[BeNice]

your world is not mine
I'm tired of trying to live up to it
I'm tired of your statements
I'm tired of your obscurity
What if you didn't have your teeth
No one would care about your flag
What if you didn't have your face
You wouldn't need to bother with a flag

When you quiet your conversation
And talk like a schoolgirl about someone
I don't want to believe it but I do
What more should I expect
I was assuming you were quite mature
But I realize the elitism isn't discouraged
Members only is not a joke
Your white subculture statements
Nobody else thinks you are cool
Only in this room are you recognized

Why bother with your flags
We're the only ones that see them
I'll laugh at you all along
But I still desire to belong
Try to better my collection of things
That will mean nothing to me
But say something to you
I said I don't want to
But I think we all do

 

[EuphoriaMourning]

Forgive me if this sounds like.. ignorant or just plain ditzy.. is this poem about America? I mean, it's cool if it is..im just curious.

 

[BeNice]

this is the kind of stuff I write for songs that I make up in my head, that only I know the sound of. I spend a decent amount of time seeing bands play and have been exposed to the "scene", and I see a lot of shallow people who are really fashion-concerned and really work up their scene image, so this is my response. I think it's great to express yourself, verbally, musically, or by artistic means, but some people are all about fitting into an image, and their level of self-consciousness is similar to ours, but at the same time they have a level of confidence opposite of ours, where they know they are cool and they are so full of themselves they need to be punched. They have their groups of friends that are so cool looking, you have to wonder if they are friends because of their image and perception, or they just happen to be into the same music. It's a strange phenomena that I can't quite grasp. A flag is a way of telling someone "I belong to this scene"... I am just offended by this, maybe because of my SA. I really feel insecure around people that make conscious fashion statements in this subculture. I feel like I have to make an effort to fit in that I am not willing to make. I do like music and bands that are not mainstream, but it seems like it is this conscious effort, like having a large obscure record collection, something I don't understand, something that is not important to me. Music to me is emotional and real, not about being cool.

 

[EuphoriaMourning]

this is the kind of stuff I write for songs that I make up in my head, that only I know the sound of. I spend a decent amount of time seeing bands play and have been exposed to the "scene", and I see a lot of shallow people who are really fashion-concerned and really work up their scene image, so this is my response. I think it's great to express yourself, verbally, musically, or by artistic means, but some people are all about fitting into an image, and their level of self-consciousness is similar to ours, but at the same time they have a level of confidence opposite of ours, where they know they are cool and they are so full of themselves they need to be punched. They have their groups of friends that are so cool looking, you have to wonder if they are friends because of their image and perception, or they just happen to be into the same music. It's a strange phenomena that I can't quite grasp. A flag is a way of telling someone "I belong to this scene"... I am just offended by this, maybe because of my SA. I really feel insecure around people that make conscious fashion statements in this subculture. I feel like I have to make an effort to fit in that I am not willing to make. I do like music and bands that are not mainstream, but it seems like it is this conscious effort, like having a large obscure record collection, something I don't understand, something that is not important to me. Music to me is emotional and real, not about being cool.

Ok, i quoted this so I wouldn't forget any of your points while I respond..lol. Anyway.. The LAST thing in the world I wanted to do was over simplify your message. I just thought about the america thing because of the way politics has become so mainstream. It's like on the minds of almost everyone.. but.. the real message of your song is much better, and to be honest, I'm relieved it ISNT about America..

Do yourself a favor and don't change a thing. Not everyone will respect you for it, but then again not everyone would respect you if you tried to be just like everyone else. The difference is that YOU will respect you, and in the end, when you look back on your life, that's all that's going to matter. In a world where we're just constantly bombarded with popular culture, it's easy to get caught up in the notion that in order to be loved and accepted we need to conform. That is inside of us all.. the need to belong because basically, and an animal level, human beings are pack animals. We need each other, and subconciously do what we can to stay a part of the pack. That includes the formation of our values. Now, in this way you can consider SA a blessing because it doesn't allow that instinct to take total control of you. Nature has made us 'fight or flight' creatures, but with this little ***** in our stream of unconscious behavior, we're able to stop, step back and say.."wait a minute.. I dont like this one bit..this sucks..I'm outta here". I'm glad to see that someone else can't stand the superficiality of people.. there are days when I wish I could just load myself into a rocket, and leave the planet and all of its B.S human crap behind. In art, unfortunately because it's so connected to people's innerselves, it's so common to see superficiality and shallowness, especially in music because it's such a widely appreciated artform.. I'm really glad to hear there's people out there who will keep this artform in perspective.. I really respect, and appreciate that..

