One of the growing social scenes on the Internet are emo social networking sites that bring together people from a unique community known as "emo kids."
The Truth About Emo Social Networking
Emo kids represent a recent trend in many schools and teen social situations across the country. This trend is similar to the "grunge" trend of the early 1990s and the "punk" and "goth" trends of the late 1990s and the early part of the next decade after 2000. Most teen generations have always had the standard cliques that pigeonhole them into a particular social class and peer group, such as the "jock" or the "cheerleader," there are fringe groups of teens that come along every decade or so that define themselves in certain ways in order to cope with cultural and family stresses brought upon them by the state of modern-day society. Emo kids are an example of the latest trend.
What Are Emo Kids?
The Word "emo" is short for "emotional." In fact, the word "emotional" is the perfect description for how this group of modern-day teens choose to vent their "teen angst" against a world that seems weighted against them. Most teens have a lot of social issues to deal with even within the smaller social world of a school system. Groups of teens sometimes find a niche that makes them feel welcome, special or appreciated - such as within sports, cheerleading or even academics, music or drama. However, there are always groups of teenagers who feel like they can't find a group to "fit into." They feel rejected and even sometimes abused by the seemingly more popular members of other groups. The philosophy that this particular clique called "emo kids" is based on is that they reject the mainstream commercial impact on music, clothing and other status symbols. The general characteristics of an "emo kid" include the following.
- Generally from middle-class families and moderately to extremely intelligent
- They are from two-income households and feel somewhat neglected by parents who are focused on individual careers rather than family time
- They grew up within a culture that inundated them with commercial products and branding as toddlers
- They find themselves in a society obsessed with material wealth and the status generated by commercial branding and marketing
One of the most common psychological behaviors during the teenage years includes a desire to "break free" from the bonds their parents. This separation includes rejecting the sort of rules and guidelines that both parents and society place upon those teens. For all of the reasons listed above, emo kids usually reject commercialism or anything that's part of the "popular" culture, but are not activists about forcing others to avoid the same. In this way, the current social norms and fads are what created the community emo kids, as well as the growing demand for emo social networking websites.
At the very core of this subculture, just as it was with goth and punk, is a form of music known as emo as well - a specific style of rock and roll that is often called "emotional hardcore" by followers. Famous groups that formed the genre include Jimmy Eat World, Fall Out Boy, and Panic at the Disco.
Four Popular Emo Social Networks
Even though this particular social group is a relatively new phenomenon, already there are a number of niche social networks that provide these teens with a place to hang out and meet others who share the same world view and philosophy about life.
- So Emo is a UK-based networking site that offer forums on things like Emo music, fashion, hair, and lifestyle.
- EmoWire is a community for emo kids covering topics like fashion, depression and suicide, and even emo poems.
- Emo Passions is a social netowrking and dating site that's free to join. Chat, video chat, or visit forums.
- Real Emos is a fairly new community for emos. It offers most of the same things many major networks offer, including chat and video sharing.
Final Words
Whether you love emo music, you simply like emo fashion and life philosophy, or you have teens in your family who fit the description - emo social networking websites can offer a great way for teens to communicate with each other, vent common frustrations and express their feelings in a way that's safe and supportive.
