by Jasey Rae

Created on: September 27, 2009

Emo is a term that a lot of people use to refer to people who listen to rock. Hence saying that everyone who listens to rock is "emo". This is a misconception that society has put upon avid rock listeners. If you search urban dictionary, you will get definitions saying it's kids who listen to rock and cut themselves and have bangs covering of their face. This is WRONG. These are kids who listen to rock, it's what people who listen to rock wear. Calling rock listeners emo would be like calling all people who wear Jordan's "hoodrats".

"Emo is not short for "Emotional." "Emo" does not mean Taking Back Sunday and Dashboard Confessional, despite what MTV has lead you to believe in the last few years. "Emo" is not sidebangs, tight pants, and male vocalists who sing like little girls about their failed relationships. "Emo" is not the use of diluted, meaningless metaphors and similes such as "My arms are like pinecones," and most definitely is not the rampant use of words such as "autumn," "heart," "knife," "bleeding," "leaves," and "razorblade."" (urbandictionary.com) That quote from urbandictionary.com defines what emo is NOT. Emo is actually a hardcore genre that was around in the 90's, it's short for "Emotive Hardcore". Yes, it is/was a genre, not what people call themselves. Bands within the Emotive hardcore genre include Rites Of spring, Hot Cross, A Day in Black and White.

Calling all people in skinny jeans who listen to rock "emo" is wrong. Somehow people got the misconception that emo meant "emotional cutter", when in fact it's just a sub-rock genre. Rock listeners are actually very sarcastic, not depressing and emotional. Their humor is often mistook for mean comments, but that's not usually the case.

So, next time you see someone who has piercings, wears skinny jeans, and is listening to rock, don't automatically label them emo. The truth is, their life might just be happier than yours. My cousins, who believe that because I listen to rock and have lip piercings, call me emo, I cut myself everyday and depress my life away. This is NOT TRUE. I love my life, and everyone in it, and they often mistake my sarcasm for cruelty. One of my cousins who is considered a "regular joe" is actually very emo (except for the cutting), she depresses her life away saying she hates it and that she wants to be happy and such. Based on personalities, who is the emo one? Me, who enjoys her life; or my cousin, who cries her life away? Think about that before labeling someone.

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