goth.code v2.0A repost 1/1 (by request)
-Synic-
The Goth Code Version 2.0A
: By Peter T. Caffin (sy...@omen.com.au) :
-- Last Bug-fixed on: 27th April 1996 --
Note: As with all postings to USENET, this article is copyright worldwide.
I don't mind you printing this out for personal use, however, if you wish
to distribute this article in any other means than by reposting it to
USENET, please email me beforehand to obtain permission. Copyright is
assumed on the Version 1.0 BETA, Version 1.1, and Version 1.1A.
Lets view the Introduction...
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How to create and decipher a code using the Goth Code Version 2.0
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[Image]
GLOBAL MODIFIERS
These should be used very sparingly.
yyy)xxx( I am intent on getting to the status indicated by xxx
yyy]xxx[ I was once xxx
These should be used before the identifier's prefix:
=Xxxx This is cool, huh?
?Xxxx I'm really not sure about this code..
*Xxxx This code changes from day-to-day..
EXAMPLE (IN CONJUCTION WITH THE SECTION AGE) #1: ?A23 means that, although
you think you're 23 years old, you're not sure.
EXAMPLE #2: A23]1[ means that you are now 23, but were once aged one.
(You'd appear twittish if you actually used this example in your code,
though ;-) ).
EXAMPLE #3: A23)142( means that while you're now 23, you specifically want
to make it to age 142.. for some reason or other..
[Image]
What's your education Background?
Goths come in many flavours (chocolate, strawberry, er, kidding ;-) ). The
flavours relate to the education and training of the particular gothic in
question. Multi-talented goths with more than one field of vocational
training should denote their myriad of talents by including them all,
separated by the qualifiers listed afterwards. Please write them in the
order that you did your qualifications.
GoAu Gothic of Authorship
GoAS Gothic of Applied Sciences (Nursing, Librarianship, etc.)
GoBi Gothic of Biology
GoBu Gothic of Business/Accountancy
GoGD Gothic of Commercial Arts/Graphic Design
GoCS Gothic of Computer Science
GoCD Gothic of Clothing Design/Production
GoDJ Gothic of DJ'ing (music programming)
GoEn Gothic of Engineering
GoFa Gothic of Farming
GoFA Gothic of Fine Arts
GoGo Gothic of Government
GoHS Gothic of High School (use only if you're still there)
GoHu Gothic of Humanities
GoJu Gothic of Jurisprudence (Law)
GoMa Gothic of Math
GoMA Gothic of Manual Arts (woodwork, metalwork, leatherwork, etc)
GoMD Gothic of Medicine
GoMu Gothic of Music (writing, producing, _not_ DJ'ing)
GoNA Gothic of Massage, herbal lore, `new age remedies,' etc.
GoPh Gothic of Philosophy
GoSB Gothic of Small Business
GoIm Gothic of Photography and Image Creation
GoPS Gothic of the Physical Sciences (Physics, Chemistry, Biology etc)
GoSb Gothic of the Sex Industry: BDSM-related
GoSp Gothic of the Sex Industry: Production of related goods
GoSS Gothic of Social Science (Psychology, Sociology, etc.)
GoTh Gothic of Theater (it's so goth to be "GoTh" ;-) )
GoTW Gothic of Technical Writing
GoZZ Gothic of Other. Some types of goths deviate from the normal
gothic activities. This is encouraged as goths do come from all
walks of life.
Go?? Gothic of 'Undecided'. This would be a popular vocation with
incoming first-year uni students.
GoAT Gothic of All Trades. For those gothics that can do anything and
everything. GoAT usually precludes the use of other vocational
descriptors.
GoNQ Gothic of No Qualifications.
To the identifier of each one you add, the qualifier:
+4 Still pretty stupid, over qualified to work any job, went and
got my Ph.D.
+3 Had not learned enough to know better not to go back and try
for a Masters degree..
++ Managed to finish my bachelors/postgraduate diploma.
+ Started a degree, plan to finish it some day.
$ Did a course or apprenticeship, and am making some dosh for
myself.
$$ Got my bachelors, escaped alive, and am making hoards of
money writing computer software that only _I_ can maintain.
$3 The company I work for was dumb enough to fund my way through
a masters degree, then started paying me even more money.
$4 Achieved a Ph.D, have devoted my life to insignificant
research, which my employer pays dearly for.
! (Do not use this code)
!! (Do not use this code)
!3 Learned it the hard way and I'm now proficient enough to contemplate
selling my products/services.. I'm planning my future in this field
on the acquisition of those final skills in order to do it..
!4 Learned it the hard way and I'm now an expert.. schools never
teach you what you _need_ to know anyway!
EXAMPLE: I've been published lots, but, mainly in fanzine and
non-professional publications; My Bachelors was in Social Sciences and
Humanities, I've done an applied sciences degree (in Information & Library
Studies), and began my Master of Philosophy in Australian Studies degree,
and am playing with leatherworking, but am not paid for work in any of
these fields, my beginning code is: GoAu!3SS++Hu++AS++MA!3
[Image]
TYPE of Goth "Look" ^1^
Add to the "T" prefix up to _three_ of the following:
An AntiquityGoth: Yep, you're into frills, medieval corsetry and
silly white shirts and/or dresses. It's almost the Wuthering
Heights look you're after (but not like the Kate Bush video
clip).
Fe FetishGoth: rubber, latex, vinyl, PVC.. you name it, hands will
slide off.. Also included here, I guess, are those who wear
clothes that are normally unseen for your gender (e.g., pantyhose
or dresses for a guy; codpieces and muscle-shirts for a woman)
* Note: If you are wearing corsetry and fishnets, you may have to
decide whether or not it looks (on you) more like Fetishwear or
Antiquity. It's all a matter of emphasis.
P GothPunk: Do you have a mohawk? Big tough leather jacket held
together with safety pins? You may fit into this category if
people keep commenting on why you wear your Dead Kennedys t-shirt
while moshing to `Temple of Love.'
G GrungeyGoth: "Kurt Cobain, is that you?" Well, not quite. Your
typical grungeygoth may have a fascination for dreadlocks, silly
grey trenchcoats or appear to lack some sanitary habits.. all
quite illusory of course ;-).
