Is it normal to not understand the point of emo?

It's just a style, nothing more. I don't understand the point of any style because I don't want to express myself with my appearance, but I don't find emo any more difficult to understand than any other. I know loads of emos - these are people who call themselves "emo" and identify with the label - and none of them do this "pretend depressed" stuff. It's a stereotype associated with people who dress in an "emo" way.

Most "emo" music (the modern idea of "emo", not "emotional hardcore") is focused around dark or violent imagery and epicness, but not because the kids actually relate to the messages of violence and self-harm and depression but because the emotions that music like generates is appealing to someone who feels a lot of teenage angst. The fashion style is a form of self-expression that relates more to feeling alienated from mainstream society (and who can blame them for that), not necessarily depression.

Obviously my experience with emo people isn't the same as everyone's experiences with emo people. The ones I've met have just been like everyone else though, just dressed differently.

Emo is so 2005
I didn't know emo was still cool?

I was in to wearing all black long before I ever heard of emos just because I had a fairly rough childhood and I had given up on trying to fit in so I'd just listen to music alone or with one or two friends with similar backgrounds but then when the whole emo trend came around all these kids started acting like they knew me and my friends and acted like they where super miserable and I alwayse found that to be really insulting especially since I could never get them to come up with a legit reason to be upset and considering my friends and I usually didn't act all that depressed unless someone's mom got a job at a strip club or there family got kicked out of a house (stuff like that). So I agree what's with It i don't get emos either

Once you get out of high school, you won't see much of the "emo" thing anymore. Teenagers do this because they are trying to figure out where they fit in and they want to express themselves. It's just a fad among teenagers. I went through a "punk" phase myself. But it's something you grow out of.

Some angst-ridden teenagers gravitate towards subcultures like emo because they already feel depressed and alone, and it's a way of entering into a community which views the expression of those dark, moody feelings positively rather than negatively. Same thing draws some people into the heavy metal and goth scene.

So it's not always a bunch of kids with faux depression enjoying grumbling about their middle-class, trouble-free lives. Sometimes it's genuinely troubled, depressed kids who want sympathetic friends. I would have loved to have had some understanding people around me when I was an emotional teenage wreck.

That being said, I think subcultures such as emo can glorify self-harm which is fairly common amongst adolescents anyway, making the problem even worse. And of course there are those who just enjoy the fashion and feign emotional problems to appeal to their peers - but you get 'fake' people in every subculture.

I have had some issues with idiopathic depression and self-harm in the past - perhaps that's why I'm more sympathetic to the emo subculture than some? I can entirely understand why some kids would want to be emo, even though I personally find the music and fashion pretty crap.

What the fuck is this High School shit? God almighty, people, please grow up.

I totally agree emo came about cause some self centered asshole thought they would be sad and depressed to get attention. if u r really depressed u won't want people to know about it

Emo and Scene kids both suck. The end.

what's emo stand for anyway? i syffer from depression & it sucks,i don't know why somebody would make fun of somebody for being depressed, they can't help it if tey are anymore than somebody who suffers from diabetes can. they are illnesses that can't be prevented. its not like we choose to suffer from it.

Oh god, get off it. So another fad comes along and now it's all that we should all be, reject all that is old? Ashamed of a style? Disgusting and shallow.
And yeah, you CAN dress like so and still be depressed. Pfft.
I'm a bit older, so I was around for the goth phase- they weren't anything like the stereotypes put on them and I'm sure emo was in the same boat.

Perhaps its how some confused depressed adolescents reach out for attention, like a cry for help. Especially those who don't just use drugs to self medicate. I've had bouts of depression for years, and when I was in my early teens I got close to identifying myself in such a way. Luckily I never tried cutting or anything before getting past that stage

I was labeled emo due to fact i was diagnosed with depression... also with the cuts on my wrists

I never understood the need for it since my race doesn't even do that nor use the term. For others, if you're depressed then you're depressed, you don't need to dress like you're sad to be sad. I've known people who smile more than your average person and dress quite colorful but have masked tragic things under it. This "emo" should be a style, not some pretend way of life.

for one thing they dont talk much , that could be relaxing for some , just a thought

You're pretty stupid if you think been Emo is all about crying black and been depressed.

Emo is a style, a look, not a mood. If someone likes the darker stuff in life then leave them alone to enjoy it.

Personally I find the chav style (Trackies tucked into socks and tracksuits with trainers) absolutely disgusting but i dont go around bashing or hating on it because i understand that not everything is the same.

Some emo's are depressed, some like the style and others will just have to grow up and accept that not everyone likes the shit that mainstream products choke up and call fashion.