3 posts tagged “don't believe the hype”

Lately, I've had trouble sleeping at night, and so on occasion I've found myself watching TV late at night, which usually means watching things I would never otherwise watch.  For example, the other night I wasted two hours of my life watching first an episode of "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" and then "The Rachel Zoe Project."  Who the fuck are these people?  There is nothing at all real about any of them.  I did like how all the African-American housewives took care to note that there are just a lot more opportunities for African-Americans in Atlanta; I find that amusing since non-Southerners tend to associate the South with intractable racism.  And I've known some women vaguely like some of them, but really, if the focus of your day is how you look, you are not busy, you are not stressed, and you are very shallow and irritating to those of us who have things to do that do not involve makeup.  I don't mean disrespect to women who wear makeup, but seriously?  If that's your entire day?  You need to figure out something productive to do for society or else you need to stop wasting all that oxygen you insist on breathing.  I have to assume for the sake of my sanity that these are "reality" shows in name only and that nobody is actually like that...otherwise, my head will burst into flame.  Spontaneous combustion is so cool.

Anyway, then I also watched the final hour (thus, the final Top 20) of the Top 100 Hip Hop Songs of all time.  I think this was on VH1, which devotes large portions of its programming to such countdowns, apparently.  It was interesting viewing.  Several interesting things came to my attention during this hour:  1.  Whatever you might say or think about Kanye West and however much you might regret this, you can't really help but have a crush on him.  Or, I can't.  It isn't just the argyle, either, though I am a sucker for argyle.  2.  Public Enemy's "Fight the Power" was #1, as I think it should have been, but I thought this was interesting because I have been repeatedly told that liking Public Enemy is, like, so white.  OK, so I'm white, and I like Public Enemy because they're literate, articulate, and ferocious (I'm not trying to perpetuate the black-man-as-aggressive stereotype, but Public Enemy wrote some angry damn music, and with good reason).  I don't really get how that makes it "white" to like them.  Anyway, I was glad to see it at #1.

And the third thing, and I'm not entirely sure what to say about this, is that one of the songs (I think it was one by, um, Notorious BIG?  Maybe?  I was drowsy, and I wasn't familiar with the song, so I didn't pay it proper attention, I guess) led the commentators to make grandiose comments about how this rapper had worked his way into the national consciousness and how the song had, too.  Uhhhhhh...

It take a lot for something to work its way into the national consciousness.  I mean, you're talking about a pretty big, pretty diverse country here, in a lot of ways.  What does it even mean to say that a song or a performer is in our national consciousness?  I mean, there are clearly artists you can make that argument about, but Notorious BIG is probably not one of them.  Public Enemy, probably--there'd be a good argument for that.  Run-DMC, maybe.  Snoop and Dre, quite possibly; I know there were years there where they were at the very least entirely unavoidable.  Ice-T has in some way because of "Cop Killer" and the controversy that went with it. 

And I think to me, that's the point.  If something is truly a part of our national consciousness, then that thing is unavoidable in some way.  Familiarity with it (not to say enjoyment of it, which is a separate thing) crosses subcultural lines, crosses generational lines, and it sticks around.  I mean, "Gin and Juice" is still, all these years later, as present as it ever was (I don't like Snoop Dogg at all, but I find that song utterly infectious and impossible to ever really be free of--I'd even go so far as to say I like that song, but that would violate all my principles as an anti-Snoop).  None of Public Enemy's songs were really quite that catchy, but "Fight the Power" still carries a relevant message delivered in a powerful way; it hasn't diminshed over the years.  Ditto "Straight Outta Compton."  These are songs and performers that have in some way worked themselves into the national consciousness.

But, frankly, I only ever heard of Notorious BIG, just like I've only ever heard of this Fifty Cent character.  I find their music not only forgettable but avoidable.  Perhaps it would be less avoidable if I lived in an urban area, but out here in the boonies, man, it hasn't entered our consciousness at all.  I only listen to Kanye because I saw him in argyle once and was intrigued.  I lived in the boonies when some of the other Top 20 hip hop songs came out, though, and I can attest that when a song is really unavoidable, it's unavoidable out here, too.  There was no escaping "Push it Real Good" or "Baby Got Back" or Run-DMC's classics, especially "Walk this Way" of course.  There was no escaping "Parents Just Don't Understand" either, but, sadly, that didn't make the Top 20, even though Will Smith's career has far surpassed Flavor Flav's at this point (I feel so bad for Flav every time I see "Flavor of Love" is on...please, someone, find the man some love and get him off that shitty show...he's Flavor Flav, for fuck's sake, shouldn't he have some dignity???)