H Hippygoth: Lots of colours, a tendency to live in places like
Fremantle, Western Australia, and Nimbin.. You can tell the
hippies because they're more than likely to be the ones
getting involved with growing their own tomatoes (both real and
pretend) while wearing the pagan and wiccan jewelry..
M MilitaryGoth: Says Andrew Eldritch, "I think the great lesson
of the 20th century is that you have to separate the ethics from
the aestetics...The great lesson there is that you don't have to agree
with what the Nazis did, but, yes, be honest about it, they did have
the best uniforms. A lot of people can't come to terms with something
as banal as that."
Sk SkinGoth: You look like a skinhead or femnazi.. quite a good
look when done well; just look at Tankgrrl. The thing that sets
this look apart from Gothpunk is sheer venom and the look of
impending violence.
Se SecondHandGoth: Not only do you wear second hand clothing (don't
we _all_?), but, it's obvious that it's second hand.. There's
something about clothing that you get from the Salvation Army
that's just, well, so "salvos".. and your clothing style just
epitomizes that "look."
Jt Jeans'n'T-ShirtGoth: Yep. All you ever wear is your black jeans
and band t-shirt. Unfortunately, you may have the tendency to be
mistaken for a metalhead (they tend to wear black stuff with,
well, references to death and demons, too), but, it goes with the
territory, I suppose. It's the most simple of all looks to
arrange and maintain and it works for you.
Tg TrashyGraveyardGoth: Apparently a look that's around in the UK.
"We tend to wear black ripped things, but quite stylishly" is the
description I've been given. I'm not entirely sure that he's not
having me on, but, it's here for those it may apply to.. ;-). Almost
like Punky Brewster lookalikes who only had B&W television to model
their "look" ;-}..
Ad AndrogynGoth: The androgynous gothic is distinct from those
wearing fetishwear by the very fact that they're not really
_trying_ to produce the "phwoaarr!" reaction of their peers..
While the bogans and rednecks may wear Wonderbras or stuff their
jocks with spare socks, the Androgynous gothic is more likely to
try to hide their gender.. not by pretending to be some other
sex, but, by being neither.
R RockabillyGoth: You look like a rocker in black. Your critics
may think, as a result, that you're likely to be slightly
braindead, but, that's the downside of looking like a greasy
redneck who's into Elvis tunes played with fiddles and bottle
blows ;-).
D DressupGoth: You dress up to look like characters out of gothic
novels, movies, etc. This means, if you're the one who
specifically dresses to look like Edward Scissorhands, The Crow or
Alex from `A Clockwork Orange,' then this is your classification.
Cy CybertechGoth: You wear wires, silicone chips and circuit-boards.
This makes you itchy as the wiring and boards scrape across your
back and arms. However, machines don't feel `Negative
Sensations'.. As they say: "no brain, no pain" ;-).
Gl Glittergoth: Tiaras, bizarre 1940s costume wear, silly stuff like
that. You have no shame when it comes to bringing out the colours
and flashy stuff. You're the gothic most likely to incorporate a
mirror-ball into your wardrobe.
Nr NewRomantic: Well.. it's a style that so close to gothic, it may as
well be included. It's been argued before in alt.gothic that gothic
is simply a subgenre of the new romantic period, and artists like
Adam Ant just go to prove it. Dressing in the style of early
Madonna/Siouxsie, Split Enz, and the like may seem a bit bright on
the eyes to your peers, but, you and your trusty false sword are
ready for 'em ;-).
In IndustrialGoth: This section is for try-hards who absolutely _have_
to let everyone know that they like Industrial music. They cannot
cope with the idea that they're Jeans'n'T-shirtGoths who just wear
t-shirts with Industrial bands on them. This catagory is included
on sufferance _only_ because I received something like 15 comments
all asking for it. Here it is, lads. Wallow.
Y I don't look at all gothic, in fact I look just like:
bo a Bogan,
re a Redneck,
ra a Rapper,
yu a YUPPIE (casualwear),
sl a Slob,
rv a Raver,
cs a Corporate Slave (suit and tie),
sd /\ Z3RF1/\/ |)00|) \/\/|-|[] |_|z3z |)/\F+ /\S(||
(|-|/\R/\(+3RZ +[] \/\/R1+3 []/\/ +|-|3 '/\/3+ (Translation:
a very very sad individual).
in an Indy kid,
dm a Death metaller,
bt a Bad taste kid,
gc a zitty-faced Geek Code user,
mf my Mother/Father,
rb a Rockabilly,
mo a Mod,
zz Something not goth, but, also not on this list.
Z You look so amazingly bizarre and goddamned weird that your style
can not be classified from amongst this list.
Put any secondary looks that you are also to be seen out in in brackets,
but with a maximum of three. Use _no_ commas nor spaces between them.
EXAMPLE: while I'm mostly seen looking gothpunk, I also go out sometimes
looking fairly fetishy.. and occasionally I'll just be a bit grungey if I'm
feeling decrepit, aged and depressed. So, my code here would be: TP(FeG)
EXAMPLE: Someone who was writing to this group, who is forced by their boss
or preference to wear a suit and tie to their work, but wears fetishwear
out to clubs, and occasionally wears raver clothes when going out to gay
nightclubs would be: TYyu(Yrv)
[Image]
The BOOTS you most often wear
Okay, we could have codes that are paragraphs long if we included _all_ of
our boots, so here we are going to only catalog our _favourite_ pair.
Firstly, count the number of holes it has (on only _one_ side, you at the
back!). Write this down using the "B" identifier.
Add a "/" and then the aproximate height of your boots in cms (an inch is
2.54 centimetres, for the decimally challenged) and measure from the sole
to the top (ie, don't include the heel).
Now, add to this, this colour chart:
Bk Black
LTa Light tan
LBr Light brown
Br Brown
DBr Dark Brown
R Red
B Blue
G Green
C Orange
Y Yellow
Gr Grey
Z Other colour not on this list
Now add the following, as appropriate:
! They have steel or strengthened caps for safety and/or
intimidating people
* They have studs
+ They have rocket-studs
\ They have pointed toes
]2, ]6, etc. They have 2 or 6, etc buckles
^2, ^6, etc. They have 2" or 6", etc heels (round to the nearest inch)
z2, z6, etc. Zip/s
@ And I don't do up the laces except when I'm out at clubs!
