Decepticreep
Sincerity
I made this meme today.
It was prompted by a news story I saw about Michael Stipe dropping an f-bomb when speaking about Donald Trump using an REM song without his permission at an event. The news anchor insinuated in a typically smug and swarmy way, that this was some sort of terrible faux paus on Mr. Stripe's part. That he had lost control of himself in public in some sort of unseemly and inappropriate way.
This in turn made me (aside from questioning why this was even being addressed at all on a mainstream news program rather than a more appropriate venue) a little offended on Michael Stipe's behalf. Who was this rediculous so-called news person to suggest that his use of the word "fuck" in this instance was a mistake on his part and somehow inappropriate and an example of a loss of personal control. I feel that he was totally sincere in expressing his complete frustration with his art being exploited to further a cause that is the complete antithesis of his values. "Fuck" was the absolute perfect word to use in such a circumstance.
Have I ever told you how much I love the word "fuck"?
Well I do love it!
It's so raw, so visceral! So instantly relatable!
Such a powerful word should not be taken lightly, it should be used sparingly, so it can do it's work most effectively. Like anything else, it can lose some of it's mojo with overuse.
Indeed, it is most appropriate that we call it an "f-bomb" since when used correctly, it can be just as devastating as any real bomb can be.
I believe that Michael Stipe's use of the word in this instance was a sterling example of such a thing. It was neither insincere, nor insufficient in summing up the depth of his feelings, and therefore was anything but inappropriate to communicate his point.
Well played, Mr. Stripe, well played!
I can relate.
I promise you that if I drop an f-bomb, that I am completely sincere in doing so. If you are the recipient of my f-bomb, do not tremble with sadness, but rather rejoice that you or your works have mattered enough to me to draw forth such an honest and heartfelt response, negative though it may be, in this age of such practiced and forced politeness. that I have deemed it necessary to break through the veneer of socially acceptable language to deliver a special message to you is something you should treasure! For a brief moment in time, I allowed you to peer into my soul, and my whole being thundered back "FUCK YOU" or "FUCK THAT (thing)" or "FUCK THIS (thing we are experiencing). Now you know exactly where you stand with me on a certain topic, and that understanding is a positive thing.
Not that "fuck" can be used to express only negativity, although granted, it's implicit harsh, brutal constant - heavy sound seems to always carry an undercurrent of inherent negativity. For example, it can be used to punctuate a very pleasant thing when not used with sarcasm. An unsarcastic "This is FUCKING GREAT!" Is praise of the highest order. And of course, the literal act of fucking can be very nice indeed, if done right and with the right person for all the right reasons. Indeed, is there really anything as a truly, 100% bad fuck (outside of obvious things like instances of rape or molestation)? Although even a relatively bad fuck is really not all that bad compared to most things you could be doing with your time. It's like eating a bag of slightly stale chips, yeah, they may have lost a bit of the flavor, but it sure beats the hell out of having NO chips to eat. And even slightly stale chips are often far more tasty than a lot of other things one could be eating.
However, getting fucked in the figurative sense is virtually always a bad thing.
Use of the word "fuck" can also bring people together by using it, you are dropping social norms and assuming a level of familiarity with a fellow human being that is itself a form of intimacy. Think of the thrill you experienced the first time a boss, parent or some other authority figure used the word with you. It humanized them. "Ah, you are one of me!" you thought, and on some level you understood and therefore liked them just a little bit more. And that is the key to Trump's success right there. Even though he wasn't the one dropping an f-bomb in this case, his whole demeanor is so crude, that it's impossible not to imagine him doing so left and right when cameras aren't rolling just like you do, or sometimes want to do in your secret heart of hearts.
And that is what the magic of "fuck" is all about for me, whether taking the literal or figurative meaning of the word, there are fewer ways of more effectively expressing your sincerity to someone else, and sincerity and honestly are very important principles.
Sincerity
I made this meme today.
It was prompted by a news story I saw about Michael Stipe dropping an f-bomb when speaking about Donald Trump using an REM song without his permission at an event. The news anchor insinuated in a typically smug and swarmy way, that this was some sort of terrible faux paus on Mr. Stripe's part. That he had lost control of himself in public in some sort of unseemly and inappropriate way.
This in turn made me (aside from questioning why this was even being addressed at all on a mainstream news program rather than a more appropriate venue) a little offended on Michael Stipe's behalf. Who was this rediculous so-called news person to suggest that his use of the word "fuck" in this instance was a mistake on his part and somehow inappropriate and an example of a loss of personal control. I feel that he was totally sincere in expressing his complete frustration with his art being exploited to further a cause that is the complete antithesis of his values. "Fuck" was the absolute perfect word to use in such a circumstance.
Have I ever told you how much I love the word "fuck"?
Well I do love it!
It's so raw, so visceral! So instantly relatable!
Such a powerful word should not be taken lightly, it should be used sparingly, so it can do it's work most effectively. Like anything else, it can lose some of it's mojo with overuse.
Indeed, it is most appropriate that we call it an "f-bomb" since when used correctly, it can be just as devastating as any real bomb can be.
I believe that Michael Stipe's use of the word in this instance was a sterling example of such a thing. It was neither insincere, nor insufficient in summing up the depth of his feelings, and therefore was anything but inappropriate to communicate his point.
Well played, Mr. Stripe, well played!
I can relate.
I promise you that if I drop an f-bomb, that I am completely sincere in doing so. If you are the recipient of my f-bomb, do not tremble with sadness, but rather rejoice that you or your works have mattered enough to me to draw forth such an honest and heartfelt response, negative though it may be, in this age of such practiced and forced politeness. that I have deemed it necessary to break through the veneer of socially acceptable language to deliver a special message to you is something you should treasure! For a brief moment in time, I allowed you to peer into my soul, and my whole being thundered back "FUCK YOU" or "FUCK THAT (thing)" or "FUCK THIS (thing we are experiencing). Now you know exactly where you stand with me on a certain topic, and that understanding is a positive thing.
Not that "fuck" can be used to express only negativity, although granted, it's implicit harsh, brutal constant - heavy sound seems to always carry an undercurrent of inherent negativity. For example, it can be used to punctuate a very pleasant thing when not used with sarcasm. An unsarcastic "This is FUCKING GREAT!" Is praise of the highest order. And of course, the literal act of fucking can be very nice indeed, if done right and with the right person for all the right reasons. Indeed, is there really anything as a truly, 100% bad fuck (outside of obvious things like instances of rape or molestation)? Although even a relatively bad fuck is really not all that bad compared to most things you could be doing with your time. It's like eating a bag of slightly stale chips, yeah, they may have lost a bit of the flavor, but it sure beats the hell out of having NO chips to eat. And even slightly stale chips are often far more tasty than a lot of other things one could be eating.
However, getting fucked in the figurative sense is virtually always a bad thing.
Use of the word "fuck" can also bring people together by using it, you are dropping social norms and assuming a level of familiarity with a fellow human being that is itself a form of intimacy. Think of the thrill you experienced the first time a boss, parent or some other authority figure used the word with you. It humanized them. "Ah, you are one of me!" you thought, and on some level you understood and therefore liked them just a little bit more. And that is the key to Trump's success right there. Even though he wasn't the one dropping an f-bomb in this case, his whole demeanor is so crude, that it's impossible not to imagine him doing so left and right when cameras aren't rolling just like you do, or sometimes want to do in your secret heart of hearts.
And that is what the magic of "fuck" is all about for me, whether taking the literal or figurative meaning of the word, there are fewer ways of more effectively expressing your sincerity to someone else, and sincerity and honestly are very important principles.