Undead, Undead, Undead: Preservation of the 'dying' Goth subculture

Having taken a quick trip to Whitby Goth Weekend with some friends a few weeks back I donned the usual black smears over my eyes and filled my hair with a ridiculous amount of chemical matter to make it stand still despite the sea breeze.

At the end of the weekend, as per usual, the bands for the next Whitby Goth Weekend were announced. Since most of the bands aren't what regular Whitby-goers would expect a message was issued to defend the choices illustrating the importance of getting younger people into the scene since older Whitby-goers are going and there is no one to replace them.

But why do people feel that this is a dying scene? 
It is no secret that the Goth subculture is known for a touch of elitism. Not every Goth holds this elitist attitude but it has to be said that many do. This is problematic in many ways but one of the main problems of elitism within the subculture is that it may be preventing new people from coming into the scene. 'Babybats', a slightly derogatory but affectionately playful term for young goths, often try to break into the scene only to meet an inquisition and rigorous questioning and judgement that ultimately pushes them right back out again. How do people expect a scene to thrive and continue if they're pushing out eager younger members? The appropriate thing seems to be to inform them what 'Goth' actually is, understanding that the confusion is not their fault, and doing so in a pleasant manner. How many of us were born with full knowledge of every Sisters of Mercy fact? Some of us weren't lucky enough to go to The Batcave in the glory days. But when people approach a music subculture with enthusiasm it seems counter-productive to turn them away and then complain about the diminishing state of the scene itself.

Another problem is the confusion about the nature of 'Goth' perpetuated by the media. Many think that 'Goth' is simply about 'appreciating the darkness in life' and liking things like gravestones, Edgar Allan Poe and vampires. 'Goth' is a subculture rooted in music, that music itself simply being a darker derivative of punk. The media will slap the term 'Goth' onto anyone with an abnormal amount of eyeliner or black velvet garments. This is why people have come to consider the music of bands like Slipknot, Marilyn Manson, Cradle of Filth and so on as 'Goth' music because people assume the dark imagery these bands promote places them into that specific genre of music.

If the subculture is to survive we have to accept and understand that it is the babybats who will inherit and continue the scene and instead of chasing them away with strict elitism should we not be trying to positively educate them and welcome them in?