In the age of the internet, few things can remain niche for long. With the whole wealth of human knowledge at our fingertips, one can learn about any culture or subculture in minutes. Similarly, people with niche interests are able to find each other with greater ease than ever and communicate in ways they never could before.
But the internet isn’t a private space.
While certain corners may remain hidden for a time, all of it is ultimately open to the public eye. Anyone can look in and make judgements on a group. Outsiders will come upon these subcultures and make a determination: admiration, condemnation or neutrality.
When outsiders come across a subculture, they may seek to emulate what they see without really understanding the scene.
Cultures are ultimately built on norms. All cultures have customs and values which unite the group. Take goth culture: a scene built on alternative dress, a DIY ethos and listening to a particular style of music. First emerging in the 80’s, the goth scene has had decades to establish its norms.
As goths find each other online, they create spaces centered around their values and interests which are also open to the public. They share new music and DIY tips with one another. They might try to find people to go to goth or industrial concerts with. With so many TikToks, Reddit posts and tweets, it’s inevitable that others will be exposed to the scene.
Many newcomers will come across a goth’s online presence and be enamored with what they see. The bold white makeup and alternative dress can make quite the first impression. They may seek to replicate these looks but don’t know where to start. Luckily for them, there’s a whole industry ready to help them out.
Anyone can buy goth clothing online for a premium. You might spend a few 100 bucks on boots or 60 dollars on a white foundation. You can buy a ready-made gothic wardrobe if you’re just willing to shell out the cash.
In doing so, many newcomers to the scene are able to get the right look. But in doing so, they run contrary to the DIY mindset which dominates goth culture. It’s not about how much money you can spend. It’s all about how creative you can get while spending as little as possible. Why buy expensive jewelry online when you can go to a Home Depot and make yourself a chain?
Gatekeeping is usually seen as something of a sin. It comes off as elitist, a way to keep the plebs away from your interest.
However, it serves an important function in maintaining a group’s cohesion. Enforcing norms and values helps to uphold the integrity of the scene and make sure it stays true to what the culture is all about.
That’s not to say there should never be evolution. Cultures, by their nature, aren’t a static thing. In the case of goth, change in the scene is to be expected as fashion trends shift and new music comes out. Innovation can keep a scene fresh and lively.
But it’s important that any such innovation stays true to the guiding principles of the subculture. When newcomers are allowed to come in and adopt the scene without actually showing interest in what led to it, it corrupts. The culture becomes flooded with disinterested people who don’t contribute to any meaningful evolution.
After all, how can someone who dresses goth but doesn’t listen to the music create new goth music? How can they innovate in DIY techniques if their entire wardrobe is purchased ready-made?
Perhaps it’s okay to say that not every person needs to be let into a certain scene. It’s okay to have certain expectations of people engaging with a subculture. It’s not elitist to have those expectations if the goal is to ensure the culture’s longevity. It only becomes elitist when nobody can be let in, when nothing is ever good enough.
Done effectively, gatekeeping can keep a subculture grounded without shutting out new members. If you want to become involved in a new scene, try to understand the history and perspective of the people already in it. If you’re already in a subculture, try to be welcoming and guide newcomers so that they can learn. Doing so ensures that any subculture can last long enough for new people to come in and carry it forward.
Miriam Evelyn Reeson is a 27-year-old political theory student from Baton Rouge, La.
