Why do American guys wear shirts with skulls and skeletons?

[darwinsturtle]

I have noticed many American guys, mostly young ones, who wear shirts depicting skulls and skeletons, and even wear bracelets with white skulls engraved on them.

Does this have anything to do with the Satanic roots of the US?

I would appreciate your thoughtful replies.

[Mr S]

I think it means different things to different people depending on their interests and cultural background. I for one have always been interested in this kind of stuff and just recently within the last few years noticed a lot of products especially t-shirts having this kind of stuff. Personally, it has something to do with an unconscious connection with the process of death and rebirth. It's like saying that you understand death and aren't necessarily afraid of it, it's just another cycle of life. Skulls and skeletons have little meaning by themselves so you need to pay attention to the words and symbology that surrounds the images usually.

They have been selling these types of T-shirts in the Philippines for a couple of years now and I have bough some that I thought were cool and had a special meaning for me alone. They don't really seem to be that popular though in the Philippines so they have stopped selling them from what I can tell. Right now the Affliction brand of clothing and t-shirts that have angels and demons fighting each other or some thing similar seem to be popular with the locals who can afford these clothes right now. Also various ripoffs depicting angel or demon stuff.

There is a a lot of mystic symbology in clothing coming out nowadays marketed to teens and 20 somethings. I have my theories as to why but like I said before if you are consciously aware of it's meaning or you are strong enough in your own beliefs to infuse this clothing with your own thought processes external manipulations from outside forces won't affect your being. I've bought some of these clothes myself and use them to my advantage.

I've noticed them being sold with the following brands: NO Fear, Affliction, Dickies, Von Dutch, Tribal, amongst others. There are some local Filipino copy cat clothing companies that have created their own styles that are only sold locally, some are actually pretty cool and have more mystical meaning than I think the makers realized. I bought some and wear the shirts occasionally. I'm not a big shopper, especially in the Philippines where the clerks are totally annoying to deal with. So I only browse the mens and boys departments every once in a while.

I've always been interested in death, skeletons, ghosts, demons, etc. So I may not be as independent a source of info then other people that aren't interested in this stuff. But this is my opinion on the subject.

[Grunt]

Its known as the "culture of death". There was a song by the band "The Clash" called "Death is a Star". I think it was in the very early 80's.

Here is how it works. America has devolved into a "do undo others before they do unto you" mentality. Due to diet and vaccinations, IQ levels are lower than they could be, the average person now is little more than a low-grade moron. Stupid people often find that they can not understand or deal with the people around them, or that they feel "everyone is smarter than I am". These people have two choices, they can adapt and overcome, or they can choose the "when in Rome" method.

People simply do not know what else to do but be evil and backstabbing. Plus, they see that the MOST evil, the MOST backstabbing people...get to be President! So why not be as evil as possible? The skull and crossbones thing is just a symptom of the disease. Just like feminism or predatory banking or no-fault divorce or drug-dealing cops etc etc etc etc etc etc.

[Jackal]

I think it means different things to different people depending on their interests and cultural background.

Exactly. In western cultures, skulls usually symbolize something negative or evil, but it other cultures, this is not the case. In Tibet, for example, some people make cups out of their dead friends' and relatives' skulls and consider them as nice ways to remember them. Skulls also serve as reminders of impermanence (i.e. we won't live forever).

But the OP was referring to American boys wearing clothing with skull images. I don't think it has anything to do with Satanism. First of all, most Americans don't have the patience to pick up any book let alone a Satanic one. Secondly, I think most teenage boys wear skull t-shirts simply to try to appear tough because they're insecure.

For example, compare these two photos:



The boy in the skull costume looks much more badass than the man in the pirate costume, even though the man is much bigger and stronger in real life. Skulls definitely make one look tougher.

Of course, some boys just wear skull t-shirts because they are the designs of their favorite heavy metal bands (although I'm sure they enjoy looking tough, too).

[Mr S]

Its known as the "culture of death". There was a song by the band "The Clash" called "Death is a Star". I think it was in the very early 80's.