EXAMPLE #1: my most worn pair of boots, being my Australian Army General
Purpose Boots, the code here would be: B11/21BK!^1@
EXAMPLE #2: Helen's boots don't have any lace holes at all. They're tall
boots with a zip that goes right the way up to the top. Therefore, Helen's
boot code is: B/39Bk^3z1
[Image]
Hair COLOUR and Length
Goths come in all sorts of hair colours, some natural and some `assisted.'
In this section, we catagorise your hair colour and length.. The first
section deals with colour. Any multiple colourings should be dealt with as
for ^1^.
cBK Black
cWB White blonde
cLB Light blonde
cB Blonde
cLBR Light brown
cBR Brown
cDBR Dark Brown
cSB Strawberry blonde
cNR Natural Red
cBU Blue
cG Green
cO Orange
cR Red (like a fire fighters truck)
cGR Grey
cP Purple
cPI Pink
cMC Multicoloured.
cZ Other colour not on the list
If your colour is an `assisted' one, place your natural colour (if you
don't mind people knowing it) in round brackets after this.. eg, c1(4).. If
your colour is changing of its own accord, then use curly brackets with the
most predominant colour first. eg, c1{E}..
Add _one_ modifier to the list which describes best what your hair is doing
at the moment:
b bald
s un/styled; straight
w un/styled; wavy
c un/styled; curly
m in a mohawk
q quiff
f flat-top
u usually "up" and with enough spray to gel together the panels
of the Sydney Opera House, much like Patricia Morrison
W I wear an assortment of wigs
e I use hair extensions.
d Dreadlocks,
k Crimped,
p ponytail,
P Pigtails,
Y some other style
Z no style for some other reason.
Add to this the following, to define how long your hair is, measuring at
the back:
-6 Your head is a bloody red mass of pulp and bone. Remember about
that joke your friends used to make at High School after a trip to
the hair-dressers? "Been in a fight with a lawnmower, have you?"
This time, they guessed too close to the mark.. ;-)
-5 Thoroughly Bald or "Number One" shave,
-4 "Number Two or Three" shave,
-3 Short cropped,
-- Average "short-back-and-sides" job,
- At about chin-length..
+ At that irritating length where the front gets in your eyes and the
back looks particularly dickie in the centre of your neck,
++ Shoulder-length,
+3 Down to the centre of your back,
+4 Down to your bum,
+5 Down to your knees,
+6 Down to your toes.
Add to this, any of the following facial hair characteristics as required:
B Beard
G Goatee,
M Moustache,
L Strange bit of bum-fluff that you get just above your beard, below
your lower lip.
EXAMPLE #1: Right now, for example, my rating according to this scheme,
would be written as: cDBRw+
EXAMPLE #2: If I had a moustache and beard, then it would be: cDBRw+BM
[Image]
Your PERSONALITY ^2^
Add to the "P" prefix up to _three_ of the following. As with the
Appearance Types, list them with your most prominent one appearing first:
0 I have no personality (do not use with any other personality
types.)
Mo MopeyGoth: Life is a permanent existential crisis, while you're
getting together whether or not you feel worse about the
escalating conflicts in foreign lands, the fate of the world's
starving and the futility of the United Nations, or your own
personal tragedies.. it's _all_ so awful, and no-one knows it
more than you do.
Pe PerkyGoff: "I don't care if you're feeling depressed, whether
or not it's `in style' to be morbid, or what.. I'm going to
get onto that dance floor and jiggle myself so that I look like
a duck!"
Na NarkyGoth: You're an angry young (wo)man! You've got a
political/philosophical/religious/ideological cause, and you're
not afraid to to let people know, deconstructed and reconstructed
into logical formed argument until your brain seems to be melting
and dribbling out your ears.
Sa SarkyGoth: Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit.. yep, you've seen
it all and experienced it and have a chip on your shoulder that
weighs three tonnes. Your reaction to the weight of your
experience has not been to blubber at it, and be depressed, but
to attack it with all the flaming venom you can maintain.
St StrutterGoth: Go with the fashion, be where it's at! People who
hate you might think of you as a poser, but, that's only because
they're jealous. Being seen and _known_ is an important thing
to you, since it's the popular ones who get the girls/boys and
make it to become heads of state and run the game.
L LazyGoth: Stress is something that you prefer to avoid.. it
reduces your life span, reduces your quality of life and makes
you lose out on sleep.
Sl CorporateSlaveGoth: Unlike the LazyGoth, you survive on stress;
it's your life's blood. You're a working goth who actually
_loves_ your job and enjoys the comforts that your job brings.
People who like songs like SNOG's `Corporate Slave' irritate you
just a bit.. don't they realise that someone's got to work to
keep the country afloat?
Pr PerfectionistGoth: You need things to be just right. Otherwise,
there'll be all hell to pay. People who don't like you
sometimes call you `anally retentive,' but, all those itty bitty
things out of place add up to huge problems!!
Sh ShyGoth: "Please don't look at me.. oh, please.." *scuttles to
the corner of the club* "I wish they wouldn't try to talk to
me.." *pouts* A shygoth is, unfortunately, well, dreadfully shy
when it comes to conversing with other new goths that they might
encounter. Later, when they've become more comfortable, they may
come out of their shells.. but, until then..
Sg SlutGoth: You're your state/territory's own Don Juan/May West:
God's gift to wo/men.. This isn't just your own opinion, either.
You rarely are single for longer than a week, but, are rarely
involved in a relationship for longer than a month. This may or
may not be intentional on your part, however, the important bit
is that you have no problems attracting fresh blood.
Do DopeyGoth: This isn't to say that you've got a poor attention
span, are dumb or not always "with it" (although these _may_
apply ;-) ). Some people like to sit and talk philosophy with
friends all night; you're not one of them. You're the type who's
more likely to just enjoy the chance to veg with the television
on Channel Ten or do something that doesn't tax your mind (like
get stoned and play DOOM2 all night).
G GeekyGoth: You play roleplaying games, wear a calulator in your
pocket and have big chunky coke-bottle glasses. Friends may see
you as `an individual' who can be creative amongst your geeky
friends.. The upshot is you don't have any enemies (because well,
you're kinda socially insignificant ;-) ).
