A Generation's Theme Song

skeptoid's picture

Meghan Trainor - Me Too

A generation of perpetually scrolling narcissists, each housing a voracious black hole of materialist need.

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Average: 2.6 (7 votes)

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thegent's picture
Discord user

should i vote 5 or 1?

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skeptoid's picture

I'm not sure. I'm ashamed to say that my heel was pumping to the hook at one point. That's what makes it so evil.

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Grothesk's picture

Mmmm.  I see you criticizing the pop culture that serves your agenda the best.  So, uh, why aren't you directing that discerning critical lens at Avengers: Infinite War or "This is America" by Childish Gambino?  Where's that withering gaze when looking at Madonna's "Material Girl" from 1984, a song about materialism and being proud of manipulating lustful men?  Oh, shouldn't we all be vapid morons because of a pop song from when we were all young? 

 

Why aren't you furrowing your brow over "Sugar, Sugar" by The Archies from 1969, a song about comparing young women to sugary sweets?  Shouldn't all baby boomers be vapid morons because of a pop song from when our parents were all young?  Why aren't you directing your glare towards "Chantilly Lace" by The Big Bopper from 1958, a song about a guy who likes cute girls and how they walk?  Shouldn't our grandparents all be vapid morons because of a pop song?  

 

know why you don't choose to look at those and that's because your agenda is that "this generation" is just so insipid and rudderless while you remain outside that system, looking down your nose at people you consider to be fools.  You obviously don't want to critique actual art or challenging media and instead swipe at the low-hanging fruit of a manufactured pop song.  Dude, you can find idiocy across ALL OF THE HISTORY OF HUMANITY and it is especially present in pop culture because it sells.  Do you wish to extend your critique to media that actually has something to say?

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skeptoid's picture

LOL - You don't know how I'm gazing at anything or what my opinion is on all of those examples because I've never given it to you. There are lots of things you don't know about me - for example, do you know that I am only capable of dancing sarcastically? Perhaps you've forgotten my recent post expressing an obvious disgust towards Madonna. I have issues with all of the examples except perhaps Chantilly Lace, but that could just be nostalgia because it was and still is one of my father's most favourite songs. All of your examples could be the subject of a detailed cultural and period-based analysis. None of your examples come anywhere near to expressing what this song expresses about the millenial generation.

 

I actually enjoyed this song - you missed that didn't you? Okay, spill - what's been bothering you Grothesk? I'm about to drop a video of my own detailing the value of the phenomenological approach to understanding the Gospels, but you didn't know that so why so serious?

 

The following has always been one of my favourites - it's a ridiculously juvenile expression of 90s feminist/Christian angst. It's an answer to the statement "Men built the world and took us to space" - the entire song can be reduced to the following response: "Yay?" Amos later acknowledged it was one of her more immature works of art, and then pointed out that she's not writing essays - she's an artist writing songs: Part of that means expressing things like irrational juvenile emotions that are shared by many. LOL Ya I don't think you understand very much about what I understand about art.

 

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Grothesk's picture

You wrote this about Megan Trainor's video:  "A generation of perpetually scrolling narcissists, each housing a voracious black hole of materialist need."

This particular video is about on par with Madonna's "Material Girl" in terms of exposure and content...but you didn't dedicate a post to criticizing Madonna.  You have an agenda:  "this Millennial generation are all a bunch of vapid bozos" and yet the same exact criticism could be said of every one of the videos I posted.  Big Bopper talking about how he likes seeing women's butts jiggle ("and a wiggle in the walk...") is right on par with Trainor sing about how she loves herself ("Who's that sexy thang I see over there?").  

 

And yet Trainor gets the venom while you use the word "nostalgia" with Big Bopper.  What does Big Bopper talking about pony tails ah-hangin' down have to say about that generation?  Aren't they vapid, lustful punks just looking to fuck?  Or, perhaps, it's incredibly stupid to judge an entire generation made up of millions of people based on a single pop song?  These are some tough questions you should be able to easily stand up to if you're looking to critique media, friend.  You should know all about this if you know about journalism.

