Showing posts with label teens. Show all posts
Showing posts with label teens. Show all posts

Friday, March 27, 2009

Emo Culture: Trend or Outcast Group? by Dr. Kristie Holmes

So, I figured that I should be most up to date on the topic, being that I teach both bachelor level and master's level students on the subject of Human Behavior. I have spent some time researching the "now" on this topic. For you to be ranked as a "heavily trafficked website" you need to be in the top 100K (Alexa). So I have run the stats on just two of the websites that came up when I googled them.

1. Emo Corner


As you can see, this site has been ranked highly in the last six months, with a recent surge in traffic.

2. Luv.Emo

As you can see below- I added a bit lower ranked site, that still makes the top 100K (this site stats are in red).



The Emo culture may have moved to a younger demographic as the those who previously considered this trendy have found that Emo has lost its "coolness" factor. The MTV news report below sheds more light on the changes in the Emo culture and how it is perceived. In short, it has moved to not only the younger age group, but south (Mexico) and likely to other countries. Most of you who have traveled know that you can watch 5 year old soap operas, sitcoms and dramas as "new" in other countries. Once, while in Turkey at a ferry stop in the middle of nowhere, the toll booth worker was watching a 6 plus year old show that had an ex-boyfriend of mine on it. He had long moved on to other work, but it was "new" to Turkey. Anyway, I digress. Homophobia also plays a role in the "updated" attitude towards the Emo crowd (and the attached hatred of "sissy behavior") and the sense that they (who are Emo) don't truly subscribe to any trend (music genre, clothing, hairsyles, speech), but rip everyone else's off (see clip).

Regardless of the coolness factor, these are extremely high ranked, heavily trafficked sites, so someone is going to them. And if it is indeed morphing into more of an outcast group from a trendy group, we may see even more negativity and depression attached to it. In other words, the ones who truly feel "Emo"- the depressed, the outcasts, and those who want to cut themselves will linger while the trendier ones move on to something else. The numbers are too high to ignore.

I just wanted you all to be aware.

Ok, lecture over ;)

Dr. Holmes

Saturday, July 14, 2007

Online Shorthand...What You Should Know Before Guessing at Chat Acronyms

Parents and professionals alike should know some of the Acronyms used by the younger set (and increasingly the older set as well!) so that you can communicate effectively online. It may also give you a head's up if you are a parent as to what your child is doing, when they think that you don't.

From AOII's To Dragma...Top TEN ACRONYMS TO KNOW:

1. POS: Parent Over Shoulder
2. LMIRL: Let's Meet in Real Life
3. NAZ: Name, Address, Zip Code?
4. WYRN: What is Your Real Name?
5. ASL: Age, Sex, Location
6. F2F: Face to Face
7. S2R: Send to Receive (Pictures)
8. PIR: Parent in Room
9. P911: Parent Emergency
10. PRW: Parents are Watching

I am sure there are plenty of variations as well (WIR: Wife in Room etc.)...

You can see more at www.noslang.com