De DefeatistGoth: "The whole world's against me. I can't get a
boy/girlfriend.. can't get a job.. I wish those bloody bells
would stop.. why is it always _me_!" While you share the
sarkygoth's chip on the shoulder, your prefered way of coping is
by moping around and blaming yourself and everyone around you..
E EnnuiGoth: You're usually bored. Really bored. Really really
bored. Really really really bored. Really really really really
bored. Really really really really really bored..
R RomanticGoth: You live your life in an epitome of the gothic
romance; like Morticia and Gomez Addams, you cannot live your life
any other way because life would be so damned shallow and _empty_.
Pa PanicGoth: Life is a continuous panic situation that you're never
quite prepared for.. Hey, you've seen enough 1980s BBC comedies to
know what I mean..
Dr DramaQueen: Everything is always better or worse for _you_,
something which you take note of all the time.. much to your
friends chagrin.
Ni NihilisGoth: You're a nihilist. You don't care about anything or
anyone. People hate you, and you don't care.. the world's
environment is dying and it doesn't matter.. you're an apathetic
git, whose most likely response to an advert from the
Save-the-Starving-Walrus Fund is, "have you got any of that fresh
baby turtle soup left, hon?"
Sc SchemerGoth: "I have a cunning plan.." You've seen Blackadder, so
you've got an idea.. your impersonation of Rowan Atkinson in the
title role is peckable. (Note: If you're a "scheming bitch," you
might want to work out which is more dominant: Sarky or Schemer..
and then attribute accordingly)
! You cannot and will not be classified according to any of the
above. You are much too complex and noble a creature to allow
yourself to be pidgeonholed this way *wank*toss*wank* ;-) and "I
will not be stamped, indexed, filed or numbered!" is your
favourite sample from `The Prisoner.'
If you're a many-sided creature, then it's fine and dandy to list your two
to three most dominant sides, in the same form that you did for your
appearance style (see: ^1^). Don't use commas to separate them; the case of
the characters indicates where one begins and the other ends.. using commas
wastes space ;-).
EXAMPLES: P0, PSa, PM(ESg), PN(!Sa)
[Image]
VULGARITY/Savior faire
V+4 I am a regular writer to alt.tasteless and am documented on their
"Who's Who on a.t." regular posting..
V+3 I excel at grossing people out, both in speech and in actions.
V++ I'm known by my peers for being a bit vulgar and base sometimes.
V+ Er, my sense of humour can sometimes be a bit on the dubious
side..
V- I'm quite polite.
V-- I pride myself on my style and savior faire.
V-3 I regularly read Miss Manners on etiquette and/or have done a
deportment course.
V-4 I have written articles on etiquette and/or I _run_ a deportment
course..
Add to this one of the following (only if appropriate):
s My vulgarity/savior fare rating can swerve to fit the occasion; the
code listed before this suffix just refers to my "native" vulgarity
;-).
EXAMPLE: My code here would be: V++s
[Image]
How much do you like MUSIC?
M+4 Is there anything at all else to buy? Oh, _food_, that's right..
I forgot all about that!
M+3 I have the largest music collection out of everyone I know..
M++ I have a pretty decent CD/record/cassette collection.
M+ I enjoy listening to music
M I like it.. but not much more than I like taking a leak in the
loo. It just happens, okay?
M- I can't make the time to sit around listening to music.
M-- I really don't like it.
M-3 I'd rather wash my dog's testicles than listen to music.
M-4 I'd rather give my horse a six hour rimjob than listen to music,
thankyouverymuch!
Add to this any of the following which are appropriate:
p1, p3, etc I play one, three, etc, musical instruments.
w I write my own music.
g I sometimes do gigs/performances.
And (if applicable) only _one_ of the following:
D I have recorded my music on tape as a Demo or personal home
recording.
S I have had my music professionally mixed and produced and have
sold copies via local shops or gigs.
R I am signed to a major recording studio/distribution network.
EXAMPLE: Because I enjoy music and write my own stuff (and sequence it
using my DOSbox and a Yamaha PSR400 keyboard), I'd write this code down for
myself as: M++p1wD
[Image]
ZE Gothic music styles you like, mon
By popular demand.. Here's where you should note down the genres of music
you like. Add to the "Z" prefix, any of the following (in the order that
you like them):
Go Gothic (older, 1980s),
Gn Gothic (newer, 1990s),
Pu Punk,
Nr New Romantics,
Oi Oi!,
Sk Ska,
Re Reggae,
In Industrial,
Ex Experimental music (eg, early PIL, Thou Gideon, etc)
Th Thrash,
Op Opera,
Cl Classical,
Ip Indie poo, er, pop.
Bm Black metal (and Methadrine)
Rh Rolf Harris (er, he sometimes paints in black and white ;-) ).
Ja Jazz and Swing,
-- Stuff that's not at all within the range of gothic music (eg, rap,
1950s Rock 'n' Roll, etc)
!! Something not at all classified on this list, that cannot be
classified by merging music types Goth + Techno = Industrial, etc)
** _All_ forms of music,
.. _No_ forms of music,
?? I don't know what the music I like is called.
EXAMPLE #1: Sean likes new goth music second-best to a good 80s classic,
but, only just.. Punk and Rolf Harris are pretty high on his list, too.
Therefore, his code is: ZNr(GnPuRh).
EXAMPLES #2 to #6: ZGr(PuRoPs), Z!!(--GoMa), Z.., ZIn(Gr), ZRa
[Image]
"CYBERPUNKINESS"/Technology Aptitude
C+4 I often hack to find out, or kludge my way through, information
about how to make ordinary programs, gadgets and household objects
do things well beyond their intended use or specifications
C+3 I live for new technology; I am the master at RTFM and can make
sense of the newest of the new and the oldest of the old with
ease..
C+2 I can program a video recorder that was made by a Japanese
manufacturer during the 1970s and 80s..
C++ I can quickly learn how to operate equipment and software in my
field of expertise.
C+ It can take a little time, but, I can work out these new fangled
gadgets and sorta enjoy it.. kinda.
C- I don't like using my microwave oven.
C-- I had to read the manual six times to work out how to use my
microwave.
C-3 I threw away my microwave because I couldn't work out how to work
the dang blasted thing.
