Kids Dont Explode
What has happened to cubby houses in the local park tree? Or kids on bikes riding around all day until its time for dinner? I can tell you with absolute certainty. It's what I like to call cotton wool parenting. It's the modern-day approach to maintaining a child who will never break a bone, get dirty or stay over at a friend's house. Why is this becoming the most common form of parenting these days? It's because parents are so scared of letting kids be kids. All they want to do these days is sit in front of the tv or communicate via facebook. I feel as though I have become one of those older people remembering the good old days, but it has come to that.
When I was a kid, I was free, not in the sense that I could rob a bank or stay out after dark, but I had enough rope to learn the world through adventure. I built cubby houses and fortresses in the local park, I climbed on top of school roofs to steal basketballs and I even shoplifted what ever lollies I could fit in my pockets. This has allowed me to look back and smile, knowing that I had a great time growing up in Australia.
When my friends and I got on our bikes we would be out all day, riding over home-made dirt jumps and looking for dropped coins in the hope we would get enough for an ice cream at McDonalds. I must say I have never broken a bone (largely due to a high calcium intake) but I do know that I have fallen off my bike too many times to mention, fallen out of trees, jay walked in front of cars. All in the name of being a kid.
I see parents becoming such prison wardens these days that kids are in designer clothes that are not be worn in the vicinity of dirt, they might not even own a bike and sure as hell wouldnt walk to school. Why wrap them in cotton wool? They need exposure to germs, let them be free. Video games are fun and I own a fair share, but the outside world has the greatest entertainment. The streets are not teaming with pedophiles and with the right smarts about them, they will be fine.
With facebook, myspace and mobile phones, which incorporate the first two, now kids are becoming tech savvy before they know how to ride. Try pulling out the power cords, removing the sim cards and getting out into the wide open spaces that Australia is known for. We have beautiful parks, amazing beaches and holiday destinations that put shame to so many countries, yet we choose to entertain people in our alfresco lounges, invite people around for movies and avoid gardening due to fear of bacteria in mulch. Come on! The epidemic of food allergies probably has something to do with not being a free kid (no doubt the most uneducated comment of the year, but as much weight held to it as global warming).
Let them get out there, or they wont learn about why it's so important to savour those times with mates when your young. Because the real world awaits, where jobs are a must for anyone wanting to afford those afresco's, and we cant experience life to the fullest without a concerted effort in each stage of our time on earth.
They say music changed their life…
Have you ever heard someone say that a song has changed their life? Punch them for me.
I cannot comprehend how a song, album or an artist could change someones life. It would only change the lives of the weak and soul searching freaks of society that would be swayed by a cloud that spelt "jump". Music is a great ingredient of everyday life but it cannot be held so high in importance that you could link it to a life changing moment.
On Triple M radio at the moment they have a segment called "Rock albums that have changed your life", are you serious? A rock album or any other genre for that matter would never change my life! How would my life be expected to change once I have listened to it? Might I do the dishes after dinner or drive my car more responsibly?
These people who attribute a change of life direction to an album are a danger to society. They could be pigeon holed to a particular type of person. One who would vote Greens, probably a vegetarian, drives a European car if not a hybrid (budget dependent) and would believe that the ever growing illegal music market deprives the artists of their gross over payed income. I understand artists need their money but charging over $20 for an album with no more than 11 songs as is the norm these days is highway robbery. Even iTunes charges more than you would think considering there are no cd's burned, covers printed, cases made, transport and sales staff to worry about. iTunes just charge what they do because it's convenient. Anyhow I'm off topic.
Musical artists are not to be worshiped or idolised because they are a strange lot. They speak of their lyrics like they would change the world and speak of songs that missed the album because 'they simply wouldn't work with the other songs'. But how many times have you listened to an album and thought what is that song doing on there?
Music has not or never will change my life.
Lady Gaga – Gaga I am not
Someone brought up a good point to me the other day, they highlighted the type of fans that Lady Gaga has. The degenerates, misguided and oddly opinionated people are drawn to the garbage bag clad freak show that is Lady Gaga. This was evident last week as she visited Australia for the first time and her 'monsters' (as the fans are known to her) came out wearing her trademark style of 'clothing'. This trademark is usually constructed from your neighbours recycling bin or using the fabric of your grandpa's couch and then apply glue add sequins and you have yourself a very strange one off train wreck outfit.
Lady Gaga is a marketing genius and has proven that the world lusted for a different artist with flair that was in a different direction from the others. I give her credit for her rise to fame on the back of some clever songs, carefully crafted image and a genuine reach out to fans. But its these fans that cause me the most concern. They attach themselves to someone who stands for the odd, the quiet and the lame. Lady Gaga wears clothes (if I can call them that) that no one else can wear, she can get away with it because she is famous and its her image. But when you see someone walking through the street in the same bazaar clothes, you cant help but think, did they get mugged of their clothes and have to rummage through a bin to get what they could?
Lady Gaga is making millions off the lonely hearted space cadets that are the youth of today. Heaven forbid these same fans ever run the country. Wait a second... I believe there is a party that accepts those oddities with open arms...