"Retired Emo Kids" - The Name Behind The Namesake

The misery-worshipping, angst filled subculture may have faded in the mid to late 2000's but who's to say that emo is dead?

The Monument of Emo

Many a millennial can relate to the edgy "Retired Emo Kid" moniker, nonetheless I'm often asked why I use it in relation to things outside of nostalgia. I have a simple answer for that.

Emo has evolved.

The once stifled generation, who turned to nihilistic lyrics and pure rage to drown out feelings of helplessness elicited by existing in a socially unforgiving society, is all grown up. They make up a sizable chunk of the millennial population and with that hold not only cultural sway, but financial power. This group is writing the blueprint for future generations and it shows.

There's no accurate way to quantify the absolute size of the community, but judging by pictures of the Van's Warped Tour mosh pit in '02, it's tremendous. If the emo community truly is as populous as legends claim, why aren't emo adults walking around in plain sight?What happened to all those kids?

A Dreary Dichotomy

My hypothesis is that all those kids ended up as one of two things. Split, or a Fatality.

Split : Not the M. Night Shyamalan Movie

These emo kids have conformed to the path of least resistance. The explosion of pop culture and social media eroded their fighting spirit, forcing them to go into hiding. To keep up with the demands of adult life, they procure a doppelgänger to play dress-up as the most appropriate stereotype in their stead. Sadly, they continue to post memes on their finstagram about wanting to un-alive themselves. Presumably doing so in the fetal position. You can take the kid out of emo, but you can't take the emo out of the kid.

Fatality : The Original Doomscroller

This group of emo kids have sunken to the lowest depths of our society, succumbing to maladaptive coping strategies and cognitive distortions. This group is much smaller than the former, its numbers drop consistently due to kids losing battles with addiction and/or mental health. The stigma surrounding those battles allow society to watch them fall through the cracks then do absolutely nothing about it. The Boomers consider them a lost cause, but everyone deserves another chance to adjust their lens to see beyond the abyss. Don't they?

Looking back, I've had my fair share of time in both camps. Neither served me. I doubt they really served anyone. I frequently wracked my mind, there had to be a third option that valued logic, acceptance and truth. An option that empowered others to fight the same cynicism and apathy that protected them during their youth. A way for them to see that wounded doesn't mean weak. That there is something beyond the knowledge of all the terrible tortures in this world. That a blank slate exists on the other side of acceptance.

And Just Like That...

The emergence of the Retired Emo Kid.

To Be Continued

#millennial #emo #subculture #reasonstolive #liveuntilwedie