Are 'metal heads' weak individuals?

[Hubster]

It's a tough call, all of this.

I for example, don't look like the average metalhead. My hair is short, I'm clean shaven all the time, I take care in my appearance but not to the point of being Narcissistic (its more about being clean for me).

If I ever wear, for example, my Immortal shirt, I get some of the wierdest looks. I don't think it's because it's the cover art for Pure Holocaust, I think it's because the public looks at me, then at the shirt and cannot figure out how it blends.

Most people would think I appear to look like (Ausssies would know what Im meaning here) a doof, because I have short hair and a Middle Eastern appearance (where in fact, I'm Indian, born in London). I don't wear thick gold chains (I hate them, and it looks ridiculous), don't get into fashion and all that stuff anymore.

Do I class myself as a metalhead, even though my hair is short and I dont wear black all the time? YES, I DO. Why? Because I have loved this music for almost 20 years now, and I dont think about "how to act metal" or something like that, Im simply a fan of the music.

However, there's a twist. Metal people are somewhat "separatist" in ways. We dont really go into the mainstream. Yes, I guess our music has developed a social culture in ways, but we are still a minority group.

I've found a number of the most intelligent people I have spoken to in my life to be lovers of metal. I also find that the music itself is intelligent (hello! Why do many metalheads appreciate a Baroque Opera over Justin Timberlake?!?!)... Like any scene though, or even any nationality or gender, there are dickeads. There are people who aren't passive about what they do, they feel they have to be be aggressive. This is wrong.

I have also encountered elitism in metal, quite a bit of pretentiousness actually. It's a shame, because (I think) many people who are into it flock to it partially because it's "safety in isolation": the music recognises those of us who arent interested in becoming famous, or the life of the party, or the centre of attention. Those who act elite are the ones who aren't pure of people, they seek to harm others because of their own insecurities, and they exist in ANY social/musical culture. The rest of us blend "being metal" into our everyday lives and political ideas and continue to be good people to the best of our ability.

Metal touches us to our inner core in many ways, and allows us to express ourselves in darker ways, which society deems "bad" or "evil", but it is, for me for example, a way that I can be prouder of my darker romanticisms.

 

[Birkenau]

Funnily enough I'm the same, I've only got medium length hair, I don't wear any accessories and usually just wear a normal black or white shirt with jeans (or whatever is lying around).

 

[The Devil's Steed]

It all depends on what type of metal head we are speaking about.

I've found that the more common metal head who listens to commercial bands such as Metallica, Slipknot, Iron Maiden, Cradle of Filth, Pantera etc. is usually of low-to-average intelligence, more or less listening to this type of music to fit into a pseudo-alternative crowd. Most commercial heavy metal culture (or my pals culture as Vikernes would call it) consists of less mentally stimulating (sometimes degenerating) activities like drinking, head banging, casual sex, and drug use. These attributes are more common to people with lower intelligence that need to find distractions in life to amuse themselves because they are otherwise bored shitless.

Your more underground metal head, one who listens to black and death metal in particular, I've found to be usually of substantial intelligence, more inclined to be interested in intellectual activities such as philosophy and writing. They are also more humble, usually shy, and resentful to the modern world of which encourages ignorance and stupidity.

What you base the measurement of intelligence on also becomes important, just because someone doesn't perform well in algebra doesn't mean they are of less intelligence then someone who can, instead I prefer to base it on their behaviour, ideas and creations.

I agree with this with two exceptions.

1. Head-banging doesn't necessarily make you part of the former culture you mentioned, as it's simply a fun activity at concerts.

2. Some of the people who listen to primarily death and black metal do the same degenerate things that you described being activies of crowd one. Albeit, they're not anywhere near as common in this group.

 

[SoundMaster]

It's a tough call, all of this.

I for example, don't look like the average metalhead. My hair is short, I'm clean shaven all the time, I take care in my appearance but not to the point of being Narcissistic (its more about being clean for me).

If I ever wear, for example, my Immortal shirt, I get some of the wierdest looks. I don't think it's because it's the cover art for Pure Holocaust, I think it's because the public looks at me, then at the shirt and cannot figure out how it blends.

