And this is what I mean about taking things as an attack. I've obviously hit some sort of nerve here and you are coming out on the defensive.
If the word "emo" annoys or upsets someone then they need to figure out why. What is it about that word that gets their back up, what is it that upsets them? It's not going to be the word, but the connotations surrounding it. Is it the self-harming, is is some sort of guilty shame that stabs at them every time someone mentions it? Is it that they don't want to be grouped in with "those people" because they are "proper self-harmers" who have "reasons" and aren't doing it so as to be perceived as cool or fit in with a group? Is it something completely different?
Emo is a word. The word itself won't hurt you, but the connotations might. Figure it out for yourself and why they word has such power over you and then maybe, just maybe, it'll stop.
In my initial post to this thread, I actually stated that this fad doesn't touch me. This thread doesn't mean anything to me, except that I had something I thought might be constructive to offer the OP. However, I belong to the tired social school of "if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything." What "struck a nerve" with me was the rude and condescending way you phrased your post, casually brushing off the OP without offering any sort of useful suggestions. That's all.
I'm sorry to drag this back up. I haven't been here in awhile; actually, I was coming here today to remove my content and shut down my page since I'm not using the site after all. But I couldn't leave this hanging out there after you replied to me, so I guess this post stays. I'd rather leave loose ends than be rude enough to leave a conversation unfinished.
I used to dress in a manner that fitted the "emo" stereotype. That was something like 5-6 years ago, lol.
Now I'm 21, and I wear blue jeans, and colourful tops, and have very boring *brown* hair, lol. I like wearing my silver flowery sandals and I have a great big white faux fur coat :)
When people call me "emo", I don't really care. I couldn't fit the stereotype if I raided my wardrobe, lol.
People don't really talk about self harm around me, anybody that knows me knows that I self harm. I don't hide my scars anymore, (any healing wounds are always bandaged) and again, anybody that knows me doesn't hold it against me. A lot of people don't even bat an eyelid any more, at least not to my face, heh.
Last edited by LilMissEmma : 09-06-2012 at 10:06 PM.
Reason: Added a little bit on the end
However, I belong to the tired social school of "if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything." What "struck a nerve" with me was the rude and condescending way you phrased your post, casually brushing off the OP without offering any sort of useful suggestions. That's all.
That's how you read it, not how it was actually meant. My suggestion of "ignore it, it's only a word" is very useful, and is advice that can be transferred to other aspects of life. You will also notice that I wasn't the first person to essentially say "it's only a word", yet for some reason you picked on me and my post to attack.
for the "emo" stereotype, I try to explain to people that originally "emo" is just short for "emotional", and everyone is emotional. By that I mean, nobody is emotionless, even if it seems that way for some people, inside, they are not.
for jokes on SH, I usually freak out inside, just force a laugh or something, but those jokes really piss me off. people don't understand though.
"Love is not like anything, especially a fucking knife!"
- The Used
With some of my friends I've had to get used to it. One (who has no idea that I self harm and I intend on keeping it that way) calls me 'emo' but since she's just referring to my clothing, hair and music.
Self Harm jokes are somewhat worse. I've never had them directed at me, but listening to people talking about 'Oh suchandsuch was so bad I wanted to slit my wrists'- that annoys the hell out of me.
I try to keep this as secretive as possible. Only one friend knows, and she would know not to say stuff like that. But since my other friends don't know, I have heard them make the classic "Guess I'm going to be emo and cut myself" kinda stuff. I usually just stay quiet and kinda chuckle a bit to play along so they don't get too suspicious.
It depends on who it is and what I'm feeling that day. If I know the person I will correct them. Even if they make the mistake more than once I will correct them a few times, then if that doesn't work I snap. If it's someone I don't know or I'm having a bad day, I will snap instantly and scream at them. To me there is nothing more irritating than someone who thinks less of other people for any reason.
