EMO is short for EMOTIONAL. This term is currently being used as a catch phrase to describe a distinct group of individuals [usually young adults]. It originated from a certain brand of music: particularly, distinctive whiny voice and themes of angst and hopelessness [see also: I’m an outcast, I lost my girlfriend, I never had a girlfriend, I want someone else’s girlfriend – think of it as alternative country]. Emo music can be either soft acoustic or heavy screaming thrash music [thus designated emo-screamo music]. Generally, emo kids are viewed as less hardcore than other subculture groups. By this, I mean that they are more likely to cry at a concert than beat around in a mosh pit [this is a section usually located in the front that encourages violent dancing – I use the word “dancing� very loosely].

There are any number of bands that are designated as EMO. Recently, emo trends have been adopted by mainstream commercial advertising [MTV, Pac Sun, to name two]. Most “real� emo kids reject the bands that become famous or well received. It’s almost a pre-requisite that the emo band be virtually unknown and ridiculously obscure [Jawbreaker, None Left Standing, Kerosene 454, and Rites of Spring.] Later entries will be devoted to this phenomenon. Emo kids purposely set themselves apart from society; in other words, it’s “in� to be “out.�

Occasionally, emo kids identify with the punk crowd. Punk followers certainly view themselves as more hardcore than the emo-ers. Their love of obscure music and their mutual desire to be seen as not part of the mainstream society bonds these two groups together. At parties, occasionally the two will overlap and intermingle. The determining factor that separates them both is the distinct fashion styles associated with either group. I plan to dissect the fashion trends in later entries, as it is almost impossible to describe here. One difference would be that emo kids purposely style their hair to lie over their faces, making it almost impossible to distinguish the sex or identity of the trendsetter. Punks prefer to wear their hair in purposely-unique fashions: dying it unnatural colors and wearing it in unusual styles, like mohawks.

I’m over generalizing and stereotyping to illustrate my examples.
And now that this boring definition entry is finished – I can begin writing about more interesting topics.

Next topic: Borrowing your girlfriend’s jeans – it’s acceptable?