Most people would think I appear to look like (Ausssies would know what Im meaning here) a doof, because I have short hair and a Middle Eastern appearance (where in fact, I'm Indian, born in London). I don't wear thick gold chains (I hate them, and it looks ridiculous), don't get into fashion and all that stuff anymore.

Do I class myself as a metalhead, even though my hair is short and I dont wear black all the time? YES, I DO. Why? Because I have loved this music for almost 20 years now, and I dont think about "how to act metal" or something like that, Im simply a fan of the music.

However, there's a twist. Metal people are somewhat "separatist" in ways. We dont really go into the mainstream. Yes, I guess our music has developed a social culture in ways, but we are still a minority group.

I've found a number of the most intelligent people I have spoken to in my life to be lovers of metal. I also find that the music itself is intelligent (hello! Why do many metalheads appreciate a Baroque Opera over Justin Timberlake?!?!)... Like any scene though, or even any nationality or gender, there are dickeads. There are people who aren't passive about what they do, they feel they have to be be aggressive. This is wrong.

I have also encountered elitism in metal, quite a bit of pretentiousness actually. It's a shame, because (I think) many people who are into it flock to it partially because it's "safety in isolation": the music recognises those of us who arent interested in becoming famous, or the life of the party, or the centre of attention. Those who act elite are the ones who aren't pure of people, they seek to harm others because of their own insecurities, and they exist in ANY social/musical culture. The rest of us blend "being metal" into our everyday lives and political ideas and continue to be good people to the best of our ability.

Metal touches us to our inner core in many ways, and allows us to express ourselves in darker ways, which society deems "bad" or "evil", but it is, for me for example, a way that I can be prouder of my darker romanticisms.

'Tis the best response I've seen so far.

 

[SoundMaster]

...casual sex...(an) attribute...more common to people with lower intelligence...

On the other hand, people (usually men) who have zero charisma with the opposite sex and are alone - not by choice - due to lack of attractiveness often adopt this negative view of 'casual sex'.
It's like the old joke about money and happiness: "Who says money can't buy you happiness? The poor!"

 

[ZoMb!M@N]

I disagree with that. If someone's a Nazi, they're a Nazi. If they're stupid, they're stupid. If they're worthless, they're worthless, etc..

Hey, go easy on yourself there ......

 

[Kenneth R.]

On the other hand, people (usually men) who have zero charisma with the opposite sex and are alone - not by choice - due to lack of attractiveness often adopt this negative view of 'casual sex'.
It's like the old joke about money and happiness: "Who says money can't buy you happiness? The poor!"

or the wise.

as many who frown upon casual sex are the honorable.

 

[speed]

I actually somewhat agree with you on casual sex SS. However, when I think of casual sex, I think of one night stands, and any woman into one night stands I immediately think is a whore. And I dont know why I dont embrace the whoreness, but generally these chicks are manic depressive or have other severe psychological issues. Apparently manic depressives many times fill the void of their pathetic existance with sex, a trait I'm sure many of us have either experienced or witnessed.

 

[Øjeblikket]

as many who frown upon casual sex are the honorable.

I think you're being overly provincial.

 

[SoundMaster]

I think you're being overly provincial.

That's my feeling, as well.
Of course, I reserve the right to be wrong.

 

[The Devil's Steed]

Hey, go easy on yourself there ......

I wasn't speaking of myself...but wow, how clever of you! You must be proud!

 

[ZoMb!M@N]

I wasn't speaking of myself...but wow, how clever of you! You must be proud!

why are you such a tool? oh, i see it now... you're from Tex-ass

 

[ZoMb!M@N]

I actually somewhat agree with you on casual sex SS. However, when I think of casual sex, I think of one night stands, and any woman into one night stands I immediately think is a whore. And I dont know why I dont embrace the whoreness, but generally these chicks are manic depressive or have other severe psychological issues. Apparently manic depressives many times fill the void of their pathetic existance with sex, a trait I'm sure many of us have either experienced or witnessed.

Are you saying that all women that have the occasional one-night stand are whores and have severe psychological issues? Sounds to me like someone has spent too many nights alone spanking off wishing they could find one of these so-called whores.