OH..and the lyrics were great.. Put them to music and I'd love to hear it sometime

 

[BeNice]

Thanks for your response and advice.

The thing is, I know that it's not all that important. I just have to think twice about all of this stuff. The problem is that I am intimidated by other people's fashion sense, like if they are looking so cool they would not want to hang out with me, and I take that personally. I feel like it's a secret club that I will never belong to, and that's what offends me. But at the same time, I wonder if people see me and my friends and think the same thing.

I have a lot of faith in art and music as ways of reaching out to people and changing their lives, and that is the other reason that hipsterdom and all of this coolness upsets me. The prescence of obscurity in so many of these "scenesters" is really a drawback to something otherwise really great. A lot of people (like me) won't get involved in this community because of the gayness of these people. maybe it's because I live by the cool capital of the world, a small trip away from NYC, that makes it so much more intense. I don't know what it is exactly that upsets me about all of this stuff, but I know something about it is wrong. It just doesn't seem real and welcoming.

 

[EuphoriaMourning]

Personally I know that I couldnt keep up with trends if I tried..I don't have the money, or the energy/drive to even attempt it, so I kind of have no choice but to be myself..but when I really think about it I'm glad. No one can put me in a box, a box that I may or may not fit into from day to day.. I don't want to be one thing or another because that's a lot of pressure.. If you make a place for yourself in this world through these artificial means, or if you build your relationships around these shallow personas, you end up being crushed under the weight of an image..you can't change, you cant grow, you can't be free and expect to get the same things out of the life you built (and yes, I think that to some degree we build our own lives).
People like us (I'm assuming we share a few philosophys as far as this topic is concerned ) can listen to whatever music we want..can wear whatever we want to wear.. can talk to whoever we feel like talking to..because we're not one thing or another.. it's awsome.. I know it might be harder for you to deal with because of where you live.. for me ..well, I'm from minnesota so.. lol.. it's not hard to be different..

 

[BeNice]

Euphoria,

Where I live, and the crowd that I am regularly exposed to, EVERYBODY is "different", so it's like trying to fit in with the different people, ya know? I basically live in the vicinity of New York City, hipster capital of the world next to a couple of Northwestern cities. Everybody here is just too cool. Plenty of college kids with plenty of money and time to update their image and record collections, I'll tell you that.

 

[EuphoriaMourning]

Euphoria,

Where I live, and the crowd that I am regularly exposed to, EVERYBODY is "different", so it's like trying to fit in with the different people, ya know? I basically live in the vicinity of New York City, hipster capital of the world next to a couple of Northwestern cities. Everybody here is just too cool. Plenty of college kids with plenty of money and time to update their image and record collections, I'll tell you that.

BeNice,

ya know what ..I think I know what you mean.. Ive got this friend who's got all these dreams of being a professional musician.. I know it's something he really believes could happen because he's included plans for a recording studio to be built off the back of his house. For a while I was hanging out with him and his friends, other people in other bands who believe someday they'll be famous, and I remember being kind of uncomfortable around them. They always seemed to give me funny looks when I talked, like I just wasnt on their level...some of them wouldnt talk at all (too cool for the room syndrome). These guys sort of just cannibalized band members (they just sorta traded off members in various incarnations of their former bands), so I can understand that they were a tight knit group of guys (all of em were guys..that could be why I always felt out of place..although I rather like hanging out with guys)..but sheesh.. Im not a drinker, or a drug user so everyone kinda just patted me on the head ( like I was a little kid or something ). Anyway..I guess what I'm getting at is that there was a definate attitude among most of them...and this is Minnesota.. I can just imagine what people would be like there.. Ugh.. im sticking to town life.. I almost love my simple, boring little life..

 

[BeNice]

I almost love my simple, boring life as well. I just wish I had someone to share it with.

 

[EuphoriaMourning]

I almost love my simple, boring life as well. I just wish I had someone to share it with.

I know the feeling..

 

[Andre]

those gosh durn hipsters think they're so cool! but you and I know better.

 

[EuphoriaMourning]

those gosh durn hipsters think they're so cool! but you and I know better.

:lol

Yeah, but you can only get so much satisfaction thinking that someday they'll get old/bald/fat like every other person on the planet.. LOL..

 

[BeNice]

off-topic, but Ilikemyself, why do you look familiar? You haven't been to NJ recently have you?