Emo.

I have noticed in a few blogs (college students from UP, Christ, the humanity!) the use of emo to describe the state of angst.

Emo, as a word (disputed as clipped form of “emotional” or “emotionally-driven hardcore punk”), came from its original use as the name for a subgenre of hardcore punk music. Much like how rap music has spawned its own culture, emo (as the music subgenre), in its way, has also influenced fashion and style with modern associations with the dark outlooks of Goth personalities.

The whole phenomenon in itself is quite and I have yet to see the canonic etymology of the term.

Today’s use leads me to believe that, perhaps, a generation of change has come to dawn. That same state, was described as “angst” in my day (of Billy Corgan and Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness). Yes, as teenagers, my peers and I all complained about how angsty we all were and how we raged against life. Adolescence was a phase of hormones and immature soul-searching.

The funny thing that dawned upon me is that the use of “emo” in blogs tend to summarize all the pent-up feelings in one’s soul. It prompts me to ask whether such a backformation will replace the use of “angst,” “melancholy,” “disquietude,” and other synonyms.

Or, maybe, it’s just a cool thing to say. “I feel so emo right now.” “I’m having an emo fit.” “One small step for man, one giant step for emo.” “Ask not what your emo can do for you, ask what you can do for your emo.” “Emo framed Roger Rabbit.” “Does the emo shit in the woods?” “Emo you!” “Emo!” “Emo?” “Emo.” Or perhaps a Melville-esque line, “They call me emo.”

Buzzwords do come and go. “Angst” was a Smashing Pumpkins cum Alanis Morisette buzzword. Let’s see if “emo” sticks. But in my humble opinion, nothing beats the word, “f*ck.”