The Eshay To Emo Pipeline

[00:00:00]Who was that?

[00:00:01]The eshay to emo pipeline, deep dive edition. I made this video last year and showed a Venn diagram and gave a half-assed explanation, but this time I'm committing to the [ __ ] bit.

[00:00:10]Hello, my name is Miles or Deal Dog Death Goat, and on this channel I talk about things that interest me in an obsessive and abnormal way. I'm not only a victim of this pipeline, but I'm still an active participant on both sides of the fence. And due to those reasons, I feel like I have a few half-decent points to make that maybe someone will relate to or agree with. Starting off with the Genesis chapter, the birth of the eshay identity. According to Urban Dictionary, an eshay is a white skinny male who thinks they're a gangster, wearing polo shirts, tracksuit pants, Nike TNs, and repping brands like Nautica, Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger, and Adidas. They're usually poor as [ __ ] unemployed, and waste their Centrelink payments on weed and pingers.

[00:00:47]Then in the Australian National Dictionary, an eshay is described as a young man who is part of a group associated with antisocial behavior and characterized by the wearing of certain label brand clothing. In my opinion, neither of those are entirely wrong, but they also don't paint the whole picture.

[00:01:01]Goth, emo, metalhead, all of those different labels are united as one of the same. They are all subcultures. By definition, a subculture is a group of people within a culture society that differentiates itself from the values of the mainstream or dominant culture. Kind of like TN-wearing, shank-bearing eshays. Whether they're aware of it or not, they're actively participating in their own homegrown subculture. Eshays have their own values, a specific aesthetic, a long history, music, language, and activities associated within the culture. Whilst in this context those things are generally considered bad at large, it doesn't diminish the fact that they're still a group of people living outside the normal standards of society. Maybe just not in the conventional sense. Young people often fall into eshay culture as a way to provide themselves with some level of protection and also as a way to feel like they belong somewhere. When you're a teenager and everything around you is changing at a rapid rate, it's easy to fall into a subculture that provides you with some sense of stability, even if that sense of stability is for the worst. A lot of young Aussies get to early high school age and quickly start to realize the importance of how they're being perceived. No young person wants to be perceived as weak or vulnerable, especially when they've grown up in environments where those kind of things are punished. And I don't [ __ ] believe in rich eshays. That [ __ ] is so stupid. If you're from the northern beaches walking around in an unmarked, unscuffed, fresh set of Nike Tech Fleece, you are not a [ __ ] eshay.

[00:02:19]Most eshays have grown up in shitty environments and generally speaking are from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.

[00:02:24]The violence, hostility, and hatred that comes from eshays is very often either learned behavior or pack behavior from being around each other. Whilst it's obviously very far from being acceptable, it's also kind of understandable if you change how you're viewing things. Many of these kids just feel lost as [ __ ] and are very hurt people. And being around other people who feel the same way gives them some sense of belonging. It makes them feel like they have the strength to be dominant or in control of their life where they're otherwise not. Those little [ __ ] zooming around on e-bikes all together yelling slurs, they're 100% annoying and a nuisance, but they also are just a product of their own environment. Another huge part of eshay culture is drinking, doing drugs, and dealing, which once again is just another method to numb what you're feeling and put up the big wall of strength and toughness that's not actually there. Facing all the uncertainty and fear that comes with growing up becomes easier once you punch 10 cones and turn the fear into anger.

