constant reminder that there has to be adversity in order to challenge us and make ups think...the self-presentation of the subculture is there way of communicating through their very actions, through their dress, through their existence...that nobody is getting off this rock alive...so do what you can while you are here cause were all going to be worm food" (Ashe).

PERFORMANCE OF IDENTITY

STEREOTYPES

The stereotypes of the Gothic culture in which the subjects claimed to be exacerbated by the media include being: suicidal, dangerous, Satanists, enjoying violence, drugs, obscure pagan religions, being overly sensitive, enjoy suffering, and worshiping being depressed [Victoria Star, Mr. DeVille, Stitch]. In all six cases, the subjects interviewed disagreed with most of the stereotypes they claimed to be placed on the subculture as reinforced by the media. Stitch, the youngest of the subjects interviewed, claimed that verbal attacks and ridicule were not uncommon for him; he also added "I get in trouble actually...people suspect me of doing violent things... I had major problems in high school because of that" (Stitch). Victoria Star argued, "I firmly don't agree with the stereotypes… you do not have to be depressed to be in the Gothic subculture." Neko's comments agree with this concept in that she claims not to "associate any kinds of emotions…like depression or loneliness [with Goth culture]".

Ashe contested Victoria Star and Neko's argument through his agreement with the stereotypes of depression and sensitivity, and furthermore added that he didn't know, "if the depression is a result of the sensitivity or if the depression is forced as a part of the scene... [He claims] the psychological condition is more likened to that of an aristocratic 14th century France where unless you were brooding and introspective you weren't considered sheik" (Ashe). Kaos stood in the middle ground of the debate in his disagreement with the media's stereotypes of Gothic culture, but added that though the members at times projected a "melancholy state and a bent towards the darker side" this tendency was not necessarily approached in a negative way.

APPEARANCE

All subjects interviewed claimed that dressing everyday in Gothic style clothing was most important to those members just joining the scene verses those already saturated in the culture. Of the six subjects, five began their participation in the scene in high school and claimed that during those years the dress was most important to their feeling of connection to the subculture. Ashe theorized, "the Gothic look developed because [they] were all dice geeks in high school and used the spikes and blackness to scare off the jocks so [they] wouldn't get trash canned."

Neko and Victoria both commented on the drastic changes in their physical appearance once joining the scene. Neko "totally changed from dressing urban style to wearing white makeup, velvet and lace" (to which her parents openly disagreed). Victoria Star described how she cut her long hair, dyed it pink, acquired a two-foot tattoo, and for years would only wear Victorian style dresses. She admitted that these choices all added up to some "pretty extreme changes", and Neko acknowledged that still today her dress helps her in "trying to stand out" (Neko). Kaos, agreed with Neko and further stated that the creation of ones Gothic dress is "suppose to be based on individuality and a unique identity" (Kaos). Though overall there is no one true 'Gothic' look, Ashe claimed a local seperation of style in that, "In San Francisco being a Goth means you wear a pirate shirt, and Ankh neckband and drink each other's blood... in one of the rectangle states you are considered a Goth if you own a Korn T-shirt".

Victoria Star and Mr. DeVille stood out as the most independent from the other fashion comments in their stray from typical Gothic attire. Victoria Star stated "the look was really important when I first got into the scene, now I couldn't give a damn. I think it is to presumptuous for people to paint themselves a certain way at certain times and expect people to get a certain idea about them" (Victoria Star). Mr. DeVille agreed in that though he has "never dressed 'Gothic'… [He has definitely] been involved in the Goth scene in more ways than one" (Mr. DeVille). Regardless of personal clothing choices, all of the subjects seemed confident in their self-presentation decisions surrounding their clothing choices. Kaos happily stated that because of the Gothic scene, "My social connections have strengthened, my appearance has gotten more eccentric and I definitely have become more comfortable in my own skin" (Kaos)

ATTITUDE

The consensus among the participants agrees that (as Kaos explains quite clearly) 'Goth' is more than just a subculture, "Goth Culture is an attitude." Ashe supported this concept in his stating, "I definitely think that there is an emotional state associated with being a Goth- Goth itself is such a broad description." He begins to define the associated states by saying "Goths are considered more brooding and introspective, more sensitive than your average butt rocking, Camaro driving, beer drinking, Skinnard enthusiast...yeah they weep, they read poetry... the whole nine yards" (Ashe). Stitch stands in agreement with this introspective nature, he said "I find that I'm growing more isolated...but I try to make my personality acceptable... I don't want to be regarded as a bad person, or rejected." Ashe comments that this Goth tendency which generalizes Goths as "Moody and intrinsic [also means that they are] a lot more intelligent than your average club goers...[he continues] when I'm in the mood to talk about something besides beer, sports, and sex... a Goth club is a wonderful alternative." On the other side, Neko claims to be a 'closet Goth' that just comes out on weekends to get dressed up for the club; she stated, though she doesn't live out her Gothic identity everyday, she loves "creating this persona." Victoria Star also agreed in the division between her normal self and her gothic identity in her explicit statement that "Victoria Star is a different personality" than her normal self.

