Editor's note: People often bandy about a somewhat amorphous term to describe video game fans and characters: "emo." What does it mean? I make immediate connections with the origins of the term: mid-'80's post-punk emotional hardcore bands like Embrace and Rites of Spring. Brian makes connections between the supposed affectations of people who are "emo" and the lack of sensitivity this may indicate toward mental illnesses such as Major Depressive Disorder or Social Anxiety Disorder. Whatever the case, I'm in full agreement that this is a somewhat loose, very ineffectual way of describing something. -James
Disturbing trends in game journalism are nothing new, but one annoys me more than most others — the increased use of the term "emo." Since the start of the new millennium, the term "emo" has infected pop culture faster than Swine Flu swept PAX '09. When used in everyday discussion, it's often associated with people who appear to be unhappy and wear dark-colored clothing.
One definition at Urban Dictionary describes "emo": "An entire subculture of people (usually angsty teens) with a fake personality." Whether or not such people exist is debatable, but the term "angst" is nothing to laugh at. According to Dictionary.com, "angst" is when a person has "a feeling of dread, anxiety, or anguish." Certainly, having a small amount of these feelings is normal, but when they overwhelm an individual, it can endanger that person's existence.
I'm sure some people feel they have earned the title of "emo" — although I have never met any — by pretending to hate the world and acting depressed because they crave attention, but that doesn't mean we should use such a term lightly. As someone who frequents game sites, I've noticed that people throw the word about carelessly to describe certain characters and people who enjoy relatively niche genres. This is a shame, because not only does it misrepresent certain real-life and virtual individuals, but it also reveals the ignorance of much of the gaming community.
I won't deny that there are selfish people who'll do anything to have others notice them (including faking depression), but it's foolish to label someone or something as "emo" without knowing their situation. Final Fantasy 7's Cloud is a game character unfairly labeled as such. He's often described as a moody, selfish anti-hero, with a following of millions of trench coat-wearing fanboys.
While it's true that Cloud doesn't appear to appreciate people toward the beginning of the game, that doesn't necessarily mean he's a heartless, self-absorbed individual. Sure, he may be a mercenary that doesn't give a damn about a childhood friend who obviously cares for him, but considering his circumstances, I can't blame him.
Before arriving at Midgar, Cloud watched his best friend get gunned down and took part in horrifying experiments that permanently altered his physical structure and mind against his own will. After being a part of such traumatic events, it's understandable that Cloud had repressed memories. No longer knowing or being confident in who he was, Cloud withdrew into his chaotic mind. Therefore, it was understandable that he appeared aloof and often reacted so coldly to his new comrades.
Let's not forget the fact that he joined up with Avalanche as a mercenary. Anyone who's familiar with warfare knows that it's no playground — it's unreasonable to expect someone committing terrorist acts for a paycheck to be buddy-buddy with his brothers-in-arms.
Even though Cloud seemed to care little about the world during his stint as a mercenary, it became apparent that he wasn't truly a cold-hearted person when his memories began to return. It may have taken the death of one of his allies for him to realize who he was, but from that point on, Cloud slowly regained his composure and realized the true importance of the world and his friends.
So if Cloud's not emo, where does that leave the millions of JRPG fans that are often labeled as such? If you're not familiar with the issue I'm referring to, JRPG fans are often criticized for identifying with characters such as Cloud or for enjoying Nobuo Uematsu's beautiful MIDI and orchestral scores. People often mistakenly label individuals who enjoyed Final Fantasy 7's story as "angsty teens" because to them, it's impossible to approve of a story with death scenes and personal-identity issues.
Even though Final Fantasy 7 isn't my favorite title in the series, I enjoyed its 40-hour tale — despite its poor localization that occasionally muddled plot points. Call me "emo" if you want, but I really identify with Cloud's inner struggles and imperfections due to having experienced a number of traumatic events myself. For me, it was refreshing playing as someone other than an altruistic hero who never backed down.
I think one of the reasons people use the term "emo" so callously is because those that are insecure in themselves tend to lash out at others to feel better about themselves. I remember "happy and outgoing" types continually harassing me back in my glorious school days. They did this for no reason other than to satisfy their egos and to cover up their own insecurities. Using the term "emo" is no different: It's something that's born out of ignorance from people who've never experienced depression or anxiety.
A large portion of our society thinks depression is a self-inflicted state, but Associated Content's Jean Bailey Robor argues otherwise:
There are several causes of depression including trauma, stress, medical conditions, anxiety disorders and genetics. It is not simply a state of mind but an actual physical change in the brain, the imbalance of neurotransmitters or chemicals in the brain. [Associated Content]
Depression is frequently devastating and misunderstood, and so is anxiety. Contrary to popular belief, anxiety is not as trivial as worrying about whether or not you'll do well on a test. Anxiety is something that can hinder breathing, create constant paralyzing fear, and can even lead to suicide due to a continual feeling of helplessness.
Why do I mention all this? Because depression and anxiety are very real, and calling people you know nothing about "emo" amounts to the mockery of a legitimate (though often misunderstood) illness. Therefore in the future, I hope we as game enthusiasts will utilize more caution when using the term "emo" and actually take the time to learn about a person before jumping to conclusions. Sometimes, even looking at the circumstances of a video game character such as Cloud can make us realize how foolish it is to cast judgment without fully understanding an issue or individual.