As the mother of a teenage daughter I try to be hip and up to date on all the latest fads and trends that go on in that ever changing world of teenage madness, but one thing that has totally escaped me is this EMO thing. I keep up with my daughter (as much as she hates it I’m sure) through her MySpace account. I read her entries and messages and even those of some of her friends and the one thing that I keep seeing is references to EMO. Now, I am not so dense that based on the comments made EMO is NOT a good thing, but none the less it seems to be a fad that is going to stick around for more than a day. SO….off I go in search of EMO.

Of course the first thing anyone with a computer does is GOOGLE, so, I enter my question, “Who or What is EMO?” First of all, let me say, I thought EMO was that weird little guy with the x x for eyes. My daughter then calls me a weirdo..lol

GOOGLE tells me….

EMO stands for emotional, and is a style of rock music. In its original incarnation, the term emo was used to describe a subgenre of hardcore punk rock which originated in the Washington DC music scene of the mid-1980s. In later years, the term emocore, short for "emotional hardcore", was also used to describe the DC scene and some of the regional scenes that spawned from it. The term emo was derived from the fact that, on occasion, members of a band would become spontaneously and strongly emotional during performances.

Ohhh o.k. so now I am starting to get it. But, let’s dig a little deeper shall we?

Emo started out as a style of music, but it appears that teenagers have turned it into a way of life. Some just like dark stuff. But sometimes, teens who really have a serious problem with depression can be labeled "emo" and made fun of for it since "emos" are supposed to be known for exaggerating life's problems and taking things too seriously as well as being very sensitive. Emos are also stereotypes to cut themselves or use other ways of self injury.

Now we are getting somewhere. All the comments posted on the kids websites about IM NOT EMO..etc. etc.

The Emo song, by the American band Adam And Andrew, has cult status on the internet, appearing on many personal websites. It is called Dear Diary and is both witty and alarming.
The chorus goes: 'Stop my breathing and slit my throat, I must be an Emo.
I don't jump around when I go to shows, I must be an Emo.
Dye in my hair and polish on my toes, I must be an Emo. I play guitar and write suicide notes, I must be an Emo.'
This fad is rather terrifying when you research it in-depth. It borders on the occult, the dark side, and plays on the insecurities of teenage minds. Luckily, my daughter and her friends seem to view it as something to joke about and take none of it very seriously.
The next time you hear one of your kids talk about Emo, listen just a little closer, it could be the beginning of serious problems or a cry for help.