Why are Goths focused on death/darkness?

There seems to be a lot of confusion surrounding the Goth aesthetic. Generally, Goth music is distant, brooding, cynical and somewhat hollow sounding. But keep in mind that Goth Rock is an extension of Punk Rock, and so usually Goth music is pretty up-tempo and lively, yet introspective nonetheless. Many Goth Rock bands don't aim to "scare" or "frighten" or "depress," but the music is meant to be unsettling. Siouxsie Sioux said that one of her main goals with her music was to "create tension". This style of music is often misrepresented as being all about "doom and gloom". Most Goths, in fact, have a very good sense of humor, as does a lot of Goth music.  more