C-4 I'd happily join a hippy commune to avoid having to use _any_
technology. Only naturally occurring technologies, please.
Add one or more of the following modifiers:
P1, P2, etc I can program in one, two, etc, programming languages
u I use technology all the time; usage of it is the basis of
my work (eg, computer repair, graphical design, crane
operation, typist who uses computers, etc)
m I am mechanically minded (ie, you can construct or fix
things with nuts, bolts, car or truck engines, etc)
e I am electrically minded (ie, you can construct things
that involve high voltage electricity)
c I am circuitry minded (ie, you can construct or fix things
that involve integrated circuits, diodes, transistors,
restistors, etc)
p I am chemical-properties minded (ie, you can mix compounds
to produce stuff; often found with chemists, pyrotech-
nicians, etc)
EXAMPLE: Someone who doesn't like using technology much, but does it anyway
and is a typist in Birmingham might be listed: C-u
[Image]
What AGE are you?
Write your age in years after the "a" prefix. And don't lie ;-)
Add to this, one of the modifiers:
+ I'm told I look older than that!
= I'm told that I look this age, too.
- I'm told I look younger than this!
EXAMPLE: a23-, a100=, a16+
** As an alternative to the above, add the age which _most_ people think
you are (and you must have been told this specifically by at least _five_)
**
EXAMPLE: Something like three ex-girlfriends and innumerable others still
reckon that I look 19. Therefore, my code would be: a24(19)
[Image]
NUTRITION and eating habits
Goths _usually_ consume food. Some eat everything they can grab while some
others are quite conscious of their food. It's all a part of that myriad of
experiences of being a goth in the 90s; you can usually get a picture of
the person by what they eat..
Choose _one_ of the following which most closely matches you:
n+4 I keep myself on a strict diet..
n+3 I graze like a bunny.. pass me a carrot!
n++ I always prefer to go for the healthy food, but, occasionally
I'll eat some crap..
n+ I sometimes go for the healthy stuff.
n- Food? I just grab something from the shelves with meat in it.
n-- I eat only the cheap things - even with artificial meat and
vegetables.
n-3 I eat dead meat only -- ever seen Paul Keating in Parliamentary
Question Time?
n-4 I live on potato chips and Jolt Cola.
n! Eh what? never mind the menu, just gimme something to eat!
nv I'm a vampire and I only drink _blood_. (`down the corridor and
first door to the right..' ;-) ).
na I prefer to use amphetamines like Speed and other illicit drugs to
avoid silly things like eating.
Add any of the following which may apply to you:
V I am a vegetarian,
C I am a carnivore,
O I am an omnivore,
P I do not eat meat or animal products
D My nutritional needs are determined by my body's intolerances.
! I am allergic to almost all knowntional habits are such because I
am on doctors orders or because I have massive allergies.
F Although it doesn't affect the _quality_ of my eating habits, as
listed above, I usually live on Take-aways (and no, not the band
featured in the silly ABC-TV series, `Sweet and Sour,' that had
James Reyne and Tracey Mann in it ;-)).
M Although it doesn't affect the _quality_ of my eating habits, as
listed above, I make all my food.. I cook it all by myself.
[Image]
Body shape/BUILD
Goths come in many shapes and sizes. Build code is divided into two parts.
The first indicates your flesh tone and fitness, while the second indicates
you roundness. Mix each section to fit yourself.
Examples include: b:++, b++:, b++:--.
CODE FLESH TONE/FITNESS ROUNDNESS
b+3:+3 Even my muscles have muscles. : I take up three movie
seats.
b++:++ I'm really into keeping my : I'm quite, er, plump.
body toned.
b+:+ I keep myself fit. : I'm little rounder than most.
b: I'm an average goth. : I'm an average goth.
b-:- I lose my breath, dancing. : Everyone tells me to gain a
few pounds.
b--:-- I can't walk up stairs. : I tend to have to fight against
a strong breeze.
b-3:-3 I can't even get out of bed. : My bones are poking through
my skin.
Add to this any of the following that may be appropriate:
T I am in training,
D I am on a diet,
H I am in a hospital,
X I have Complete Body Dysfunction (CBD).
EXAMPLE: my girlfriend Helen is about average in terms of flesh tone and
fitness, but, everyone thinks she's a little underweight and says she
should put on a little bit.. Under this identifier, she'd be: b:-
[Image]
HEIGHT
Write your height with the H prefix. In contrast to The Goth Code v1.x,
we're going to calculate your height in centimetres only. Feet and inches
is no longer acceptable.
There are 12 inches to the foot. There are 2.54 cm per inch.
EXAMPLE: Since I'm 5'8", my first calculation is (5 feet x 12 inches) + 8
inches = 68 inches. 68 inches x 2.54 = 172.72 cms. Rounding this to the
nearest integer, my height is: 173 cm. In this example, my resulting code
is: H173
[Image]
Pretentiousness (are you GOTHIER-THAN-THOU?)
Pretentiousness has always been a part of being goth. Whether you're
pretentiously AntiquityGoth ("I outstyle him/her by miles") or
pretentiously SkinGoth ("I can beat the shit out of him/her without trying,
if I need to"), now's the time to fess up to your perceived social status.
g+4 I am so gothic that I don't even need to speak to communicate
volumes and keep them enthralled at my feet..
g+3 I usually _lead_ conversation at a purely goth party.
g++ Pretty goth.. I can usually make very good conversation at a
purely goth party.
g+ I know what's what and where enough to look like I know my
stuff.
g I'm a goth, alright..
g- I'm an interested newbie who's just started looking into the
scene.
g-- I'm make obvious errors in judgement about what to wear and/or
say.
g-3 People cringe when I open my mouth or enter the room.
g-4 I have been banned from nightclubs because I lack basic social
graces.
Add to this _one_ of the following suffixes:
People judge me the most by the way I...
L Look
A Act
T The ideas I come up with and the way I think
S Smell
F Feel (touching me conveys the impression I'm a goth; strange, yet
true.)
! Am.. Everything conveys the same image.
