Thoughts while driving: Why are teenagers so unhappy? Are we drowning in a bullshit tsunami? Shouldn’t there be a word for the current partner of your ex? Are there love songs written to a former partner?
I really loved the analysis of ‘ain’t no mountain’, Chris - I get a real kick out of doing this too, and this really turned the song upside down for me!
You wondered whether there are other positive songs to exes, and one came to mind for me - ‘You Could Be Happy’ by Snow Patrol. They can be a little mawkish, a little on the nose, but I find their gift for melody often cuts through that for me, and I know I found this song very moving during a break-up of my own. The essence of the song is partly ‘you could be happy and I won’t know’ and it hurts like hell in a way (and he expresses a longing to remember the good bits and not the ending) and yet in the end what he wants most is to see his ex ‘take a glorious bite out of the whole world’. Here’s the song on YT if you fancy a listen: https://youtu.be/76Mbnuwk2d4
The music-box style arrangement adds something too... not sure whether it’s innocence, or perhaps a sense of the unrealism of nostalgia.
This month's issue of the Atlantic has (at least) two articles that pertain to your ROMA.
1. Euphemisms and their exponential growth displacing straightforward language. I know you've beaten this particular horse plenty of times, but it's there yet again.
2. How old one feels - I think you're onto something with "feeling old" only after a health crisis. I'm 43 and feel 43, but I think that I might be an anomaly. When I asked her, my mother, 73, said she feels 40. My mother-in-law, 70, said she feels 30, but I suspect she'd have answered differently 2 yrs ago prior to her hip replacement. For a year or so leading up to the operation she limping severely and needed a walker a lot of the time...
Thanks for your thoughts on the topic of unhappy teenagers. I read Haidt's article and although he makes some good points I felt he was a bit too dismissive of the "objective" reasons.
So liberal teenagers are more prone to mental disorders than conservative? But we are speaking of people who grew up after 9-11. That was a huge game changer in the world. The socio-cultural climate drastically changed in favor of reactionists. Naturally people with liberal inclinations are likely to suffer more. Just to name one good reason more to get depressed.
And isn't there an opioid epidemic going on in the US? Doesn't seem to be teenagers only, does it?
Love the take on Ain’t No Mountain High Enough. I had similar thoughts when listening to Clarence Carter’s Do What You Gotta Do. It’s rare to hear a song that speaks to the complexity and ironic simplicity of love. Honesty is what they are preaching. But something I guess most of us have been conditioned to steer clear of. Another song that feels real to me is Your Sweet Love by Lee Hazelwood. Thanks for all you thoughts.
Dude - Separate Ways by Journey. It's THE song (imo) about loving someone forever even though you're broken up and no chance of ever getting back together again.
It's about damn time we start a "bullshit" count. You know it's a ROMA when the bullshit count gets deep into the double digits. "I've been known to fart now and then, especially if I'm sitting in an officer chair for 5 hours" is also one of my new favourite quotes from Chris. The wisdom imparted in this podcast, gaseous and otherwise, is invaluable.
Thanks Chris. Saving my daughter from that falseness has become my obsession. She’s now 12 y/o, doesn’t have a phone and is allowed to use her mac book for 30 min./day. I’m just buying myself time to work on her self confidence and for her to mature a little more before the phone inevitable gets into the picture next year. Trying to make her appreciate the real thing before she gets overwhelmed by the plastic world. This reminds me of the song Plástico by Rubén Blades, which is exactly about this but was written almost 50 years ago. Gotta listen to it. Rubén Blades is genius
I could've swore you told the leukemia story before (the whole thing), way back in the recesses of the podcast. But I'm not sure now. Much love.
I really loved the analysis of ‘ain’t no mountain’, Chris - I get a real kick out of doing this too, and this really turned the song upside down for me!
