In the past, the various horror genres have had relatively limited readership, waxing and waning with the trends of the day, yet always pulling through on a small core of loyal readers of the genres. Readership of horror is growing again. Anne Rices' vampires, Stephanie Meyer, adult series such as 'True Blood' and lately even the Disney Channel series offering, 'My Babysitter's a Vampire', show that the occult creature is more popular than it has ever been in the last few decades. Vampires are everywhere and so is 'soft horror'.
The popularity of Stephanie Meyer's 'Twilight' is not in dispute, Millions have read the books and seen the movies. The quality is hotly debated, particularly by naysayers who ascribe certain characteristics to their chosen genre, and deny that the Twilight' series matches any number of criteria. This article is not going to shed any further light on that. It is up to the reader or writer to form opinions.
The interesting thing about Stephanie Meyer is the rapid uptake of her stories, with their particular cast of occult characters.
In the past, the various horror genres have had relatively limited readership, waxing and waning with the trends of the day, yet always pulling through on a small core of loyal readers of the genres. Readership of horror is growing again. Anne Rices' vampires, Stephanie Meyer, adult series such as 'True Blood' and lately even the Disney Channel series offering, 'My Babysitter's a Vampire', show that the occult creature is more popular than it has ever been in the last few decades. Vampires are everywhere and so is 'soft horror'.
'Watering down' of the mainstream media archetype to the point where it uses blood substitutes and sparkles in sunlight must have played a large role in this acceptance.
What is the significance for goth culture?
Goth culture is extremely fragmented, not surprising for its individualism and tolerance of individualism. Certain forms have emerged though: black clothing, dark eyeliner, a propensity for 'dusters', black boots and personal adornments in the form of occult jewelery and body art such as tattoos and piercing. In other words, the various groupings are easily recognizable.
The associations have also become clear: goth preoccupation with various occult archetypes and death are widely known. The vampire, the grave and aspects of the Victorian era are the most obvious.
In this milieu, it is quite easy for a person who is not familiar with aspects of goth culture to draw the linkage between Disney and Meyer on the one hand, and goth culture on the other, in spite of the fact that Meyer for instance, is more correctly associated with emo culture, as one goth clearly pointed out. Someone who no longer sees himself as a goth but is noted for dark films and dark photographic aesthetics also points out that 'every teenage film has at least one token goth' and that it is now quite easy to find goth fashion in high street stores.
Entry of goth into the mainstream builds acceptance. Theoretically goths should be less susceptible to random violence, such as the fatal assault of Sophie Lancaster, although violence continues.
Goth culture should also be better understood, but unfortunately it isn't. Prepackaged fashion and lifestyles make darker aesthetics far easier to adopt without the understanding or the intellectual exploration of the various ideas that underpinned the culture. Everyone can be dark in some or other way or degree, but the need to find the light that creates the shadows is not a prerequisite. The price of mainstreaming is loss of depth.
Surprisingly (or not surprisingly) the resistance comes from members of the goth cultures. There is a notional benefit in the positive portrayal, but there is also the sense of a need to be different, and to belong. It isn't all that easy to be different when everyone looks (almost) the same, or to decide with whom to belong.
Mainstream entertainment and the media have the final say though. Once upon a time, Elvis and the cult of rock and roll were the villains. Punk has become a thing of kids movies, with The Clash on the soundtrack of 'Rugrats go Wild' and a Buzzcocks cover in 'Shrek 2'. John Lydon comes across as a bit of a wicked old 'luvvie' advertising butter. Now the goth is a feature of the teenage ensemble cast and the goth preoccupation is showing up on Disney Channel.
Perhaps that's a reason to feel dark. Unfortunately, it won't help. Just don't be tempted to add glitter to the makeup kit.
And by the way...
For a sweet-natured look at goth comportment and coping the issues that confront goths, you might well find edification in the lessons of Gothic Charm School.
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