In fact, I would go so far as to say that MC Hammer is more a part of our national consciousness than Notorious BIG ever was or will be. 

Anyway, I was reading an online music review site a while ago, too, that suggested the same thing about Gwen Stefani's "Hollaback Girl."  That it was a part of the national consciousness.  I'm not sure how that could possibly be true, since I don't think I've ever even heard it, and I'm quite certain most of the people I talk to on a daily basis don't know that song, either.

This is all just to say that I think some people get overly inflated ideas about the importance and relevance of the music (and movies...and books) that they like.  Country music is still the biggest selling genre overall in America, and there are still more country music radio stations than any other genre.  You may not like that, but that's a fact.  I suppose that's why everybody is making "country" albums these days--Jessica Simpson, Kid Rock, even Snoop Dogg himself, that bastard.  Yet you don't see most country stars on the covers of People and Us, even though arguably more people know and listen to Kenny Chesney than to almost any other working American musical artist.  We who listen to country music don't sit around pontificating about how Kenny Chesney has worked himself into the national consciousness, although judging by sheer numbers, he has.  Garth Brooks certainly did; so did Johnny Cash, though most people only jumped on the bandwagon once Rick Rubin entered the picture.  There are others, of course:  Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn (at least at one point--she was on The Muppet Show once, for example...oh, and then she did do a mindblowingly great album with that fella from The White Stripes), Willie Nelson, The Dixie Chicks though unfortunately more for their politics than for their music...yet country music is really the one kind of music that the kind of people who make pronouncements about our culture don't seem to feel a need to take seriously, certainly not to the point where they would suggest country artists who have entered the national consciousness. 

Meh, anyway, fight the power, people.  Also, don't watch after-midnight television because it will bruise and batter your soul.  For the record, I'm not a big Kenny Chesney fan.  I like some of his songs, though, like the newish one he has out with The Wailers.

I'm a bit confused about some things here.  I've been reading from sources far and wide that Sarah Palin is about as right-wing conservative as you can get.  And, honestly, I don't know a lot about her.  I don't think most people do, really.  But at the same time in random places I keep running across actual quotes from her that suggest that, while I believe her to be unprepared for the job of being President based on what she doesn't seem to know about foreign policy, she is not that hardcore in terms of conservatism.  Also, she knows, I think, quite a bit about oil and gas and energy policy; the fact that I don't agree with some of her ideas in that area does not mean she doesn't know what she's talking about.

Check these out:

Palin: I'm saying that, personally, I would counsel the person to choose life, despite horrific, horrific circumstances that this person would find themselves in. And, um, if you're asking, though, kind of foundationally here, should anyone end up in jail for having an ... abortion, absolutely not. (from her interview with Katie Couric).  [So, OK, it's unclear on what legal standing she thinks abortion should have.  But this is far from the most conservative, right-wing opinion I've ever heard on the matter.  Also, on the related matter of her daughter's pregnancy, she hasn't seemed all that hardcore Christian conservative either.]

In March, Palin approved a widely praised legislative effort that would increase education spending by about $200 million over five years, an increase made possible by revenue surpluses from the rising price of oil.

The most contentious environmental issue within Alaska recently has been the fight over the proposed Pebble Mine, one of the world's largest discoveries of gold and copper. The proposed mine would be at the headwaters of Bristol Bay, home to one of the world's largest runs of wild salmon.

In response to a candidate questionnaire two years ago, Palin told The Anchorage Daily News, "As part of a Bristol Bay fishing family, I would not support any development that would endanger the most sensitive and productive fishery in the world."

BUDGET Even with the state enjoying a multibillion-dollar surplus because of high oil prices, Palin has vetoed about $500 million in capital spending projects requested by state lawmakers in two consecutive budgets. She also supported putting about $7 billion of surplus revenue into state savings over two years.

