Every Goth knows of those people who just make you want to facepalm. The people who say they're Goth because they listen to Marilyn Manson.* Those people who go around introducing themselves as "Gothic Jane" (people actually do that!) or can't think up a more interesting Goth name than Raven (which is a great name, and I would use it in my writing if it weren't so unbelievably cliché). Taken a step further, those people who play to stereotypes and cliches, such as being gloomy and depressed all the time because they think it makes them "more Goth," when most Goths aren't gloomy and depressed. Oh yes, and "mall goths", those people who practically live at Hot Topic.
The dictionary defines "poser" as "a person who acts in an affected manner in order to impress others." The thing is, this is an accurate description of many babybats. Most people new to the Goth scene are so excited about the fact that they're GOTH that they'll shove it in everybody's faces and try to impress older members of the subculture. Also, many Goths consider a poser to be someone who is ignorant about the fundamentals of the Goth scene, and most babybats are because they're new to it. In fact, this sometimes makes babybats the most elitist Gothier-Than-Thou people out there, because they're insecure from trying to find their identity within the Goth scene and can't absorb all its diversity yet. "If you're different from me, that means one of us isn't a real Goth, right?" It's generally accepted that if you're a poser, you're not a "real Goth." Does that mean that the subculture is shoving away all its dramatic, naive newcomers, or that said newcomers are fighting amongst each other? What's the point of that? The word "poser" is also slapped onto just about anyone who doesn't fit an elitist's ideal of what makes someone Goth. So what exactly is a poser?
A poser is a person who cares more about the image of being Goth than the actual aesthetic and mindset. They wear clothes that fit their idea of what Goth is, not clothes that they actually like. They listen to music that they think is Goth, without bothering to do research, or they listen to music that they don't really like because they think it's Goth. They play to stereotypes because they think you have to be sullen to be Goth. They do this maybe because they hate their parents, or maybe because they they hate "the mainstream" and want to be the counterculture, not because they're actually drawn to spooky stuff. They think that looking or acting "Goth" somehow makes them "non-conformists," although conforming to a counterculture is still conforming (again, think South Park). A black sheep is still a sheep, especially when it's standing with a bunch of other black sheep. What's the difference between a babybat and a poser? Babybats are genuine; posers are not.
To simply determine whether someone is a real Goth, ask them this question: What would you do if you found yourself in a world where everyone wears black, where everyone listens to spooky music and reads scary stories, everyone lives in old castles and Victorian mansions, where everyone has white faces and dark makeup, essentially a world where everyone is Goth (or, you know, Umbragard). Most Goths would be absolutely thrilled by such a place. As great as it is to be unique, a world where people genuinely share your tastes and interests is awesome. However, if your suspect responds negatively to this idea, such as saying that they wouldn't be Goth if Goth were "the mainstream," it shows that they only care about shock value or just want to be the counterculture. They're most likely not a darkly inclined individual.
Another nearly foolproof test? I heard a story on Quora about a girl who "did the whole Goth thing" (teased hair, heavy makeup, fishnets, etc.) to scare her parents, and her mother effectively and brilliantly ended it by complimenting her on her outfit and asking her to smile for the camera. I know if I was complimented on my outfits by my parents (and I have been a few times), I'd be flattered, and I think most Goths would be, too! Most Goths put a lot of time and effort into their appearances and are proud of their fashion sense. If my parents wanted to take a picture, well, maybe I wouldn't give them more than a smirk, but I'd let them do it. When I commented on this post that real Goths would be flattered by compliments, someone replied, "There are real Goths?" Facepalm.
Any apparent Goth who makes a point about being angst-ridden and depressed and "expressing their internal suffering" probably isn't genuine. Morticia Addams said that "black is such a happy color." Even if we're not the most outwardly peppy of people, Goths are Goths because being Goths makes us happy.
Maybe I don't have the authority to talk about this because I'm a babybat myself (and the definition of that is debatable too; the Lady of the Manners considers a babybat to be anyone under 21, not just a brand new member of the scene, because older goths tend to use it as a term of endearment for young people. This seems to make sense. I don't think a 40 year old newcomer would be called a babybat). Despite that, I've done a lot of research and heard a lot of opinions, so I think I can give my two cents. After all, I've tried not to be ignorant, and I don't go around introducing myself by saying "Hi, I'm Sarah! I'm a Goth" (though I have introduced myself as Nyx Shadowhawk before). What do you think?
Art by IrenHorrors
*Marilyn Manson's music is not considered Goth. There are undoubtably Goths that listen to him, but you can't say you're Gothbecause you listen to him.
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