These various versions of self also have a variety of Gothic outlets; Kaos described that within the Gothic subculture there are also smaller divisions such as "Corporate Goth, Perky Goth, Glitter Goth, Happy Goth ... [there is] just about anything." Neko described her introduction to the Gothic scene as the first time she felt as if she could 'belong', as if she was finally drawn to "something bigger than [herself; where she] fit in and could see [herself] being friends with the people in this group for a long time." Victoria Star took a somewhat different stance with her newfound take on the Gothic scene; she reflected that though during her previous engagement with the scene she developed "a lot of acquaintance, [she ended up having] less good friends." During her involvement as DJ she claimed to have "sucked up the attention... but as most social scenes it became apparent that it was hollow venture...lacking depth." Mr. DeVille, as a frequent of multiple sub-cultural events, further commented on the humor of the nature of clique trends, and how he now sees "how similar people act and dress and look and how the members notions of originality can sometimes reverse."

ONLINE IDENTITY

All of the subjects interviewed were heavily involved in personal and/or professional online activity as a means of expression and or a tool for connection. Ashe stated that the "creating and maintaining an online personality is definitely a part of the Gothic subculture, especially in the last five to ten years." He went on to say that though he couldn't pin point the link to exactly what connected the subculture to the Internet, but it was definitely present in more ways than one; he even went so far as saying "the technology industry breathed new life into the Gothic scene and [in turn] the Gothic culture was the backbone of the tech industry previous to the dot-com bubble."

Ashe and Mr. DeVille (though not consistently dressing the part of a Gothic members) state that they feel more "connected to the subculture online than in person" (Mr. DeVille) and feels that the Internet "plays a large part in defining me as a member of this subculture" (Ashe). Mr. DeVille also added that the Internet chat rooms were a great resource in his meeting of new people (though he did think that most Goths would label his online chat tactics were 'geeky'). Ashe supported this enthusiasm for online connection through his assertion that, "one probably gets more emails than phone numbers at a Goth event. [Though he is] not sure if it is because of the groups tech orientation or its asocial tendencies which helps sociopaths get out without making a commitment."

COMMODIFICATION OF UNIQUENESS

MUSIC

All of the subjects interviewed claimed that the majority of their personal music in their collections they did not buy. Ashe stated (similar to that of the other participants) "I don't buy music, I get it online and do a lot of circulation within the Gothic community. It helps the family's cohesion when you trade music." Victoria Star supported this notion through her means of personally acquiring music and additionally her conception that it is "Recorded Music and Live Music [which] are the cohesive core of the Gothic Subculture, [and that] without it there would be no culture and the scene would fall apart." On the other side, Mr. DeVille contested the entire term "Gothic" as descriptive of the scene by saying, "I grew up in the 80's listening to what they called death punk and death rock- the word Goth came along later, Goth to me is a fashion."

FASHION

Goth as a fashion has its own set of assumed counter-culture norms. Ashe describes this in that "there is definitely a pecking order to people who buy stuff off the racks and people who make their own clothing... [He continues that] buying isn't a sin if you blend it with enough of your own personal identity and use the garments you do buy to make yourself an individual instead of a cookie" (Ashe). Overwhelmingly, the interviews showed a conflicted response regarding mainstreamed alternative stores such as 'Hot Topic' (or as Kaos put it 'The Gothic Gap'), and unanimously promoted the making of ones own clothes and the purchasing of clothing items online from overseas (Europe).

