No child safe from sinister cult of emo

[MeoW333]

Emo is no cult lol; it's some fad that will soon pass like all the others do. I don't think it puts a child a risk for suicide. That child has to have factors present such as depression, some sort of mental illness, coupled with lack of counseling and things going on in their present environment. It wouldn't matter what "subculture" they were involved in, suicide doesn't discriminate.

 

[reb]

but if we BRING BACK CHILD LABOR.. there would BE no more 'emo'....!
if middle-upper class kids were not so spoiled and bored, they would not have so much time to brood all day about how much their life sucks. give them a JOB TO DO, a purpose in life, and send them to a third would country for a year or 2, and i bet that will change their outlook!

that being said.. this situation is not necessarily their fault. they are a product of their environment and everything that has led up to this point in time. when you grow up in the sterile suburbs, isolated from a real community, and your main window of the world is through TV, movies, crappy commercial music and the like... well, it's no wonder they're messed up in the head.

but of course, i do see the humor here...

 

[absinthe]

Sinister, bwa! What's sinister is the stupid haircuts and boys trying to fit into their sisters' jeans.

 

[Masterj]

Sinister, bwa! What's sinister is the stupid haircuts and boys trying to fit into their sisters' jeans.

Don't forget that lame-o Pete Wentz. He's pretty sinister, IMO! :crazy:

 

[Floh]

Sinister, bwa! What's sinister is the stupid haircuts and boys trying to fit into their sisters' jeans.

 

[FLMom]

I know someone was trying to write a serious story, but I couldn't help but roll my eyes. In the 60's it was the beatnicks, followed by the hippies, goth, metalheads, grunge and on down the line. It's all about the drama. My mom used to call me Sara Bearnheardt in my day. . . it's all the same, just with a different name. Bad poetry and phone drama at 2am.

As long as we have hormone surges in our bodies in the teen years, there's always going to be "counter-culture". For a retro perspective, check out "Reefer Madness" and have yourself a good giggle.

The cutting thing gets me though. Here's my theory for what it's worth. I want to add the addendum that I AM NOT belittling anyone with this condidtion, but I think the "cutters" of today are to the 70's and 80's what anorexics were then. It's all about a form of control over one's body, and doing something to themselves that no one else can change or take away. A cutter will cut as long as they find anything sharp to release pain. An anorexic will find a way to binge/purge and starve themselves as long as food is nearby. I've known both and can't help but see the correlation.

Now the Cult of ELMO. . . . now I'm scared! Seriously. We had one that would randomly talk in the middle of the night. THAT my friends will chill your gizzard.

 

[GlitchWizard]

I'm confused about 'trophy cuts'.

Back in the 80's, we took erasers and rubbed the backs of our hands to leave a mark. I still have mine. We called it a sissy test.

Same thing, but upsets parents more because it's correlated with a real mental illness that most emo kids don't have - but you have to take it serioulsy just in CASE it's serious.

My kid says it ATTRACTS suicidal kids, who are searching for a place to belong. So, yeah, there will be a higher suicide rate noticed. (She said "Duh" after it, but I didn't want to just throw it out there like maybe I said it or something.)

 

[curious1]

Back in the 80's, we took erasers and rubbed the backs of our hands to leave a mark. I still have mine. We called it a sissy test.

Same thing, but upsets parents more because it's correlated with a real mental illness that most emo kids don't have - but you have to take it serioulsy just in CASE it's serious.

My kid says it ATTRACTS suicidal kids, who are searching for a place to belong. So, yeah, there will be a higher suicide rate noticed. (She said "Duh" after it, but I didn't want to just throw it out there like maybe I said it or something.)

Oh the eraser thing, I forgot about that. Hurt like heck, needless to say I no longer have a mark, I was a sissy.

 

[GlitchWizard]

Oh the eraser thing, I forgot about that. Hurt like heck, needless to say I no longer have a mark, I was a sissy.

I'm shocked and dissappointed. I expected so much more from you. Oh well, they still make erasures. I expect photos.

As for cutting - I've never done it to myself, but the release of endorphins from pain that make you feel better... well, I am no stranger to that. Cutting has it's place, and some of my friends (bdsm) do it to each other. It can be an okay thing - if it's done safely.

I agree that I'd get my child to a therapist in a NY second. She did, and that was my response. (Superficial, she wasn't "serious") Anyway, if she ever was serious, I think I'd teach her how to do it safely, rather than just cross my fingers that therapy worked. Several adults I know do it safely and have for years. I suppose it's better to have the kids safe while they get to the root cause than to hide it and risk accidents or blood infections.

 

[Details]

I think the kid is right - suicidal kids are attracted to emo - just as before, they'd be attracted to whatever the other negative, dark subculture was out there. They feel alienated due to their depression, what better than to join a group all about alienation. Some of them will suicide (as they most likely would have without the group), others may feel better having a group they feel they belong with (even if I find it whiney and pretentious - but very much typical teenager - they think they've figured out the world, but we won't let them run it, so they're frustrated), and most in the group are just playing along because it's something to belong to.

 

[Elphaba]

A couple of years ago I asked my daughter if kids in her school were as emo and cutting as the multitude of kids on MySpace and LiveJournal were claiming. Her words to me: most kids that claim it online, aren't doing it, but if you say you do, you are seen as cool. She said that there was an emo group in her school, but that they were all talk and more into creating drama than anything else.

 

[luthersmama]

My daughter's friends were cutting. She decided to try burning instead.

We changed schools. Things were better.

The Emo movement is all about how "Nobody knows how miserable I am!!! Nobody understands me!!! I am so complex!!! So emotional and multi-faceted!!! My parents are morons. My siblings are zombies. My teachers are Nazis. How can I survive such torment?????"