[Image]
How you do your MAKEUP and piercings
In this section, we're going to code how you do your makeup and what bits
you've got pierced for decoration. Add to the "m" qualifier the following
and add the number of piercings before each consecutive new pierce type:
Ea Ears
Na Navel
Ni Nipples
No Nose
Li Lips
G Genital area
Ey Eyebrows
H Hands
T Tongue
Z Other
EXAMPLE: So, at this stage, someone who has six pierces in their ears and
has both nipples pierced will be coded as: mA6C2
Then, add to this partially complete code which of the following applies to
you the most:
+6 I wear makeup all over my body; no body part escapes the process
of beautification; I spend 12 hours out of my 17 hours awake just
getting it _right_..
+5 I spend every moment checking that my makeup hasn't fallen out of
place. This makes me quite unapproachable because my gaze is
always into my compact and my attention is on my single zit and
its colouration in comparison with the surrounding skin tones.
+4 I spend half my time at nightclubs giving my makeup touch-up
jobs..
+3 I wear makeup all of the time and I take care to ensure I look
good.
++ I wear makeup most of the time, but, only to cover up the cracks
and/or acne.
+ I wear makeup sometimes.
- I don't like to wear makeup except for occasional parties and
nightclub outings where I put in my all.
-- I only make an effort at parties and nightclub outings if they're
special occasions.
-3 I don't wear makeup.
-4 I don't like others wearing makeup..
-5 If I find people wearing makeup, I get angry at them for being so
insensitive to ignore the starving people in third world
countries who can barely afford to feed themselves.
-6 If I find people wearing makeup, I get angry enough to slice open
their chest and gouge my hands into their entrails and play with
them for a while before slicing away their respiratory system.
Add to the result of this, any of these qualifiers where appropriate:
! I am allergic to almost all known beauty products.
@P My makeup is tattooed and would take laser surgery to remove.
@S I have tatoos that cover a small portion of my body.
@M I have tatoos that cover a medium portion of my body.
@L I have tatoos that cover a large portion of my body.
@1, @2, etc I have 1, 2, etc, distinguishable tatoos.
# The only colours I use are Black and White.
? I really don't know how to do my makeup properly, though you
probably could guess that ;-).
& I get someone else to do my makeup for me
$ I am in the beauty products/services industry.
$$ I single-handedly support the beauty products/services industry.
EXAMPLE: So, at this stage, an unfortunate fictitious person who has six
pierces in their ears, has both nipples pierced, but is allergic to all
makeup and has had him/herself tattooed, might be coded as: mEa6Ni2-4!@P
[Image]
How WEIRD you seem to the "normals"
Goths have a seemingly natural knack for being "weird". As a general rule,
the following weird qualifiers allow a goth to rate their weirdness, and
how much they're actually _noticed_ as being weird and how often they scare
small children.
w+4 People walk past lepers dancing on Barney Dinosaur costumes when
they see me just doing my shopping..
w+3 I make Rob Smith (of The Cure) and Lux Interior (of The Cramps)
look a bit humdrum.
w++ I'm a bit wierder than most other goths I know.
w+ So? what's your problem with weird.
w I'm not weird. I blend in perfectly.. no one would guess..
(muahahahahaha!)
w- I'm more normal that most people normally are.
w-- I am so incredibly boring it's tedious to explain..
w-3 My name is Al Gore and I am the Vice President of the United
States of America.
w-4 My name is John Howard and I am the Leader of the Liberal Party
of Australia.
If you are w+ or higher, then add to your code the following:
People think that the wierdest aspect to me is the way I...
L Look: There's something about the way I appear that seems, well,
strange to people.
A Act: Some of the things that I do seem to freak people out,
sometimes.
T Think: Some of the things that I say can appear really bizarre and
wierd to people I meet; I squick people often.
S Smell: I smell like formaldahyde, or something quite bizarre.
F Feel: When people touch me, my flesh sends strange signals to the
toucher's sensory perceptors that says, "hey, this person is
_wierd_."
! Am: Everything about me conveys the same message..
[Image]
RELIGIOUS or Atheistic?
In this code we speak of sex and deviance, so how can we forget guilt?
Religious imagery has always been an important part of the goth subculture,
as has guilt and angst about one's Faith or lack of it. Rate yourself
according to the following:
r+4 I bash religious texts for a living.
r+3 I bash religious texts in my spare time.
r++ I believe in the texts of my religion, but, I don't push it
onto others
r+ I believe in a God, I think.
r I don't care about it either way
r- I don't believe in a God, sort-of.
r-- I know I don't believe in God. I don't really mind what you
think about it.. your choice.
r-3 I enjoy converting the religious occasionally.
r-4 I convert or have converted the religious for a living.
Add to the this, any of the following that may be appropriate:
E I have a strict code of ethics.
B I like to think that I have a spiritualtiy, which may or may not
conform to a recognised religion.
I I have fully investigated all the range of possibilities and have
come to my conclusion on the basis of wide reading and/or spiritual
contemplation.
S I believe that I have an immortal soul, that lives on through Karma
or some other soul rebirthing system,
P I am a bit of a pagan.. My "religion" as such doesn't have a God/s
as its base, but, I do believe that there's something else that
rules our world (eg, the Sun, Moon, planets, Bill Gates, The Great
Tortoise that created the Universe by sneezing it out of its magical
nostril, etc).
[Image]
On DRUGS, both legal and illegal
How would you rate your opinion with regard to taking mind/mood altering
drugs?
D+5 It's my (intended) _life-style_! 24 hours per day, man!!
D+4 I (would) really enjoy it, my il/legal drugs are (or would be) a
fun way to have a night out.. can't imagine it without them.
D+3 I wish I could justify the cost to do it more often..
D++ It is (or would be) only occasionally during special events..
D+ I've tried it (or would like to), but, I don't think it's my
thing, really.
D- I'm not too keen on it; tho I don't mind how other people view it.
D-- I don't like it much and I don't enjoy seeing other people on
them.
D-3 I hate legal and illegal drug use amongst my friends and I
usually end up giving them lectures about it..
D-4 I report the people I don't like who are using drugs to narcotics
agents in the police force during Operation NOAH or to groups
like Alcoholics Anonymous.
D-5 I report my friends to Operation NOAH or Alcoholics Anonymous,
but, it's only for their own good.
Add to this as many of these as is appropriate:
~ I smoke nicotine-related products (yep, you're an addict, don't
pretend you're not -- I'm one too, BTW ;-) ),
! I would _never_ inject,
% I believe that there's a big difference between using legal and
illegal drugs.. I'm fine with the legal ones; my answer to this
Code Question refers to _illegal_ drugs only.
