it's the way they live their lives.... listening to the music they listen to, 'dressing up'.. fine, everything else they do might be similar to everyone else, but apart from, i don't know, silent births and being occaisionally a little crazy, scientologists seem similar to everyone else too... i guess people who feel that need to dress up comes accross (to me) as some need for attention. maybe that's one of the things i find offputting... i don't think what you wear should be such an important part of your life and (generally) i think a lot of the music classified as 'goth' is pretty wanky and painful to listen to without laughing... besides, i guess why i view it as a lifestyle isn't really important here. what is, is the fact that it IS what i think, and it is my opinion.... i was just trying to point out that people CHOOSE to be goth or be associated with goths, etc. It is a choice. Unlike, say, your comment about judging black people on the colour of their skin instead of as a person... There's a huge difference there..