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skeptoid's picture

Yes I did dedicate a post to critcizing Madonna - you even commented on that post. You are conflating a perceived invocation of purinatism with a critique of the ultra-materialist worldview of the current generation, with the exception of course of the growing population of young people breaking off into conservatism which emphasizes responsibility and sacrifice. Nothing different here eh? There is a particular element that is being greatly amplified by today's youth - did you know that I can ride your girl with no handle bars? Here's Louis with an analysis that uses a vague reference to economic collapse (or Maxist revolution LOL) as its point of departure so maybe you'll listen:

 

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Grothesk's picture

Literally every single generation is defined just as you defined this one.  In 2013 Time declared Millennials to be the "me me me" generation (because they're so self-absorbed) but...whoa, *record scratch*...New York wrote an article in 1976 about how the 1970's were the "me decade" all about how teens then were so self-absorbed.  Well, which one is it?  Should we pit 1970's kids vs. today's kids and see who is more self-absorbed?  Or should we perhaps note that people for the past 100+ years have been on record complaining about "kids these days..."? 

 

 

There are indeed rude, boorish, self-absorbed assholes out there who are age 18 years and younger.  But there are also wholesome, hard-working, empathetic winners out there who are age 18 years and younger as well; but you won't give them the credit they deserve because you're too wrapped up in a pop song, as though it completely reflects the values of today's youth en masse.  What about Rhianna's "Diamonds"?  Why is it that wholesome song which includes lyrics that uplift others (" You and I, you and I, we’re like diamonds in the sky.  You’re a shooting star I see, a vision of ecstasy..") is ignored by you?  Where is your searing review of Sara Bareilles' "Brave" song, which has over 77 million views, and espouses the power of words ("You can turn a phrase into a weapon or a drug; You can be the outcast; Or be the backlash of somebody's lack of love; Or you can start speaking up")? 

 

Both you and I know the reason you're so silent on these other monster hit songs:  it doesn't help your hypothesis.  You're holding your hand over one eye while sweeping your other eye over the most egregious examples of narcissism and shouting, "SEE?!  SEE?!"  What I see is someone who hasn't spent much time around today's youth.  I'll make a wager that you have a personal relationship with less than five people under the age of 18.  This is why you're pointing to pop culture and comedian bits on Conan O'Brien to make your point.  What pisses me off is that this same bullshit was said about my generation, my brother's generation, my uncle's generation, my father's generation, and my grandfather's generation.  One of the things I learned growing up is to call out bullshit, which is why I do it a lot...and I'm going to do it again:

 



Your claim is bullshit.

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skeptoid's picture

I haven't actually made a claim - I've made an observation. But have you considered the possibility that the iterative phenomenon you perceive above is a reflection of degree of decline? Of the increasing severity of entitlement expectations, which is what Louis is referring to above after suggesting some donkeys and pots might be good for all of us? Has it occurred to you that among the many societal aspects moving in an exponential direction, entitlement expectations might be one of them? Do you actually think I'm painting an entire generation with the same brush, or did you miss the part where I said I enjoyed the song? Just because you're throwing a hissy fit I actually went and researched this song - even critics that had been giving her positive reviews gave this song mixed reviews with concerns expressed about sending the wrong message about selfishness, taking what you have for granted, believing the world revolves around you. On the positive side I'm reading here that there are a few ideas in the song that could be helpful to her more timid, insecure fans. Interesting stuff.

 

As for the rest of what you wrote - your conspiracy theory - go tell it to Alex Jones.

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Grothesk's picture

I know you're trying to make a point and it's fairly clear what that point is going to be...so let's get down to brass tax:

 

Do you believe people born between the years of 2000 to 2010 are being shaped in a massively different way than people born from the years of 1960 to 1990?  Specifically, do you believe that there is "a generation of perpetually scrolling narcissists, each housing a voracious black hole of materialist need", as you stated with your own words in the description?

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skeptoid's picture

I know that the millenial generation, due to factors currently being explored that are cultural, socio-economic and socio-technological, suffers from an unusually high rate of mental illness. I hypothesize that the generation has also produced an unusually high rate of sociopaths and people with borderline personality disorder. My hypothesis is actually based on thinking about all of the periods you mentioned and contrasting those impressions with the YouTube trending tab. LOL - Not precisely but you understand. Yes I think a convergence of factors has produced a particularly unstable generation (that doesn't mean "every one") that seems vulnerable to tipping over entirely when put under what to you and I looks like a relatively weak mount of pressure. It's just a hypothesis - the rest is hyperbole. I think sometimes you pick weird things to freak out about.

 

Apologies to any millenials out there if you felt abused - I just think every single one of you sucks dicks without exception but I didn't want to be explicit about it.

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hellyeah's picture

 

yay are we doing megan trainor video's now? great love her........this is my favorite......tell me witch one you like the most........toodells babes...

 

Afbeeldingsresultaat voor morons gif

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thegent's picture
Discord user

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Century_of_the_Self

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