* I ensure that I only toy with illegal drugs that are not
physically addictive.
? I didn't even know that there were illegal drugs _available_
N I am actually _in_ the Narcotics Division of the police force.
R I have been to Drug Rehabilitation and survived!
EXAMPLE: Therefore, my code for this section is: D+~*
[Image]
When Single (gothic `HAWKISHNESS')
h+3 searches out other goths whenever at all possible.
h++ searches to meet a goth
h+ likes to meet goths but doesn't mind _too_ much
h- not a goth hawk
h-- doesn't care for goths, really
h-3 is offended by goths if approached.
h+3, h++, and h+ people should work out what it is that _initially_
attracts them to new partners. Then list the _either_ the style Types
they're attracted to (as seen in ^1^) or the Personality types (as seen in
^2^) in their general order of preference.
EXAMPLE: h++TPe(GMo) or hP(!G)
[Image]
Your Gothic SEXUALITY
What sex are you attracted to? In this scale, work out what your percentage
of heterosexuality is, then divide it by ten and round this figure to the
nearest integer.
EXAMPLES: If you're 100% hetero, then you'd write this as: s10; If you're
5% hetero (95% gay), then write yourself as: s1; If you've become
intentionally celebate, and you have no desires to change this, then write
yourself down as being: sNA
[Image]
Your Gothic KINKINESS
In gothic relationships, sexual play can become an issue. Some people can
find that a partner they've gotten together with is sexually incompatible.
So, where do you stand?
k+5 My name is Jeff Dahmer and my fetishes involve people dying or
getting hurt pretty bad..
k+4 My fetishes involve permanent changes to one's anatomy (eg,
piercings, brandings, etc).
k+3 Experienced in the fetishy arts (ie, you know the stuff contained in
the alt.sex.bondage FAQ back-to-front, and have tried a good amount
of the stuff mentioned).
k++ pretty adventurous, but moderated
k+ will consider trying new things
k? Kinky Unknown..
k- has definite _absolute_ dislikes.
k-- totally vanilla, but experienced in the sack.
k-3 I'm pretty sexually inexperienced..
k-4 I'm like Maria in `The Sound of Music'
k-5 I wish I was as kinky in bed as Maria in `The Sound of Music'
Add any of the following that you sometimes engage in:
B Bondage
d discipline,
S Sadism
M Masochism,
D Domination
s submission,
P Piercing-based play,
E Excretion based fetish play (such as scat, water sports, etc)
F Other fluid based fetish play (such as play involving blood,
vaginal fluids, semen, etc).
N Non-fluid based fetish play (eg, body part fetishes such as feet,
neck, etc).
R Role playing (doctors and nurses, etc),
W Wrestling for control; rough play.
EXAMPLE: My code here is: k+3BdDsFNRW
[Image]
Preferred type of RELATIONSHIP
The Goth scene, like no other, is geared towards the plurality of
relationship types.. whether they're open or closed. But, openness with
regard to your desires to your partners or prospective partners is always
something to be encouraged. Time to state your preferences..
Add to the "R" identifier one of the following which fits you best:
s prefers open relationships only and is a bit of a swinger.
o Will form relationships which are generally open.
p Polyamourous; likes relationships with more than one person,
preferably with commitment on all sides to all people involved.
n Neutral with regard to to swinging, poly or monogamy; however,
negotiation is always open for which and can be negotiated from time
to time.
N The scope of the relationship (ie, whether monogamous, swinging or
polyamorous) is not defined and is open to negotiation. However,
once the choice is made: that's it. It's set in stone.
m Strictly monogamous/relationship oriented. No outside affairs.
Sex _only in monogamous relationships.
z Some style of relationship which is not listed in the above.
[Image]
Relationship STATUS
Okay, at the risk of making the Goth Code seem like an excuse to post an
abbreviated personal ad at the end of your .Signature (er, well, I suppose
it _is_, but, umm ;-) ), use this code to let people know whether they or
their friends "'ave a chance."
Sm Married
Se Engaged
Sr Involved in a relationship with a primary partner,
Ss Single or only involved with a secondary partner and available
(refer to prefered relationship type to indicate what's most
likely)
Add to this an additional suffix from the following:
Y Yes, I'm `available' for the right person for a primary partnership,
but, no crap email "wanna fuck?"s thankyou..
N No, I'm _not_ available for a primary partnership right now, so
don't send me wannas.
W Please send me your personal Ad.
And add to this a final suffix:
y Yes, I'm available to the right person for something nice 'n' casual
or one-night-standish.. but, I have high standards, so you may not
be the one I'll go for.
n No, I'm not available for a one-night-stand or casual sex. Get over
it.
w Yes, you can send me "wanna fuck?"s if you like..
EXAMPLE: So, at the time of writing The Goth Code Version 2.0 (January
1996), my relationship status was: SrNn
[Image]
NET Resources about/by you
Add to the "N" prefix.. the date that you first began your travels on the
Information Superbandwagon, in the format: monthyear (eg, 1295 means that
you began netting in December of 1995; 0186 means that you began in January
1986, etc). If you're not actually on the net at all, then write: ----
Then, add any of the following that may apply:
W I have a web page. To get to my web page input at your Web
browser's URL input field: http://{my provider's
address}/~{my account name}
P I can write stuff on the Web that do more than simply
display things by writing scripts.
* I am locatable on the web, but, not at this address.
P I use a .plan file that has special information about me
and/or my interests.. Type at your UNIX shell: finger {my
account name}@{my provider's address}
F I maintain a FAQ/s or other significant documents with
regard to gothic culture that is findable through either
the Web or my .plan file,
L I maintain a listserv or majordomo service that people use,
S I am the sysadmin here.. So, do you wanna root? (sorry; had
to be said.. the pun troll told me to ;-) )..
Then add whichever is appropriate:
c You'll find me on IRC chat on one of the goth-related groups.
n You'll find me on Newsgroups that are scene-related.
l I write on lists distributed by email.
w I piss-fart about on the World Wide Web, so you won't see nor hear
of me, unless I visit your web page and leave a message in your
mailto: link.
