Versus: Loss of integrity

In my view, the world has changed immensely in the past few decades. Inventors were discovering new ideas that blew us away. Writers and poets inspired people to read and learn and channel creativity. Now I can’t go anywhere without seeing headlines or hearing about the latest celebrity in rehab or divorced, and yet we glorify these people. Most celebrities don’t even go to college and yet people praise them for their status. I think that we need to glorify scholars and people making a real difference in the world. The norms that I grew up with are admiring people who have put hard work into something and have set goals and reached them. A lot of teen aged girls that surround me idolize talentless drug addicted girls who have done nothing for the good of society. Most of the popular singers now lip sync, drown out song with synthesizers, don’t play instruments or write any of their songs. My music taste is different from most seventeen girls. I admire people like Ryan Adams, Mason Jennings, Shocking Blue and older less recognized bands. I think singing for the sake of music and joy is more fulfilling than for the fame and notoriety. I read an article on Ryan Adams once and he said he was angry when his songs got too popular, which is intriguing. He said he does not want people to listen to his songs over and over or only know him for one song he wrote. I admire this perspective because it stays true to who he is and differs from the majority of mindless, meaningless music followers.