[00:03:12]Unfortunately though, that anger often gets directed at the wrong people, which is why the stereotype around eshays is so bad. I would argue that the majority of eshays walking around are definitely not as tough as you think they are. And a lot of the tough [ __ ] front that they put up is purely just a form of self-preservation and protection. While some might genuinely be involved in postcode wars and have gang affiliations, more often than not they're just young kids trying to form an identity amongst a bunch of instability. The good news however, is that most people grow out of it. As time goes on, a lot of people start exploring their own identities outside of just being a little esh lad. This is often when a lot of people go from being an eshay into some form of alternative. And if not that, they just become normal people. Like they take the TNs off and leave the [ __ ] at home when they go to Woolworths. The birth of the emo identity. Just a little PSA for the remainder of this video, I am using the word emo in replacement of the word alternative quite a few times because I can't be [ __ ] to like over explain that I'm talking about everyone universally. So just know that I'm not an ignorant [ __ ] and I know that emo doesn't mean alternative, but it's just easier, okay? While some young people find their sense of identity within SH culture, a lot of other people find it in alternative subgenres. For the most part, it's not for incredibly different reasons that people gravitate towards certain groups. They provide a sense of belonging and identity at a time that it's hard for you to understand yourself. Of course, there's a whole lot more to it than that, but as people we naturally want to be a part of something, especially when it's amongst like-minded people. Unlike SH culture that breeds a mindset of survival and toughness, alternative scenes are typically a lot more in tune with emotions and filtering them into different art forms. Many teenagers struggling with mental health issues feel seen and understood for the first time in their lives and they discover alternative music. It doesn't shy away from talking about the pain and confusion of existing in the world and that is very attractive to a lot of people. The SH to emo crossover. The crossover happens for a few different reasons, but the main way I see it happen is just people getting older and discovering their true identity. At some point, the big tough SH act doesn't really hold up anymore and that's when people start exploring their interests outside of the subculture. Because a big part of lad culture in general is to suppress and numb out your emotions, the deconstruction of that can be really [ __ ] hard. Coming across metal and hardcore for a lot of people is nearly like a guideline to self-discovery as it has a very tough exterior but is driven by a very open-minded and accepting community. You can keep the anger and resentment you're holding on to and turn it into something more. It also makes a lot of people feel properly seen as an individual rather than a part of a hated group. The other reasons why I think this crossover is so common is because alternative subcultures and SH culture actually have a lot more in common than I think a lot of people give them credit for. This is the Venn diagram I made a year ago, but I think I can do a lot better than that. So, I'm going to go a little bit more in-depth, starting off with stereotyping. The stereotypes around these two groups are vastly different, but one thing remains the same. Mainstream culture [ __ ] hates them. Historically, alternative culture has been blamed for the following things: horrific acts of violence, an increase in school mental illness, self- and just about every other [ __ ] evil thing in the world. Emos are a risk to both themselves and others and are all all gay maniacs. As are commonly perceived as the following: unemployed violent criminals, racist, sexist, misogynistic, homophobic, drug-fueled, low IQ, and the overall scum of Australia. I'm here to share a big secret with you. All of that is a crock of [ __ ] [ __ ] From a super dumb [ __ ] closed off perspective, I guess I can understand how you could actually believe those stereotypes. But also, if someone genuinely does, I'm going to just assume it's your first day on planet Earth. Stereotyping happens because our brains like to make sense of what's around us and creating artificial boxes and boundaries between different groups of people brings us a false sense of understanding. Those stereotypes then get massively amplified through media such as movies, books, TV, news, and music, which makes the divide even bigger. People can ask of us as them about both as and emos, and that helps people feel comfortable and make sense of what they otherwise wouldn't understand. And the other side of that coin is the long-standing hatred that as and emos have against each other. It's near impossible to walk in the city as a visually alternative person without having a slow yell at you by an as, and due to that and also the assumption that they're all the same, all people [ __ ] hate as. Now, by no means do I think that someone should go get in try to go up and shake an as hand at the train station, but I do think there's a lot more in common there than we like to believe. Anti-authority. Whilst both as and emos hate authority, there's definitely a few important distinctions to make. Emos reject the societal conditioning to fit in and quote unquote be normal, and as reject the idea that anyone with more power than them can tell them what to do. Alternative culture highly values emotional honesty and overall vulnerability whilst rejecting mainstream ideas of society.

[00:07:47]SH culture highly values doing whatever the [ __ ] you want and not letting anyone tell you you can't. Both groups also often have public hangout spaces due to a meaning limited adult authority and judgement and both groups also [ __ ] hate the police, specifically New South Wales police. Everyone should hate New South Wales police. Moving on, uniforms.

[00:08:05]Both SHs and emos are instantly recognizable due to their shared love of having a distinct uniform. This also ties into both subcultures hating authority as they dress outside of what is considered to be normal or acceptable within mainstream society. SHs are often seen with dirty mullets, rat tails, baggy pants, TNs, dry-fit hats, speed dealers and a bum bag across their chest. Brand names like Nautica, Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger and Nike are massive parts of the fashion and culture and are seen as a bit of a status symbol amongst them. Emos are often seen wearing black in band merch, heavy makeup, heavy jewelry and having body mods and dyed hair. Both ways of presentation are visually confronting to most people and make them immediately associate the person with the stereotype that's been created for them. People generally steer clear of both SHs and alternative people because of artificial media made fears about who they are and what they're about. Next topic, music.