A chunk of that surplus, about $2 billion, came from the governor's effort to increase taxes on the oil industry. Palin's initial proposal would have brought in about $600 million more in oil taxes, but when lawmakers raised oil taxes higher, Palin continued to support the measure. That angered many conservative Republicans, as did the governor's plan to use about $740 million of the surplus to give each Alaskan a $1,200 "rebate" to help pay for high energy costs.

Even so, she has passed over chances as governor to take bold legislative stands on conservative social issues. She declined calls by abortion opponents this year to hold a special session to pass a measure requiring minors to get parental consent before having abortions.

 (all the above are from the IHT)

She said intelligent design should be taught in schools — along with evolution. She said she favored the teaching of abstinence — along with the teaching of sex education. "Let the kids debate both sides," she said. (from this IHT article about her previous debates when she was running for governor)

...and Joe Biden voted for the Defense of Marriage Act.  I'm sorry.  I don't want to be defending Sarah Palin, but from what I've read of what she's actually done as governor and what she has gone on the record with, I just don't buy the hype that she's going to be the worst thing for this country that could ever possibly happen.  Especially not after 8 years of Dick Cheney.  I think there are a lot of factors going into this portrait of her that people are trying to paint, but for my money, I'd rather have some facts and evidence than unsubstantiated opinionating.

Fie on you media!  A pox on all of you except the International Herald-Tribune.  Well, and those pundits appearing on Comedy Central.

When do you start your holiday shopping?

I love the holidays, and I love giving gifts.  But I don't really do "holiday shopping" except for a very few people.

Or maybe it's more accurate to say I do holiday shopping all year.  If I'm out shopping (horrors!) and I see something and think, "Oh, John would love this!" then I get it, regardless of the season (assuming I have the money to buy it).  Depending on what it is, I may just go ahead and send it to him, but if it seems appropriate, it is more likely that I'll save it for a holiday.  Might be birthday, might be Christmas (or Hanukkah for a few of my friends!), but it will be sitting down in my basement until then.

I don't like the whole, "Oh, it's almost Christmas, and I have to have a gift for X, so I need to go shopping and find whatever little thing that they will probably hate just so I can give them something, because you have to give a Christmas gift!" attitude.  To me, that isn't the spirit of Christmas or gift-giving.  I don't think it should be an obligation; I don't think gift cards are an appropriate gift most of the time; and I hate the thought that I would give someone something they didn't like just because I felt I had to go buy something.  Yuck.

Of course, this means that sometimes I find myself at Christmastime without gifts for everyone.  There are two options at this point.  The first is that they just don't get anything from me other than a card and warm wishes, and that happens.  It's happening a lot this year since we don't have a lot of money.  The other, preferred option, is that they get jam and pickles, or some nice baked goods.  Most people are actually pretty happy with jam and pickles.  I mean, who doesn't love jam and cookies?  Some people get jam even if I also have another present for them.

Basically, what I'm saying here is that few things please me more than giving gifts, but I don't feel that giving gifts is obligatory, not even seasonally obligatory.  There are few exceptions.  One is obviously my son, but it is very easy to find gifts he'll love anyway.  Another is my husband, but we only fill stockings for each other which means we only buy small things for each other.  And then, of course, my parents who are increasingly difficult to find gifts for.  They have virtually everything they want, and they have enough money that if there is something else out there they want, they just go buy it.  I do occasionally score a coup by finding something they would like that they don't even know about or have access to, like when I bought my stepdad a chess set in Vietnam (handcarved stone--and it cost, like, a dollar!).  But they're pretty hard.  Last year I got them a subscription to GreenDimes to control their junk mail.  Their junk mail situation had been spiraling out of control, and they seem to appreciate the GreenDimes.  This year I may get my mom some vaccinations for some kids in developing countries.  I think she'd appreciate it.

I guess what I'm saying is I don't participate in the consumerist hype around the holidays.  If I find a great gift for someone, I will buy it if I have money.  If I don't, I send jam or just a sincere card.  Christmas isn't supposed to be about this shopping frenzy.  Besides, wouldn't you rather have a sincere hug and a box of cookies than another freakin tchotchke or holiday-themed sweatshirt?  Yes, that's what I thought.