Den svarta paraden

: Emo-kulturens uttryck och intention,tolkat i termer av uppror

Abstract

Emotional hardcore is the subculture which went from underground movement with close ties to punk rock to become an extremely commercialized subculture. The emos of the post-millennial emo culture have been described as depressed and destructive, and their culture as potentially dangerous to young people. This essay is exploring the expressions and intentions of the emo culture, with a focus on the discourse on rebellion, mental health and feelings. Qualitative interviews with five former members of the Swedish emo-community, textual analyses from the social media Bilddagboken (Dayviews) and private blogs form a more complex picture of emos. The emo culture contains both norm critical and life affirmative elements, even if the scene doesn’t shield itself from difficult subjects like self-harm and depression. Emo kids made both their feelings and personal expressions visible and demanded respect and acceptance from their surroundings. Their presence open up for a debate about standards of appearance and metal health that is still relevant.