I attended the Steampunk Festival in Oxnard this weekend. There I met a gentleman from Germany. During our conversation he asked “Where did all the Goths go”?

Good question. A few short years ago there were quite a number of young people who dressed and acted in a Goth manner. Now you can’t find them even at science fiction conventions.

The guy from Germany felt that they may have gone into Steampunk. Yes, there are many who wear dark clothes in steampunk, but I don’t think they identify as Goth. There’s plenty of dark sides and stories in steampunk. Even some Goth themed characters. But the heroes are not Goth.

Doing a little research I find two things. One young people are not getting into Goth so the number of Goths is shrinking. And two cell phones are killing the Goth movement and social interaction.

Looking at the Goth movement, it peaked in 1994. That the time the cell phone wave hit. Cell phones have gone up and the Goth movement have gone down.

Milliennials say they are looking for experiences. But if you ask them, they will tell you that they sit at home or keep their face in their cell phone. They don’t go to; bars, clubs or conventions. They only go out for experiences (special occasions). They also don’t go out because going out cost; money, places are too crowded and don’t give you space, most places have bad service (a cell phone is cheap and you are paying for it now, it gives you what you want now, no waiting, no crowds), and places are filled people that are jerks (cell phones have a jerk be-gone button).

People use to go to bars to find dates. It’s so much easier now with a cell phone and a computer dating site.

People use to go to bars or clubs to find new music. Cell phones can get you that with no cover charge, no crowds, no having to interact with people. And if you do it right the cell phone can get you the music for free.

One person was blaming global warming for the down fall of the Goth movement. It’s hard to wear black clothes and a leather jacket when the temperature keeps hitting new highs.

What happened to Goths? My guess is those that would be or were Goths are sitting home staring at their cell phones.

There’s a science fiction story here waiting to be written. A world full of cell phone zombies that can be exploited, turned into a mindless army by the government or an evil genus.

Remember that in China some minorities are required to carry their cell phones at all times so the government knows where they are.

Halloween is on a work day this year. There’s no time to make up a special, from scratch, recipe.

Halloween Cupcakes.
ingredients
One box of chocolate brownie mix
One teaspoon pumpkin spice
One teaspoon instant espresso
Cupcake paper liners
A can of cake frosting. Some sprinkles

directions
Follow directions on the box, but after placing dry ingredients in bowl sprinkle the pumpkin spice and espresso mix over the dry ingredients so you don’t get a lump of spice in one of the cup cakes, and done of the spice in the other cupcakes.

What makes it Halloween is the presentation. Some frosting, sprinkles, chocolate chips for eyes. Use a tooth pick to paint a food color mouth. Use pieces of well done bacon for bat wings.

Stay strong, write on, and eat.
Professor Hyram Voltage