Women have every right to express their sexuality as men do. Given, all of us have to be alot more careful nowadays, but why is it that a premiscuous woman is a whore, but a premiscuous man is a stud? It makes you wonder if the person making the statement has been unlucky with the opposite sex.

 

[Kenneth R.]

and its people who need to assert their manliness constantly (see above post) that give me pause to question. women and men have every right to express sexuality. however, in my view at least, there is honor to be considered. i have already gone into detail on my views, but being a metalhead does not necessitate that i fuck a different girl every night and howl to the moon.

 

[The Devil's Steed]

why are you such a tool? oh, i see it now... you're from Tex-ass

Yes, the state I'm from determines exactly what I'm like, doesn't it?

Care to explain why I'm a tool? All you've done so far is be a shithead for no apparent reason.

 

[marduk1507]

Back to the topic...

I think its important what do you mean by weak. Some metalheads say its weak to listen to other stuff than metal, like jazz, electronic music, world music, etc. But for me remaining stuck with one genre of music or with anything is the definition of weakness, because there is no progress, you just listen to the same stuff over and over and expect the same from your favourite bands. I personally think this is the case of power and speed metal fans (not all of them of course, but a lot of them). But appart from this group of fans I think the metal scene is pretty strong. I think that especially death, black, grind (with all its subgenres) fans have the best overview of music as such. Not that they listen to it, but the music THEY listen to is so extreme that it somehow embraces everything else what is played in the tvs and radios, which they have come accross on their way to metal. This is also why I hink that metal fans are the most tollerant of all (yeah, I know, metal core sucks etc. and all that, I know that). Im talking about awereness, not preference - we are aware of the other music to the point that we are able to label it, maybe even know the names of the songs themselves, or the artist. This makes us stronger than the rest - although they are aware that something like metal exists, they know shit about it.

Maybe this seems a bit exaggerated, but I witness it every year at Brutal Assault festival in CZ. Great music, chat, tollerance, beer - pure fucking bliss! (www.shindy.cz/cz/brutalassault.seznam.eng.php)

 

[Crimson Velvet]

Women have every right to express their sexuality as men do. Given, all of us have to be alot more careful nowadays, but why is it that a premiscuous woman is a whore, but a premiscuous man is a stud? It makes you wonder if the person making the statement has been unlucky with the opposite sex.

Women who frequently goes home with strange men are not in any way more morally degenerate than men who does the same, but are definately more uncritical, as she, being of the physically weaker sex, puts herself in a more dangerous position by placing herself at the mercy of a stranger. How can she tell, afterall, that he isn't a murderer? I have nothing against women who have done this perhaps once or twice (we all feel the urge to explore our sexually, unwise as it might be), but when this becomes a habit, it shows an extreme lack of critical sense and self-respect, the latter applying to men as well as women.

 

[ZoMb!M@N]

and its people who need to assert their manliness constantly (see above post) that give me pause to question. women and men have every right to express sexuality. however, in my view at least, there is honor to be considered. i have already gone into detail on my views, but being a metalhead does not necessitate that i fuck a different girl every night and howl to the moon.

i was making a point. i was not saying that to be a metalhead, you are supposed to have sex with random partners on a nightly basis. I was reiterating the sad but true double standard that women are given.

 

[ZoMb!M@N]

Yes, the state I'm from determines exactly what I'm like, doesn't it?

Care to explain why I'm a tool? All you've done so far is be a shithead for no apparent reason.

i'm having fun ... poking fun ... to me, metal music is fun .... it's about losing your mind and rocking out .... people like you who come off all straight laced bug me ..... you've done nothing but criticize my posts .. so i'm giving back

I haven't met anyone from Texas that wasn't an asshole ... just my experience

 

[JoeVice]

to me, it is weak to criticize or love music by genre...instead of the music itself...comments such as "this isn't real metal," is weak. it seems like to many people are stuck on their genre...they "wear the cross on their shoulder" with their preferred genre. they get offended when someone doesn't like it.

i have even heard comments like "i won't listen to tool, because of their fans." <--wtf?
How ridiculous is that? or "i won't listen to bands that try to convey an image." aren't you trying to convey an image by taking a stand on such a thing?