Have you ever stood for something important in your life? Something that supposedly was a foolish thing. Not that big of a deal for sure, yet all the people around you were pushing you to do it. When you had no idea why this is so crucial for you. And more importantly, why you are fighting so hard to defend it. When the cost of standing your ground was way more than you could afford. Your freedom, reputation, status, income, health, loved ones everything you hold dear. When seemingly all the world was telling you that you were wrong, but that little voice in your head continued to whisper, don’t give up, you know you are right. Did you? If yes, congratulations. That might tell a lot about your character.
I have grown up listening to rock music. It spoke to me like no one could when I was a teenager. It gave a voice to my developing worldview, idealistic ideas and youthful emotions. Showed the way out of feeling lonely and disconnected from the world I could not understand yet. That music was created by rebellious souls, people with attitude, values and character. My heroes were Richard Ashcroft, Kurt Kobain, Roger Waters, Morrisey, Freddie Mercury, to name a few. People who were larger than life. Unlike any of my classmates and peers of my age, I was not intimidated by rich and fancy athletes or business people. My love lay with flamboyant and edgy rockstars instead. Especially those who not only wrote and performed great music but also gave iconic interviews. God, I was a sucker for it. When Kurt Cobain lit his cigarette and said It's better to burn out than to fade away, I thought that was the coolest thing ever. Everything I have heard from these iconic musicians, I took as words of wisdom. Even though I am in my elder, more mature days now and realise that a rockstar life is not that sustainable, I still admire these people. Simply for keeping it real and being authentic.
Now this is a dying breed. As the culture shifted celebrities became complacent. Being edgy today is predictable and serves only for carefully schemed entertainment purposes. Everyone is way more business first and art later. They imitate iconic people from the past and have no real substance. No real attitude and original thoughts. No balls to defend their ideas, regardless of how they sound within the current zeitgeist. Old school celebrities, the ones who were famous up until the 2000s, risked not only their careers to stand up for what’s right but sometimes put their entire lives on the line. Back in the 60s, Mohammad Ali refused to fight in a war he believed was unjust and was sentenced to prison and stripped of his boxing titles because of that. Who would dare to do that today? Jake fuckin Paul? You have got to be kidding me. No one. Richard Ashcroft cancelled his show at the festival because he believed that everyone should be allowed to attend, despite their individual health-related choices. Who else dared to say it? No one that I have heard of. Harry Styles sure did not. Why create friction when it goes so well? Roger Waters is big for boomers and Generation X. And he suffers a lot from sharing his views on things. However, that is what Pink Floyd's music was always about. A free and open-minded expression of ideas. That’s what creativity stands for.
Today most feel uneasy about sharing their thoughts on daily household matters. If it involves politics, genders, raising children, mental health, or dating most are ready to do mental gymnastics just to avoid sharing their true opinions. Back in the day, the mainstream worldview was shaped by original thinkers, dreamers and the ones bold enough to say what they mean and mean what they say. Hopefully, ‘90s people are not the last generation who are courageous enough to think for themselves and not conform to things they do not believe in. It would be captivating to one day hear some teenagers covering They Don't Own Me at a random high school show, fully grasping its meaning.
But I will tell you the truth. Of course, I have idealized those exuberant personalities when I was younger. Mostly for not bending the knee and conforming to societal pressures, instead stating their points of view and being ready to defend them. However, that does not mean that they lived an easy life. Quite the contrary, it was far from mindfulness and most of them passed very young. But it is the authenticity of their character that spoke to me and was so admirable. A short life might be the cost of this. It's better to burn out than to fade away, just as it was said. But if you have ever stood for what felt right for you, you know that one life like this is worth a million lives of conformism. One life lived bravely with an open heart is worth a million lives spent in fear. Don’t tell me it doesn’t feel this way.
I wholeheartedly concur with your conclusion.
To live an authentic life takes courage,
and a bit of luck!☘️💃💥
But it’s sooooo worth it!
I almost lost my life several times during risky solo travel in 70 countries.
At 70, I’m so lucky to be alive!
True