You should have put more options in your poll.
My understanding of what the word 'Emo'
should mean is the people that have been drained of all hope, and feel the need to release their suffering by using the only thing they can control (their body) through words, actions or physically hurting themselves. In my opinion, the following are good reasons to be this definition of emo:
1)
You're in a abusive relationship, albeit Parent child, romantically, between 'friends', or in a ranking position,
where no one within the nearest location you can reach (without being bloodied up ((be it mentally or physically)
believes your story nor will help you escape. 2)You have an extreme survival need that isn't being sufficed and no one cares.
3)You have been abandoned by everyone you know and love
And have been kicked out of the nearest community, with the promise that you will be harassed openly with no help offered to you if you ever try to return.
4)You're on your death bed and have been lead to it by everyone you love
That is all.
Now, I know some of you are thinking that's horribly unfair, because you have a problem that I didn't list and you call yourself a true emo. To this I say, THINK ABOUT IT. If you're not to the extent of any of the things listed in your current situation, then can you really have no hope at all? I'm not saying this to insult your intelligence or feelings, but seriously folks. Now, I have some specific reasoning to why you still have hope in turn to the four things I listed.
1)
Notice how I use the word escape. I've heard people say that if they try to get away it'll do no good because when they find you, they'll hurt you. In normal cases, if you are truly miserable and being tortured beyond the point of insanity and you have an escape route, you NEED to take it and you CAN take it. Chances are, if you escape you'll be brought to a safe place where they can't touch you. I am
Not saying that if your step father or someone punches you only when their drunk but are perfectly nice when their sober that this isn't a good enough reason to be depressed. It is!! But it's not Emo. However, if this situation is happening to you, please don't be afraid to call for help. I'm begging you, it's not worth it to take the pain in silence. There's still hope, though you need good friends and support in order to achieve it.
2)
This Does Not Include the 'Need' to Pro-create the Species.If you're boy/girlfriend dumped you, this is far from a good enough excuse to start cutting yourself. If it was your lover that you poured your heart in soul out to however, this is a very good reason to be depressed for up to a very long time. I understand this very well, but time will help you heal. Though you may have been thinking it then, there are other people in the world to love. Love is a very powerful emotion, but it's not a survival necessity. Just had to get that out of the way. What I
Did mean by this statement was if you where in poverty and couldn't afford food or a place to stay, and no one even bothered to look at you. I have never met someone to whom this has happened to that calls themself emo in the mainstream way, so I can't think of a way to accentuate on this more.
3)Notice the words
Abandoned and
Community. In case you've been blinded to the true definition of these words, let me enlighten you.
Abandoned: To withdraw one's support or help from something/one, especially in spite of duty, allegiance, or responsibility
Community (in the sense that I'm using it):
Ecology. an assemblage of interacting populations occupying a given area.
When I say abandoned, I don't mean betrayed for a day only to come back sobbing an apology the next day. By Community, I don't mean your current group of friends. Let me state something that I truly believe as a person:
You can always make new friends if you have had the proper training.No, I don't mean training as in teaching a dog a new trick, I mean by the idea of respect given to you to be able to survive in your current world. This excludes being different as a person, because ******** yes I know that I am not considered a normal person. A flaming lesbian combined with a carefree attitude that completely contradicts my Hottopic pants is what I flaunt, so don't even try to argue the fact that I 'wouldn't understand because I'm just like everyone else that doesn't know what it is to be different'. Another point I mean to make in this topic is that by community, I include your family. Your life at school might be tough, but your family is their to stick by you. And no matter what, don't you dare say that you don't think your family cares about you based on the fact that your mother-type-figure grounded you for listening to your music too loud, or your father-type-figure punished you for staying out too late. This is called Discipline kiddies, a lesson that most American children have long forgotten in this day 'nd age, and it is FAR, FAR AWAY from hatred. If this is all your guardians have done to you in terms of hurting you, then you don't even deserve to call it hurting, because it has a name and it's called Tough Love. If your miserable at school but you still have your family that's not abusive, then just
let them help you. Who gives a s**t if it's not considered cool and you would get teased if anyone found out; going by what I said earlier any other people don't seem to like you much anyways so don't try to convince an a** not to s**t. If you have people that want to love you, then let them. It'll make your suffering so much easier. This also applies for Vice-Versa (Family doesn't like you but you have friends that love you).
4) This one is pretty self-explanatory. However, I did say Everyone, and this is a very important thing. If you still have some people who love you and will stay loyal to you until the very end, then you can still die somewhat happy. No one can really die happy when it's a murder, but you should still be able to find a slight comfort in the fact that you still had some people on your side at the end.
And mind you, some people have been through these things and could still manage to truly smile.
So if some of you people out their reading didn't catch all that, let me say it simply for you; Unless you've faces a true travesty such as one of these, there is no reason to give up hope enough for you to title yourself with the same word that people could be using to convey their hardships that some people can't even fanthom.