Here is how it works. America has devolved into a "do undo others before they do unto you" mentality. Due to diet and vaccinations, IQ levels are lower than they could be, the average person now is little more than a low-grade moron. Stupid people often find that they can not understand of deal with the people around them, or that they feel "everyone is smarter than I am". These people have two choices, they can adapt and overcome, or they can choose the "when in Rome" method.

People simply do not know what else to do but be evil and backstabbing. Plus, they see that the MOST evil, the MOST backstabbing people...get to be President! So why not be as evil as possible? The skull and crossbones thing is just a symptom of the disease. Just like feminism or predatory banking or no-fault divorce or drug-dealing cops etc etc etc etc etc etc.

The skull or skeleton has never really meant evil, that's been pushed by our modern culture to manipulate man. It's always been a symbol of birth and renewal in many cultures. Yes, some groups may be perverting its symbology but they do that with many things as well. Don't judge someone who wears skulls or dark colored clothes to be evil or have malicious intent.

I wear that stuff sometimes and I'm not evil or consider myself to be of the culture of death...

[Mr S]

I think it means different things to different people depending on their interests and cultural background.

Exactly. In western cultures, skulls usually symbolize something negative or evil, but it other cultures, this is not the case. In Tibet, for example, some people make cups out of their dead friends' and relatives' skulls and consider them as nice ways to remember them. Skulls also serve as reminders of impermanence (i.e. we won't live forever).

But the OP was referring to American boys wearing clothing with skull images. I don't think it has anything to do with Satanism. First of all, most Americans don't have the patience to pick up any book let alone a Satanic one. Secondly, I think most teenage boys wear skull t-shirts simply to try to appear tough because they're insecure.

For example, compare these two photos:



The boy in the skull costume looks much more badass than the man in the pirate costume, even though the man is much bigger and stronger in real life. Skulls definitely make one look tougher.

Of course, some boys just wear skull t-shirts because they are the designs of their favorite heavy metal bands (although I'm sure they enjoy looking tough, too).

Man, I wish they had that type of costume when I was a kid! I would have thought I was bad-ass and cool looking ! All I had was to settle for were those crappy plastic ones with the hard plastic mask.

[Sexter]

lmfao wow...

the reason why people wear those "skull t shirts" or colorful shirts is because of a fad.

Back then a lot of people wore trucker hats and wore "von dutch". Chritian audegier wanted more so he used Don ed hardy's tattoo designed on a t-shirt

hence the graphic t-shirt era. 4 years ago, these "ed hardy" t-shirts and products were only accessible to celebrities because of it's expensive price tag, after a while it was mass replicated(fake t-shirts) and you see EVERYONE wear it, even bums and homeless people in the streets of san francisco.

the "style" is played out because everyone in their mind wears ed-hardy or affliction. (you see this all the time at bars/clubs in america). There is now a stereotype that if you are seen wearing a graphic t-shirt, you are considered a douchebag. (which really means, u are buying an expensive product just to be cool, which is considered as "try hard" or over compensating")

[well-informed]

Lol "skull t-shirts" is what is considered fashionable by guys my group age. The guys from Jersey Shore wear shirts like that who btw are typical douchebags to get girls. I never understood why these graphic tees are SO expensive, im not paying $80 for a shirt that has worms coming out of a skull just because it says Ed Hardy GTFO

[momopi]

[Mr S]

HA HA HA, now that's funny, Skeletor with a baby Heman and Orko! Now am I a former dork or what knowing these characters? Oh well I used to collect these toys and watch the cartoon everyday when I was a kid.

[ErikHeaven]

I think its just a silly fad or fashion statement. It sticks out among people who gravitate towards Black clothing, Gothic Stuff, Vampire people, Wicca or maybe even Satanists. And most Satanists do not believe in God or the Devil they just believe in themselves. I have the Book of Satan so i know this. Its harmless.

[ErikHeaven]

A statement of being different from a world that does not understand you. Myself not believing in God or Jesus or any other god has placed me in that category especially amongst my family members who are devoted christians.