[00:08:57]The music commonly associated with SHs is mostly Aussie drill, gutter rap and a bit of grime too. Artists like Onefour, Chillinit, Kerser, Hooligan Hefs, Wombat and Husky to name a few. Most of these artists write about partying, drug use, dealing, growing up gutter, the Australian lower class lifestyle, crime and making it after years of hardship.

[00:09:18]Gutter rap specifically is incredibly homegrown and honest. It often has a lot of emotional weight and is quite aggressive and gritty. There's a lot of anger within most of the music whilst also holding up ideals of emotional oppression and toxic masculinity.

[00:09:30]Alternative music similarly is very angry. Not all of it obviously, but most genres of metal and hardcore thrive off of anger and rage. The difference is where that's being directed. Instead of turning your own internal conflict outwards, alternative scenes encourage it to be filtered back into art. A lot of the music focuses on mental health struggles, relationship hardships, questioning the world around you, and just the general feeling of being lost or not understood. And that's not at all to say that there's not underlying issues within alternative spaces when it comes to talking about those topics, but it's definitely a more accepting group to be in if you want to be vulnerable.

[00:10:03]Alternative communities provide a sense of belonging, understanding, and mateship that is hard to find in other places. There's definitely a lot of similarities between the themes and toughness expressed in both kinds of music, but the way they're accepted and applied within the subcultures seems to be quite different. Game time. I'm going to call this one gutter or cutter.

[00:10:21]Basically, how this is going to work is I'm going to read out a set of lyrics that are either going to be from a gutter rap song or a metal song, and you're going to guess which genre they came from. Round number one. Yet, here stands the [ __ ] of [ __ ] the demon lord that's going to [ __ ] you up. Open the box of beer and pack the bong.

[00:10:38]The answer is cutter. Those lyrics are from The Legend of Borry Part 2 by Dead Kelly. Round two. Cut myself with a blade, can't say what I felt. I'd knot my own neck, it's a waste of a belt, though.

[00:10:51]The answer is gutter. Those lyrics are from Beautiful Death by Cogs in Complete. Round three. I don't give a [ __ ] and I'm ready for war. I'll take your head from your neck, leave your head at your door.

[00:11:02]And the answer is gutter. Those lyrics are from No Rest by Cursa. The final round. How more [ __ ] up can this be?

[00:11:09]Cut me up awful, baby, like your cheap cocaine.

[00:11:13]And the final answer is cutter. Those lyrics are from Dominatrix by Void of Vision. That is the end of gutter or cutter. That game is probably never going to return ever, so I hope you enjoyed it while it lasted. Next topic.

[00:11:24]Authenticity. Regardless of their differences, asha's and emo's both universally hate one thing within their subculture, posers. For alternative people, a poser is someone who dresses or physically presents themselves as alternative, but doesn't actually participate in the culture. Meaning they have a lack of political awareness, they don't listen to the music, they don't go to gigs, and they don't care about the most important and fundamental parts of the emo identity. An ashy poser is someone who presents to the world as a tough [ __ ] but is actually just a soft [ __ ] wearing a Nike tech fleece set.

[00:11:53]Ashy culture got largely accelerated with the rise of social media, and with that came the ability to portray yourself as someone who on with the ease of a few clicks. A lot of wannabe ashies talk a big game online, but they go to private school and come from loving families. Real ashies and lads hate [ __ ] like that, and for good [ __ ] reason. It's similar to being an emo poser. It's inauthentic, it's cringey, and it also is just weak as piss. All in all, the ashy to emo pipeline is a proven phenomenon amongst young Australian teenagers. And regardless of where you sit amongst the two subcultures, you can't really argue that they're not similar in a lot of ways.

[00:12:25]And I definitely don't think I'm ever going to see ashies and emos walking down the street holding hands and singing Kumbaya. I still think it's cool to acknowledge the fact that they do kind of serve the same purpose just for different people. Most young people get involved or attached to subcultures because they just want to feel a sense of belonging somewhere, and they want to self-identify with something, and it provides a community which they otherwise wouldn't have. Everyone's just dealing with their [ __ ] and people deal with [ __ ] in different ways. Just let [ __ ] do what they want and dress how they want. Maybe not act how they want.

[00:12:52]Like, don't let anyone disrespect you in that. But, you know, there's no [ __ ] point in us all hating on each other because mainstream society [ __ ] hates all of us. Thank you so much for staying to the end of this video. You can like it if you want to, and subscribe to my channel if you want to.