The Definition of Emo

(Transferred to a blog post from a bulletin I posted a few weeks ago.) Granted, I've only been on this website for a few days, but this being basically a clone of old MySpace, I'm happy to see that it's becoming a hub for nostalgic emos like myself who want to revive the spirit of the mid-2000's. But for as long as I've been around the emo scene, I've seen a lot of discussion and arguing about what defines emo. And since I've seen some of that spill over onto this website, I figure I'll use this bulletin to say my piece. I started calling myself emo around the summer of 2015. If anyone were to be blamed for that, it would be my ex-boyfriend, though I think I might've fallen in with the scene anyways (more on that in a minute). But in the time since, I've gotten to learn more about emo subculture, and I've gained this understanding that it's a subculture that has fluctuated and reinvented itself so many times in a matter of roughly 30 years that it cannot reasonably be parsed or defined as a whole. Everyone has their own interpretation of emo which they're entitled to, but there's no concrete definition of it. It's not my business to tell anybody that they can't call themselves emo either. But I do feel it necessary to offer my own definition. To me, emo is a unique form of expression. I don't associate it with the stereotypes of self-harm and depression, but rather, I think it signifies a person who is in touch with their feelings in a very profound way. We're passionate about the thoughts and emotions that build us up. Emo is all about tearing away the veil to show the distorted and messed up human complex, brandishing the scars that show who we are, and being honest about it. Emo embraces the fact that we're all just lost souls roaming around in a big scary world, searching for solace and protection, searching for purpose, searching for love and security, searching for ourselves and someone else. And everything about the scene -- the dress style, the hair, the genres of music associated with emo -- is just a reflection of that, in some form. I've fallen so in love with it because it reflects my own values. And I know I'd rather be emotional than someone who feels no sympathy for anyone. Again, that's just my own interpretation of emo. I don't care much for kids today calling themselves emo or scene regardless of whether or not they actually are. It's just how they label themselves, and again, it's not my place to judge. At the end of the day, it's only a label. I just have zero tolerance for elitism in any form, and no patience for those that hold themselves to such a high standard that they believe they're a shining example of what emo is (and it wouldn't be anyone reading this, I promise). So please, let's just put an end to the debate, and learn to live and let live.