You wondered whether there are other positive songs to exes, and one came to mind for me - ‘You Could Be Happy’ by Snow Patrol. They can be a little mawkish, a little on the nose, but I find their gift for melody often cuts through that for me, and I know I found this song very moving during a break-up of my own. The essence of the song is partly ‘you could be happy and I won’t know’ and it hurts like hell in a way (and he expresses a longing to remember the good bits and not the ending) and yet in the end what he wants most is to see his ex ‘take a glorious bite out of the whole world’. Here’s the song on YT if you fancy a listen: https://youtu.be/76Mbnuwk2d4
The music-box style arrangement adds something too... not sure whether it’s innocence, or perhaps a sense of the unrealism of nostalgia.
Great episode! Lovely to hear your voice as always 🫶🏻
Maybe it's just me, but personally I feel the song is dedicated to a child from a parent.
This month's issue of the Atlantic has (at least) two articles that pertain to your ROMA.
1. Euphemisms and their exponential growth displacing straightforward language. I know you've beaten this particular horse plenty of times, but it's there yet again.
2. How old one feels - I think you're onto something with "feeling old" only after a health crisis. I'm 43 and feel 43, but I think that I might be an anomaly. When I asked her, my mother, 73, said she feels 40. My mother-in-law, 70, said she feels 30, but I suspect she'd have answered differently 2 yrs ago prior to her hip replacement. For a year or so leading up to the operation she limping severely and needed a walker a lot of the time...
Thanks for your thoughts on the topic of unhappy teenagers. I read Haidt's article and although he makes some good points I felt he was a bit too dismissive of the "objective" reasons.
So liberal teenagers are more prone to mental disorders than conservative? But we are speaking of people who grew up after 9-11. That was a huge game changer in the world. The socio-cultural climate drastically changed in favor of reactionists. Naturally people with liberal inclinations are likely to suffer more. Just to name one good reason more to get depressed.
And isn't there an opioid epidemic going on in the US? Doesn't seem to be teenagers only, does it?
Just started watching the corporation. It's free on youtube!
There's also a second one that came out in 2020 called the new corporation
Love the take on Ain’t No Mountain High Enough. I had similar thoughts when listening to Clarence Carter’s Do What You Gotta Do. It’s rare to hear a song that speaks to the complexity and ironic simplicity of love. Honesty is what they are preaching. But something I guess most of us have been conditioned to steer clear of. Another song that feels real to me is Your Sweet Love by Lee Hazelwood. Thanks for all you thoughts.
Maybe “someone like you” by Adele is another good song about a past lover.
Speaking of Dylan, I love this song "Girl From The North Country Fair" by him which is another example of a respectful/loving song about a past lover.
- If you're traveling the north country fair
- Where the winds hit heavy on the borderline
-Remember me to one who lives there
-For she once was a true love of mine
-If you go when the snowflakes storm
-When the rivers freeze and summer ends
-Please see if she has a coat so warm
-To keep her from the howlin' winds
https://youtu.be/Je4Eg77YSSA
My partner said “I’ll always love you” - Dolly Parton. Whitney Houston did a remake apparently
The word for the guy who married your wife is sancho or in your case I guess nacho works:)
Mommy what’s a cusp boomer?
Dude - Separate Ways by Journey. It's THE song (imo) about loving someone forever even though you're broken up and no chance of ever getting back together again.
It's about damn time we start a "bullshit" count. You know it's a ROMA when the bullshit count gets deep into the double digits. "I've been known to fart now and then, especially if I'm sitting in an officer chair for 5 hours" is also one of my new favourite quotes from Chris. The wisdom imparted in this podcast, gaseous and otherwise, is invaluable.
Thanks Chris. Saving my daughter from that falseness has become my obsession. She’s now 12 y/o, doesn’t have a phone and is allowed to use her mac book for 30 min./day. I’m just buying myself time to work on her self confidence and for her to mature a little more before the phone inevitable gets into the picture next year. Trying to make her appreciate the real thing before she gets overwhelmed by the plastic world. This reminds me of the song Plástico by Rubén Blades, which is exactly about this but was written almost 50 years ago. Gotta listen to it. Rubén Blades is genius