EXAMPLE: Since first starting on the internet in December 1993, I wrote the
Goth Code and maintain the aus.culture.gothic FAQ, have a web page that you
can find by inverting my email address, and use a .plan file for very local
info. I'm a very regular writer to alt.gothic and sometimes play about on
the Web. Therefore, my code here is: N1293WPFnw
[Image]
Your LOCATION
So, where are you living? With the advent of business involvement on the
Internet, with such organisations such as AOL, DIALix, etc, putting huge
volumes of people on the 'net, you can't rely on people to look up the
University in the Commonwealth and United States Yearbooks or other
directories to find out where you are.
So, add your Country domain code to the "L" prefix in _LOWERCASE_ (eg, "au"
for Australia, "us" for the United States [and for politeness sake, please
add this in], "uk" for the United Kingdom) and then your State's general
Abbreviation in _UPPERCASE_.
Visit http://nic.merit.edu/nsfnet/statistics/nets.by.country for a more
extensive listing.
* au ... Australia
* ru ... Russian Federation
* ca ... Canada
* de ... German
* dn ... Denmark
* fr ... France
* gr ... Greece
* ie ... Ireland
* il ... Israel
* is ... Iceland
* it ... Italy
* lt ... Lithuania
* lu ... Luxembourg
* nl ... Netherlands
* no ... Norway
* nz ... New Zealand
* pl ... Poland
* ro ... Romania
* se ... Sweden
* su ... Soviet Union
* uk ... United Kingdom
* us ... United States
* za ... South Africa
EXAMPLE: So, someone living in Washington State (WA) in the United States
of America (us) would be: LusWA
Add to this, the following:
+3 I live in the inner city area of the capital city of my state
or territory
++ I live in the inner city area of a non-capital city..
+ I live in the suburbs of the capital city of my state or
territory
! I live in the suburbs of a non-capital city..
- I live in the centre of a town
-- I live in the 'burbs of a town
-3 I live out in the country on a farm or station/ranch, with road
access to towns nearby
-4 I am in utter desolation!!
Add to this any of the following you should wish to note:
* The city I live in is the largest and most significant in the
state.
! The nearest capital city this state or terrirory lies in
another country. (Note: if you're living in a capital city,
then you might want to consider the nearest one to your
city..)
EXAMPLE: Living in the centre of Perth which is the capital city (+3) of
Western Australia (WA), in Australia (au), I would be: LauWA+3*!
[Image]
HOUSEHOLD Type
After writing the "H" prefix, list one of the below which best describes
your living arrangements:
h Homeless, but, occasionally manage to scam a sofa with friends.
h+ Homeless, and living most of my time on the streets (please give
me a room!)
fs I live in a flat in a smaller-sized building (max of 12 flats to
the building),
fm I live in a flat in a medium-sized building (13 to 40 flats to
the building),
fl I live in a flat in a large-sized building (41 flats or more),
d I live in a dormitory in student housing,
b I live in a houseboat,
c I live in a campervan/converted bus/caravan,
a I live in my automobile/"shaggin' wagon,"
s I live in a share-house (ie, a group of people get together to
pay bills),
z Some other form of accommodation not already listed.
Add to this code (unless you answered h or h+ to the above) the number of
people that you share your accommodation with for the majority of the time
according to the following code:
S Smallish household (one to three people),
M Medium sized household (four to seven people),
L Large household (eight to twelve),
XL Very large household (thirteen to twentyfive).
XXL Extra large household (twentyfive or more)
NOTE: For the purpose of this, include all people who are paying rent and
expenses (even if they don't usually sleep at home) and _also_ girl- or
boy-friends of yourself and your housemates who stay over at least 4/7 days
per week.
Add to this, any of the following which may be appropriate:
*1, *2, etc I live with my parent/s.
c1, c2, etc I _am_ a parent with one, two, etc children.
p1, p21, etc I have one, twentyone, etc pets.
# My rent is free because my company includes it as part of
my salary package (eg, often seen with nannying and mining
positions). Anyone who answered that they're homeless
might want to include this in their code ;-).
$ I own my home, or have taken out a mortgage (so I'll
eventually own it).
EXAMPLE: I live in a medium sized share-house. Therefore, my household type
is: HsM
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Example Citations
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The whole idea is that you can use the Goth Code in your ordinary email and
USENET postings. It fits in even a small four-line signature, with enough
space for a little quote :-).
Peter T. Caffin
--
"Make mine a Coffee Chill!"
GothCode 2.0: GoAu!3AS++Hu++SS++MA!3 TJt(FeP) B11/21Bk!^1@ cDBRw+ PNa(SaR)
V++s M++p2wD ZGo(NrPu) C+2p1u a24(19) n+]--[OF b: H173 g+! mEa2-3 w++T
r--]-4[EI D+~* h+PPe(SaR) s8 k+3BdDsFNRW RN SrNn N1293WPFnw LauWA+3*!
------------------------------------------------------------------------
--
.---+- Maintainer: aus.culture.gothic FAQ, The Goth.Code Homepage, . Peter T .
| : aus.politics Who's Who, etc. http://www.omen.com.au/~synic/ | Caffin, |
| _oo__ Goth.Code v2.5 GoSS6Hu6AS6$ TSePuFe cDBRw6 PPeSaNi M4p2wD | Hel's |
' //`'\_ ZNrGoPu C6o a24- b55 H173 g6! r3EI k6 RN SrNn N1293 LauWA ' -Synic- '
/
-Synic-
The Goth.Code Mini-FAQ by Peter Caffin
What is Goth.Code?
This is a code that you can attach to your .Signature in email or USENET
postings to give people an idea of who you are. It's specially tailored to
"alternative types." It uses a few prosaic Geek Code portions, though adds to
them, and takes a good deal more inspiration from the Twink Code and library
codes such as the Dewey Decimal Cataloguing Scheme.
As a document in itself, it's more designed to be a fun way to investigate the
significant differences in people who consider themselves 'gothic,' while also
allowing people to present to the public a small snapshot of who they are in
their .Signatures.
What's the difference between a code version x.x and x.xA?
x.xA has been 'added to' slightly in order to eliminate small bugs. Other than
this, there are no significant differences between the versions and so are
considered, essentially, the same. The x.xA file has the date on when the last
bug-fix was performed.