# Why so many white people social/subcultures as compared to blacks? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 22, 2009, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-many-white-people-social-subcultures-as-compared-to-blacks/482521 "2009-01-22T21:23:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![5-HT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/f19dbf/32.png) [@5-HT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5-HT)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-many-white-people-social-subcultures-as-compared-to-blacks/482521/61 "2009-01-23T23:52:33Z")
Are there really black goths? I’ve never seen that, but now I want to, it sounds hilarious. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2009, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-many-white-people-social-subcultures-as-compared-to-blacks/482521/62 "2009-01-24T00:01:39Z")
> [@5-HT](#): > > Are there really black goths? I’ve never seen that, but now I want to, it sounds hilarious. You’ve never seen Dennis Rodman? [You can find anything on MySpace](http://groups.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=groups.groupProfile&groupID=105113262&Mytoken=9DA8763E-C122-480C-A5) ---
**Author:** ![5-HT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/f19dbf/32.png) [@5-HT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5-HT)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2009, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-many-white-people-social-subcultures-as-compared-to-blacks/482521/63 "2009-01-24T00:12:08Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > You’ve never seen Dennis Rodman? > > [You can find anything on MySpace](http://groups.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=groups.groupProfile&groupID=105113262&Mytoken=9DA8763E-C122-480C-A5) Dennis Rodman, while plenty strange and funny looking, doesn’t seem even remotely goth-like. I keep trying to picture this and all I can come up with is Mr. Trick from Buffy. edit: ok, I looked at the link. wow. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2009, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-many-white-people-social-subcultures-as-compared-to-blacks/482521/64 "2009-01-24T00:16:54Z")
You’re right. He’s more scene. I have 2 21 year olds so I know about this stuff. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2009, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-many-white-people-social-subcultures-as-compared-to-blacks/482521/65 "2009-01-24T00:24:49Z")
> [@5-HT](#): > > Are there really black goths? I’ve never seen that, but now I want to, it sounds hilarious. There are. [http://www.ethnicgoth.com/www/images/africanamericangoth002.jpg](http://www.ethnicgoth.com/www/images/africanamericangoth002.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2009, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-many-white-people-social-subcultures-as-compared-to-blacks/482521/66 "2009-01-24T00:25:52Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > You’re right. He’s more scene. What does that even [mean](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flwC3tlfq88)? ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2009, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-many-white-people-social-subcultures-as-compared-to-blacks/482521/67 "2009-01-24T00:32:05Z")
> [@mswas](#): > > What does that even [mean](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flwC3tlfq88)? You gotta have 2 21 year olds to understand, nowadimeen? ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2009, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-many-white-people-social-subcultures-as-compared-to-blacks/482521/68 "2009-01-24T00:42:48Z")
> [@Omega\_Glory](#): > > Nope, it was you, and whoa, from almost five years ago. It’s kind of eerie reading something I wrote and not having a single memory of it. Maybe I was possessed by a comedic demon or something. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2009, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-many-white-people-social-subcultures-as-compared-to-blacks/482521/69 "2009-01-24T01:23:02Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > You gotta have 2 21 year olds to understand, nowadimeen? No man! ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2009, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-many-white-people-social-subcultures-as-compared-to-blacks/482521/70 "2009-01-24T02:31:08Z")
> [@5-HT](#): > > Are there really black goths? I’ve never seen that, but now I want to, it sounds hilarious. There are some. Not a whole lot, but they’re out there. You may have seen a few and not identified them as such, since most don’t wear the pale makeup favored by many white Goths. There are also some black girls who aren’t really into the Goth subculture but who, like white girls, occasionally dress is a sexy Goth style when going out. > [@monstro](#): > > It’s kind of eerie reading something I wrote and not having a single memory of it. Maybe I was possessed by a comedic demon or something. Demons? Sounds kind of Goth to me! ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2009, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-many-white-people-social-subcultures-as-compared-to-blacks/482521/71 "2009-01-24T03:00:47Z")
