I have often compared myself to my parents (of the 1970s early 1980s era) who regularly hosted formal dinner parties, had standing tennis and golf matches, and who traveled rather often . . . am I boring because I do none of these things? Am I somehow less than or socially inept because of my lack of interest in these things? Well, travel is interesting to me, but ykwim. I don't often travel. More vividly, for me, being and identifying as a goth sends oodles of stereotypes through peoples' minds (not that I'm an overt goth, because I'm not at all) . . . No, I'm actually not suicidal, morose, homicidal, or highly cynical. I have always just loved the aesthetic and the music. Am I somehow missing out on normalcy by not preferring Izods and khakis? I don't feel that way. Some of my best times and favorite memories involve the music, the underground vibe, the visual aesthetics, and the really really intelligent people I have known and met through the goth "sub"culture. Does this mean I feel I must only have gothy friends? No, not at all. It's not about extremes of normalcy -- as you say, what is normalcy? The things I enjoy the most are closely intertwined with my daily activities -- blogging; reading criminology material; reading mental health material; pet care; reading about pop culture; IMing with my friends. Am I somehow missing out on something because I prefer IM to the phone? I don't think I'm particularly abnormal because I prefer our hamster to sports, or because reading forums about aquariums and tropical fish actually interests me, LOL! I think the proverbial question of What is normal? definitely applies.
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Date: 2011-01-21 12:22 am (UTC)I have often compared myself to my parents (of the 1970s early 1980s era) who regularly hosted formal dinner parties, had standing tennis and golf matches, and who traveled rather often . . . am I boring because I do none of these things? Am I somehow less than or socially inept because of my lack of interest in these things? Well, travel is interesting to me, but ykwim. I don't often travel. More vividly, for me, being and identifying as a goth sends oodles of stereotypes through peoples' minds (not that I'm an overt goth, because I'm not at all) . . . No, I'm actually not suicidal, morose, homicidal, or highly cynical. I have always just loved the aesthetic and the music. Am I somehow missing out on normalcy by not preferring Izods and khakis? I don't feel that way. Some of my best times and favorite memories involve the music, the underground vibe, the visual aesthetics, and the really really intelligent people I have known and met through the goth "sub"culture. Does this mean I feel I must only have gothy friends? No, not at all. It's not about extremes of normalcy -- as you say, what is normalcy? The things I enjoy the most are closely intertwined with my daily activities -- blogging; reading criminology material; reading mental health material; pet care; reading about pop culture; IMing with my friends. Am I somehow missing out on something because I prefer IM to the phone? I don't think I'm particularly abnormal because I prefer our hamster to sports, or because reading forums about aquariums and tropical fish actually interests me, LOL! I think the proverbial question of What is normal? definitely applies.