Define emo, why do some label themselves as emo?

Ok first off, let me tell you what I think emo is. [I'm not saying it like I know this so don't come at me foul]

Emo to me is an emotional person. A negative person. Someone sad and gloomy and it shows on the outside appearance as well.

Well if...

my definition is correct, why don't they just go hang themselves???
Doing all that is called doing too much.
Attention hores.

OMG what the hel is wrong with people?
Look things up before you give advice if you don't know what it is!
Only few plp you answered were correct only partially
I researched the subject a while back,
here's what I've gathered=
From my recourses supposedly an Emo was originally just a slang word used to describe some bands that got emotional, originally fans of Fugazi, a post punk band, in mid 1980's. It later became a sub-genre. Most found it offensive disliked being labeled Emo. The original Emo is what is now modern day screamo, there were 3 waves. I believe the second wave some how led to the third wave which is modern day. It was basically when new music was cropped under the labile Emo such as jeans. The style of Emo is most commonly long bangs fringe, brushed to the side, hair died black, thick glasses are also common, or was originally common in the style as well as plad shirts such., it was only just recently(within the past few years) tight jeans were added into the style(boys girls alike, it's not on common for men to wear girl jeans in this style).The style is less evolved from post punk than Goth in short I guess one could say. Also, during the third wave of Emo it became common for people to slit their selves to fit in. How that works out I don't know. Note: not all Emo's slit themselves, it's just a thing so do to show or act emotional. no, it is not a subculture, however, there is supposedly a movement in the process of making it a subculture, don't think it'll work out, to be honest I kind of hope it doesn't. In my honest opinion Emo is not based on a solid foundation enough to say what exactly is is not emo, specially when it comes to terms of music. The basis of emo has been changed twice except for the one basic Emo is Emotional is indeed short for emotional(if you don't believe me look it up). But when you think of it, how can one not be emotional when it comes to their music? Look at Cradle of Fith-their Dooms Metal, 69 Eyes- Romanti Goth, Amy Lee- Plasti Goth, a lot other musicians. The only ones called Emo are the ones who dress the part. It's a combination of a subgenre of music style claiming to be emotional.

WELL FIRST OF ALL. THEY PROBABLY HAVE MORE PROBLEMS THEN YOU THINK. I HAVE a lot OF EMO FRIENDS AND THEY TELL ME THEY HAVE FAMILY ABUSE ISSUES OR SOME OTHER SERIOUS PROBLEMS. THEY DON'T GET HELP BECAUSE MOST OF THEM FEEL LIKE THERE IS NO WAY OUT EXCEPT FOR SELF INJURIES. THEY FIGURE IF THEY GET USED THE PAIN IT WILL GO AWAY, BUT IN THE MEANTIME people LOOK DOWN ON THEM LIKE YOU ARE. THEY'RE JUST DIFFERENT, JUST IMAGINE WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT YOU, ME, OR ANYBODY ELSE.

wow ok then... ummm emo is that and its a style.. thre are differnt types of emos... you can be a cuter? or a goth.. or a scene... being emo doesn't mean that you ahve to hang your self.. yah sometimes... they do want to.. but not all of them.. I'M NOT AN ATTENTION HORE EITHER!!!

They are not attention hores!! It is not their fault that people love to talk about them. And just because you are emo does not mean you want to die.

well a few years ago EMO's were young people who liked to abuse themselves...but it wasnt for show or that kinda crap...they were really pissed on the world and all...and 90% did kill themselves...

nowadays EMO is a style of clothing and music... most EMO people listened to depressive tracks mostly metal from genres like doom and black...
nowadays theres this EMO music...which isnt EMO at all...

I dont like emos (and never did) I do find them attention seekers and jumping on the band wagon...

Because your definition is wrong.

Emo = music.

I am all for allowing people to express themselves in whatever manner seems appropriate- be who you want to be, I am cool with that. I see the person, and not the trappings of appearance. we all have some kind of issues that we have conquered or are seeking to conquer- that is the state of being human. so I really have nothing against the whole emo thing. when I was young I got drawn into the whole metal scene, and loved (and still love) some of the heaviest and darkest music around. I wore black as a statement of how I felt, and eventually I became a much happier person- through sobriety and vanquishing my own personal demons- so my message to the emo's on this site is this. I support who you are, and will not put you down if you need help with anything.

'emo' is a genre of music, not a lable...if you cut yourself or are depressed thats completely different. most of the time people that are labled 'emo' dont like attention...
im labled as it and I HATE attentio from people. im not emo, I just luv the music and id die without it. I dont think people should use lables, they are just stupid...
yeah lots of people have really bad problems and take it out in harmful ways, but they arent attentio hores.
I hoped this helpd if not srry for making anyone mad..
I think emo isnt a lable, its just music, and if you are labled as 'emo' your just normal like everyone else

1985 now that I think of it

EMO = EMOTIONAL!

Ok if emo is just MUSIC interest and not LIFESTYLE then I understand. But if they are suffering, there is no such thing as NO WAY OUT.

Ok whoever gave me those answers about emo cutting themselves to get away from pain is now comfirming my opinion on how

EMOS ARE DUMBAZZZ.
There's always options.

And yes they are attention hores. The ones that shows off they cut themselves when they should belong in the mental hospital, or the one telling the world about their family problems when they cant just go and REPORT THEM TO THE COPS or something. If they're so smart, they wouldn't sit there and take it in. As a matter of a fact, a lot of emos now a day aren't even real about having problems. They just say it to get people's sympathy ATTENTION.

I am not speaking from my asss. I do know quite a few like this and their sob stories are noticably BS.

haaahah fuccc emoz

Yeah..there are probabley a few emo people out there who do it for attention..but not all so you shouldnt label all emos as attention hores. And please explain to me how you can have an oppinion about all emo people. Have you met them all? If not you cant form an oppinion about the whole 'group'.

First off I just want to say that I am not trying to be nasty to Merriemac or anything, but in her bio she stated that she is 100% vietnamese. I have never seen a vietnamese person that had naturally red hair. Are you an attention getter because you decided to dye your hair red! You probably are not, it was just a personal choice. The same goes for people that are into the emo thing. People make personal choices every day. That doesn't give you the right to say negative comments about them. How would you feel if someone made a negative comment about you just because of the color you decided to dye your hair without even knowing anything about you.

I don't have naturally red hair. Thank you very much. I just like experimenting with looks because one is boring. I still act the same no matter what.

But emo, just because a lot wear certain types of clothings, they start tryna act a different way and change up.

DEPRESSION IS NOT PART OF THE EMO SUBCULTURE! the fashion is skinnies converses or other canvas shoes, tight band merchandise, spiky hair with a fringe that goes in the third of the face, black eyeliner, bandanas with checkers and skulls (in the hair or hanging out of pockets), thick rimmed glasses, pleated skirts, tartan, skulls, badges, stars, bows, dark colours but not necessary. music is generally screamo (but I know of a group of emos that listen to lamb of god and avenged sevenfold).lots of emos are really skinny. emos are not non comformists because they dress all the same. emo is a type of punk and so is goth and scene and alternative etc. the emos originated from the 80s.

the depressed slitters are either posers, attention seekers or abusers of alcohol and drugs.

wow it amazes me how much sh** pplz think about emos.

just really sad.

emo means emotionally hardcore so... so people feel the geanre of music and take it to the next level.

that's because emos are full of shiit.
not the people who listens to certain music, but the ones that actually ACT depress to seek attentions.

uh huh, and why don't you go f*** a horse you cuntface?