Wait… goth is sexy?!? I thought it was all about death and deepness and looking just like all the other goths… ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2009, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-many-white-people-social-subcultures-as-compared-to-blacks/482521/72 "2009-01-24T04:08:44Z")
> [@eleanorigby](#): > > Wait… goth is sexy?!? I thought it was all about death and deepness and looking just like all the other goths… Not if you’re just dressing up to go to a club and want to look edgy. I’m not talking about girls with much interest in the Goth subculture, just those who occasionally say to themselves something like “I will look totally hot in black fishnet stockings, black vinyl boots, a black minidress, black eyeliner, and black lipstick.” This was common enough back when I was in college, at least. I don’t know what serious Goths think about this kind of thing. Maybe it fills their soul with a sepulchral miasma of suffering. ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2009, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-many-white-people-social-subcultures-as-compared-to-blacks/482521/73 "2009-01-24T04:10:49Z")
> [@Lamia](#): > > I don’t know what serious Goths think about this kind of thing. Maybe it fills their soul with a sepulchral miasma of suffering. That and the ultimate quest for nihilism… ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2009, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-many-white-people-social-subcultures-as-compared-to-blacks/482521/74 "2009-01-24T04:22:16Z")
> [@5-HT](#): > > Are there really black goths? Yes. They don’t look any sillier than white goths from what I’ve seen. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2009, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-many-white-people-social-subcultures-as-compared-to-blacks/482521/75 "2009-01-24T19:46:01Z")
> [@Lamia](#): > > Not if you’re just dressing up to go to a club and want to look edgy. I’m not talking about girls with much interest in the Goth subculture, just those who occasionally say to themselves something like “I will look totally hot in black fishnet stockings, black vinyl boots, a black minidress, black eyeliner, and black lipstick.” This was common enough back when I was in college, at least. > > I don’t know what serious Goths think about this kind of thing. Maybe it fills their soul with a sepulchral miasma of suffering. Yeah, serious goths hate them. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2009, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-many-white-people-social-subcultures-as-compared-to-blacks/482521/76 "2009-01-24T20:09:02Z")
There are even black emos. **[And I Thought Normal Emo's Are weird. - Picture | eBaum's World](http://www.ebaumsworld.com/pictures/view/414749/)** ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2009, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-many-white-people-social-subcultures-as-compared-to-blacks/482521/77 "2009-01-24T20:10:15Z")
> [@Liberal](#): > > There are even black emos. > > **[http://www.ebaumsworld.com/pictures/view/414749/](http://www.ebaumsworld.com/pictures/view/414749/)** It is interesting in context that ‘Normal’ emos are white and that a black emo is even weirder. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2009, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-many-white-people-social-subcultures-as-compared-to-blacks/482521/78 "2009-01-24T20:11:19Z")
Serious goths hate everyone. ---
**Author:** ![alexandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e68b1a/32.png) [@alexandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alexandra)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-many-white-people-social-subcultures-as-compared-to-blacks/482521/79 "2009-01-25T01:25:11Z")
This thread is reminding me of one of my favourite internet icons, of which the text is “so Goth I was born black”. Also the expression “blipster”. ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-many-white-people-social-subcultures-as-compared-to-blacks/482521/80 "2009-01-25T01:40:19Z")
> [@mswas](#): > > It is interesting in context that ‘Normal’ emos are white and that a black emo is even weirder. When I lived in Japan I’d sometimes see Japanese Goths (I’m told the subculture is not really the same as in the US/Europe, but they dress much the same), and what I thought was really amusing was that they often had bleached blonde hair. Here’s the first [relevant photo](http://www.japanforum.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=2233&cat=2) I could find online. I was a bit surprised the first time I saw one of these blonde Japanese Goths. From my American perspective few things could be _less_ Goth than bleached blonde hair, and practically the first thing Goth kids in the US do is dye their hair black. Wouldn’t Japanese Goths be happy that nature saved them the trouble? But I quickly realized that there’s nothing cool or edgy about having black hair if virtually everyone in your country is BORN with it. So a lot of Japanese Goths have gone to the other extreme and try to get their hair as _light_ as possible. (Totally unnatural colors like blue or pink are also sometimes seen, as in the West.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-many-white-people-social-subcultures-as-compared-to-blacks/482521.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-many-white-people-social-subcultures-as-compared-to-blacks/482521.md?page=5)