Might I also add something to my idea of the 'mainstream' version of Emo.
The Mainstream version of Emo (from my understanding) tends to imply someone that blows up their everyday problems to seem monstrously overbearing, complain about them constantly in order gain attention from their peers, then when people realize that they're blowing it up and tell them to their face that what their doing is wrong they start complaining even more, blaming it on the fact that they just don't understand what it's like to be so sensitive. From there it goes downhill, and that person annoys the people with normal sensitivity as well as get cooed and coaxed that it's alright, and that they don't have to face the truth because they think they have an excuse to be depressed for problems that people have to deal with everyday!! They're convinced that they don't have to care about anyone else and become locked in their own personal, unhealthy little world, and refuse to see that other people have problems too. I mean, hell, their are people in this very same world that have to live with the fear of being shot when they walk down the street, or have had their entire families killed because the terrorists next door don't like the way they talk, And you American Wussies are crying because you think your mommy hates you because she wont by you a new pair of Converse!! This is what people have come to see Emo as being, so before you complain about what the jocks and preps are saying behind your back, Just take a step back and look at yourself!!
Sorry. I probably went a tich personal there. However, I'm saying what I've come to see emo to be, and
that is what makes me say I Hate Mainstream Emo People. I'm sorry if you're emo because your guardians are abusive. I'm sorry if you're emo because you just want to be loved and it hasn't worked out yet. I'm sorry if you're emo because you're hurting and have no one to talk to. However, that doesn't give you an excuse to hurt yourself more, whether you're doing it on purpose or not.
Don't cut yourself because your step father slapped you when he could have strangled you. You're still alive; you can still fight.
Don't push your mother that only wants to help you away because people at school are being mean to you. You're stronger then that; you will survive.
If you haven't been able to find your special person yet, then don't give up hope. You have your whole life ahead of you! Look forward to the future.
Your friend's words of individuality don't have anything to do with being emo.
If people look down on you for the clothes, simply smile at the fact that
you know it's more tasteful then the s**t they're probably wearing.
Rock out to the music you love, no matter what the situation may be.
Smile at the fact that that Gangster is going to get shot one day for not understanding that the real world doesn't like law breakers.
You know that you're better then that slut, so who gives a hoot what anyone else thinks?
People who drink and smoke are going to end up with black lungs and no liver while you'll still have your music.
Those people are asses, and you don't need to take it! If your life is really that bad, then don't let your battle be silence! Let those cunts have it!
Take the word 'Retard' as a compliment. Change their stereotype into an insult.
SO YOUR LIFE IS HARD, EVERYONE HAS PROBLEMS! YOU ALWAYS HAVE A CHANCE TO FIGHT, SO GET OFF YOUR EMO a** AND FIGHT IT! DON'T LET PEOPLE INSULT YOU, STOP BEING A SLAVE TO YOUR OWN EMOTIONS WHEN YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CHANGE THAT!
They don't know you're life, so take a stand
don't be afraid
Get your life back
laugh with your friends
NO! IT'S NOT ANY OF THOSE THINGS!
BUT YOU'RE WRONG!
BRAVE ISSTANDING UP FOR WHAT YOU BELIEVE IN, NOT HIDING BEHIND SCILENCE
DOING WHAT'S RIGHT WHEN OTHERS FIND IT WRONG
NOT TAKING s**t FROM OTHER PEOPLE, AND INSTEAD TRYING TO MAKE YOUR LIFE BETTER
FACING REALITY, BUT NOT PITYING YOURSELF OVER YOUR OWN PROBLEMS
KNOWING THAT TOMORROW MIGHT NOT BE BETTER, BUT NOT GIVING UP HOPE JUST BECAUSE YOU HAVEN'T FOUND THE SUN YET!
FACING THE FACTS
AND BEING ABLE TO BE STRONG WHEN YOU HAVE NO HOPE LEFT
Stop hiding.
Life isn't just about you, it's about everyone on this earth.
Face the fact that you may have things that make your life unfortunate, but look around! There are so many people outside of your own little world that are suffering, some to the extent that it's a wonder they can go on living with a smile on your face. These are the brave ones, not you.
Don't be weak.
You just need a helping hand to show you that bright and happy days don't come like a dream, but that you can one day find yourself being the happiest person on earth. You just need to keep fighting.
[This product surprisingly NOT brought to you by Halmark]Now do you get it?
Now do you understand how some other people think?
Yes, I know, a good majority of people are asses and really don't look deeper into the situation. But I'm showing you that I do pay attention to the facts of the matter to why people chose to become, or whind up being emo. But I'm also aware of the facts that most of these people's lives really aren't that bad. So to those people who have serious problems, or are simply unable to see the outside world, I pity you and send you my love and hope that you can and will have a better life. But to those of you who cry over those things that can happen to anyone and
choose to act depressed, use the excuse 'you just don't understand' and slam the doors in peoples faces, I say these loving words;
GROW UP!! 
