When I was a kid, the music that you listened to was very much associated with your identity...the 'rock kids' dressed different from the 'rap kids' (and all hung out together)...guys would even 'convert' to a different kind of music if their new girlfriend was into it (like people sometimes do with religions)...and even the weird group of artsy kids who prided themselves on being individuals all listened to the same kind of music. It was older, less-popular music, which is why they were the weird artsy kids, but it was still associated with your identity.
Now that I am 31, I am WAY past the phase where your choices in music define you (as well I should be), so as a result, I (often with tumultuous enthusiasm) listen to the corniest muisc that I can get my hands on. Yes, it is quite sad to see a 31 year old man cranking up a Miley Cyrus song when it comes on the radio in my car or singing along to either a boy band song or a solo song from a former boy band member (Nick Lachey etc.), but this is the sad effect of years of repression. The fear of being made fun of if you liked Vanilla Ice or New Kids on the Block instead of Nirvana or Dr. Dre (back in 1992). It's like the old metaphor about pushing the spring down too hard. Once you let it go, it bounces all over the place...out of control...to the point where you are singing 'Barbie Girl' by Aqua...trying to do both voices, the male and the female...in the middle of a busy intersection with your windows up in the summertime. Yes, I have air conditioning, but I prefer to let my 'inner-Whitney' out.
Of course, this lack of 'identity-association' with music has resulted in me discovering an appreciation for other forms of music, broadening my horizons into country, classical and different kinds of Latin music. True, I look alot sillier trying to dance merengue than I did trying to mosh when I was a 'rock kid', but...small price to pay for the broadening of one's horizons.
Now that I am 31, I am WAY past the phase where your choices in music define you (as well I should be), so as a result, I (often with tumultuous enthusiasm) listen to the corniest muisc that I can get my hands on. Yes, it is quite sad to see a 31 year old man cranking up a Miley Cyrus song when it comes on the radio in my car or singing along to either a boy band song or a solo song from a former boy band member (Nick Lachey etc.), but this is the sad effect of years of repression. The fear of being made fun of if you liked Vanilla Ice or New Kids on the Block instead of Nirvana or Dr. Dre (back in 1992). It's like the old metaphor about pushing the spring down too hard. Once you let it go, it bounces all over the place...out of control...to the point where you are singing 'Barbie Girl' by Aqua...trying to do both voices, the male and the female...in the middle of a busy intersection with your windows up in the summertime. Yes, I have air conditioning, but I prefer to let my 'inner-Whitney' out.
Of course, this lack of 'identity-association' with music has resulted in me discovering an appreciation for other forms of music, broadening my horizons into country, classical and different kinds of Latin music. True, I look alot sillier trying to dance merengue than I did trying to mosh when I was a 'rock kid', but...small price to pay for the broadening of one's horizons.
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