Colonies of mould – black marks – have appeared on a wall in my home, and continue to grow. A concealed pipe is leaking. If the pipe is not fixed, and I continue to operate the air-conditioner, the mould will grow and soon the whole wall will crumble. The mould is a sign that something is wrong beneath the surface.
Colonies of “Goths” have appeared in many countries including Japan and Singapore. Goths are people who cultivate a pale, gaunt look, dress in black and exhibit interest in the supernatural. In Singapore, one group of Goths has organized itself into a society called the Singapore Dark Alternative Movement (SDAM). The group’s membership of 406 people has grown to about three times what it was a year ago. What is this a sign of? Does something need to be done about it? If nothing is done, what may happen?
Some Goths have indicated their reason for joining the group. They first say what they are not: Goths are not into violence, drugs and over-sexualization – those are features of what they consider an older form of Goth culture (which began in the 80’s); today’s Goths are more interested in striving for social good. Then they say what they are: Goths are people who lack a sense of belonging and social purpose, people who confess they feel alienated and purposeless. Goths’ assessment of society is that it is sterile, rewarding conformance and discouraging creativity. Goths want to declare this and work for an alternative society, both for their own well-being and as a contribution to the world. Goths come together often to celebrate that each is not alone in feeling alienated and thinking the problem is ‘the other,’ i.e. wider society. Goths express their belonging and their difference through similar taste in clothes, cosmetics, conversation, dress and music.
I think their tastes and their toying with the occult is their way of saying: “ ‘Nice and sterile’ is not true reality; building lives based on uniformity and efficiency does not satisfy our inner thirst for meaning.” Goths want us to restore unpredictability and mystery to life, because they sense they are being asked to belong to a “reality” which doesn’t fit the facts. Goths sense life should be built on the values of meaning and purpose. But the lives of their parents and peers seem built on indicators of productivity and contribution – and feel fake. In Goth-vision, they are the few who see that illusion has replaced reality. Like the prophets of old, Goths are saying we are unreal.
Is society’s version of reality unreal? We are brought up to believe we can achieve anything we set out to achieve; it’s all about hard work, networks and relentless pursuit of goals: we can do anything. Yet, we cannot explain suffering, e.g. cancer, terrorism, loss of savings due to Wall Street greed. Most have turned Christian discipleship into “following a moral code,” as if we follow the Annals of Jesus rather than the Annals of Confucius.
Our God-talk is formulaic, too much about clarity and conformity, too little about mystery and martyrdom. We tell more than we listen. We thank God our children are not Goths. We pray more about getting than sacrificing. We focus more on safety than on courage. We limit our doing to “safe” faith-acts; we shy away from justice-acts because we fear the wolves in the world. We don’t speak up for others’ rights, e.g. “Islamic deviant teachers,” ISA detainees, Goths. We only care about our own safety and honour.
We think the Goths are at the fringes of society, and we are right. But we forget our Biblical prophets – many of whom dressed weirdly – were also at the fringes, and were the bearers of God’s word. Do we think there are no Christians amongst the Goths?
The Goths, like the mould, are a sign. Ignoring the mould or just treating it will cause the wall to crumble. Ignoring the Goths or just focusing on them may cause society to crumble. Right response means finding and fixing root causes. The Goths are speaking of fake society, fake “meaning and purpose.” If we are not, is it because we disagree? Or are we fakes? Do our neighbours say we are different, just as all say Goths are different?