Ashe describes 'Hot Topic' and other alternative stores as a "double edged sword. Part of me wants to say its 'whiteys' way of tapping into our resources to get money for his golf community, and at the same time i think its great that we don't have to order from London anymore" (Ashe). Mr. DeVille elaborates on this by explaining that 'Hot Topic' "produces really cheap clothes that only lasts 2-3 club nights and then falls a part in the washing machine. It's based off the old head shop/alternative stores from the 80's (retail slut; the black); they offer quick alternative fashion and apparel. When my friends ask why I shop there, and I tell them it is because I'm a cheapskate." Ashe added that even though the mainstream creates a "Goth for beginners-101 and sells it in a package, however once you get in the meat and taters of it its so damn freaky they cant write it down on paper." Overall, all six of the subjects expressed the importance of shopping for the best deal regardless of its associated social stigmas. Victoria Star was the most removed from the importance of shopping within the assumed Gothic counter-culture norms. Mr. DeVille was also stressed the importance that "dressing a certain way does not make you Gothic." Stitch agreed with Mr. DeVille's notion and stated that "You don't have to dress in black, its a mind set...a way of living... not just a fashion sense." Stitch later admitted that though he values the art and philosophy side of Gothic culture most, he looses most of his money on the purchasing of Gothic style clothes. For Stitch, he rides the line of wanting to stand out but also wanting to remain hidden. He claims that (though he dresses in Gothic attire daily) Gothic fashion for him is just for fun, "you sit in a room full of people who don't like to wear blue jeans and you laugh at each other...its basically having a good time."

ANALYSIS OF PRETEST AS A TEST OF THE GENERAL DESIGN

The most powerful strength of choosing the "Tainted Goth Scene" in Santa Cruz is its overwhelmingly open and inviting nature. All of the interviews requested during the course of the study were graciously accepted and additionally created new friendships with most everyone whom I met in the process. Within each of the interviews, the members themselves commented on Santa Cruz's scene as different from most other scenes by its: "super duper friendly atmosphere" (Neko), its "supportive nature" (Kaos), its "forgiving disposition to other alternative scenes" (Ashe), its "ideally peaceful and diverse range of subcultures" (Stitch)…the list goes on...

Unfortunately however, this strength of the pretest sample could also feasibly be seen as a weakness in the general design. Each interview noted the great difference between the Santa Cruz Gothic scene and other such scenes in the local and global community. Comments about San Francisco typically classified the scene as overly pretentious and intimidating. This change in location also is told to have a difference in Gothic attire, hobbies, communication norms, and overall social atmosphere.

Though the pretest of the "Tainted Events" seemed quite successful in analyzing the Santa Cruz Gothic scene, the General Design seems quite a far reach from the little friendly scene in Santa Cruz. On the positive side, general Gothic terms, popular music, acceptable subculture attire, traditions, the performance of identity, commodification of uniqueness, body modifications, and expression of self in virtual space were quite thoroughly investigated. Furthermore, even though the pretest was a quite different scene, the added knowledge acquired brings the General Design closer into reach.

References

Acker, Kerry. 2000. The Goth Scene: Everything You Need To Know. New York: The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc.

Adler, Emily Stier; Clark, Roger. 2003. How It's Done. United States: Thomson Wadsworth.

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Appendices

Semi-Structured Interview Questions:
(partially structured following Paul Hodkinson's 1997 Whitby Festival Questionnaire)
1. What is your age?
2. With what gender and sexuality do you identify?
3. What is your occupation?
4. What is your ethnicity?
5. Do you live with a partner or spouse?
6. Do you have any children for whom you are responsible?
7. How long have you been involved in the "Goth" scene?
8. Since you began your participation in the scene, what (if any) changes have you made or seen in your physical appearance and social connections?
9. Do you believe that there is a perception of inward emotional and psychological states associated with being a "Goth"
10. What, for you, are the most important attractions of the (Santa Cruz) Gothic scene?
11. In the past year, how many Goth or Goth-related events have you attended which involved traveling more than 30 miles from home?
12. Do you know of people traveling from outside of Santa Cruz to part-take in this Goth Scene?
13. In your opinion, where is the hottest Goth scene currently taking place? What makes it so hot?
14. Which of the following are most important to your participation in the Goth Scene? Socializing, Nightclubs/pubs, fashion/appearance, recorded music, live music, books, films, other?
15. How important is the Gothic "look" in the creating and maintaining of a Gothic identity?
16. Where do you buy Goth music from? Local Independent Shops, Local Chain Shops, Shops Outside Locality, Gigs/Festivals, Mail Order/Online, Don't Buy, Other?
17. Where do you buy Goth clothes and accessories from? Local Independent Shops/Market Stalls, Local Chain Shops, Non-local Shops, Gigs/Festivals, Mail Order/Online, Home Made, Don't Buy, Other?
18. What is your opinion of "Hot-Topic" and other such "alternative" stores?
19. What accessories and or changes in appearance are necessary to create your "Goth" look?
20. Is there an overall identity or theme to members of the Gothic subculture?
21. Do you have a web page/online personality; is it connected with being a member of the Gothic community?
22. Is there anything else about your experience in the Gothic scene that has not yet been discussed?