Most kids get over it.

 

[GlitchWizard]

My daughter's friends were cutting. She decided to try burning instead.

We changed schools. Things were better.

The Emo movement is all about how "Nobody knows how miserable I am!!! Nobody understands me!!! I am so complex!!! So emotional and multi-faceted!!! My parents are morons. My siblings are zombies. My teachers are Nazis. How can I survive such torment?????"


Most kids get over it.

They want to be different.... just like everyone else.

 

[OneLostGrl]

I am in recovery from self-harm. However, I am and never was what one would call "Emo".

These kids are using it as a form of manipulation and a way to get attention.

"He broke up with me, I'll cut myself, he'll feel bad and come back". ... "I got grounded, I'll cut and let my blood drip on the carpet so my mom see's it and comes to me and feels bad"... "I'll show him!" .... "Oh yeah, well watch this!!"

"Cutters" Hide their wounds. No one knows we cut.. we are experts at not letting our blood drip onto anything but ourselves. Our pain is private and we work very hard to keep it that way.

Emo people just so happen to cut but more likey than not, they are not "cutters". and "cutters" (people with an illness) are not "Emo".

 

[Jeana (DP)]

I'm shocked and dissappointed. I expected so much more from you. Oh well, they still make erasures. I expect photos.

As for cutting - I've never done it to myself, but the release of endorphins from pain that make you feel better... well, I am no stranger to that. Cutting has it's place, and some of my friends (bdsm) do it to each other. It can be an okay thing - if it's done safely.

I agree that I'd get my child to a therapist in a NY second. She did, and that was my response. (Superficial, she wasn't "serious") Anyway, if she ever was serious, I think I'd teach her how to do it safely, rather than just cross my fingers that therapy worked. Several adults I know do it safely and have for years. I suppose it's better to have the kids safe while they get to the root cause than to hide it and risk accidents or blood infections.

I knew a really "smart" girl who heated up the end of a bowl (you know from a pot pipe) and burned the circle into her arm. She's not only stupid, but now has an idiotic circle burned into her arm that I'm sure isn't too easily explained in her early 40s.:bang:

 

[GlitchWizard]

I am in recovery from self-harm. However, I am and never was what one would call "Emo".

These kids are using it as a form of manipulation and a way to get attention.

"He broke up with me, I'll cut myself, he'll feel bad and come back". ... "I got grounded, I'll cut and let my blood drip on the carpet so my mom see's it and comes to me and feels bad"... "I'll show him!" .... "Oh yeah, well watch this!!"

"Cutters" Hide their wounds. No one knows we cut.. we are experts at not letting our blood drip onto anything but ourselves. Our pain is private and we work very hard to keep it that way.

Emo people just so happen to cut but more likey than not, they are not "cutters". and "cutters" (people with an illness) are not "Emo".

Very good clarification. Motivation is definitely key here.

 

[GlitchWizard]

I knew a really "smart" girl who heated up the end of a bowl (you know from a pot pipe) and burned the circle into her arm. She's not only stupid, but now has an idiotic circle burned into her arm that I'm sure isn't too easily explained in her early 40s.:bang:

Until last weekend, I never saw a pot pipe. (I never smoked pot.) Anyway, we were geocaching and I saw a rainbow colored glass object that looked like a small phallic shape in the grass by the road. I picked it up to show my daughter. When I turned it over, I could smell it and knew what it was. I don't know why I stuck my finger into the bowl and smelled it. I then realized I was walking down the road with a pot pipe and that was probably not a good idea since we weren't exactly in a populated location where our car parked beside the road was unnoticed. I dropped it. I caught up to my daughter and explained why I didn't bring what I had just had yelled "Hey Donna! Check it out!" about.

She very seriously looked at me and said "Why would you pick up something that looked like a dil-do off the side of the road, and then stick your finger in it, anyway?"

Good Point.

I didn't have an answer.

 

[Jeana (DP)]

Until last weekend, I never saw a pot pipe. (I never smoked pot.) Anyway, we were geocaching and I saw a rainbow colored glass object that looked like a small phallic shape in the grass by the road. I picked it up to show my daughter. When I turned it over, I could smell it and knew what it was. I don't know why I stuck my finger into the bowl and smelled it. I then realized I was walking down the road with a pot pipe and that was probably not a good idea since we weren't exactly in a populated location where our car parked beside the road was unnoticed. I dropped it. I caught up to my daughter and explained why I didn't bring what I had just had yelled "Hey Donna! Check it out!" about.

She very seriously looked at me and said "Why would you pick up something that looked like a dil-do off the side of the road, and then stick your finger in it, anyway?"

Good Point.

I didn't have an answer.

I never liked pot either. Makes people hungry and tired. Not a good combo!!

I think your daughter ended up with a great deal of wisdom! Hope some of it rubs off!!!!!

 

[GlitchWizard]

I never liked pot either. Makes people hungry and tired. Not a good combo!!

I think your daughter ended up with a great deal of wisdom! Hope some of it rubs off!!!!!

She's of the opinion that it doesn't take alot of wisdom to keep yourself from picking up a discarded rainbow colored dil-do.

I'm already hungry and tired. If that's what that stuff does, I'd be a couch potato screaming for bon bons in a matter of puffs!

 

[Jeana (DP)]

She's of the opinion that it doesn't take alot of wisdom to keep yourself from picking up a discarded rainbow colored dil-do.

I'm already hungry and tired. If that's what that stuff does, I'd be a couch potato screaming for bon bons in a matter of puffs!

Yeah, well like I said, she's a smart girl. Better keep her close to you at all times and don't be afraid to consult her on anything that you're not clear about!!!! LOL

If I smoked pot, I'd be as round as a blueberry!