I turned the radio down to get rid of some of that noise.

I don’t know, I think it was that terrible song by Akon that talks about saying how a girl is fine, without being disrespectful [which the song itself contradicts its meaning]. Or that, “Tik-Tok” song that’s so bad, I find myself looking at her music on iTunes to find a song just as ridiculous. But it’s just noise. And it’s bad noise – nothing deep or true about any of it. In fact, I think it’s damaging. Of course I have the ability to turn the station, but I’m unfortunately intrigued by what pop culture finds to be good. 

This noise tells us a lot. [and at the risk of seeming ridiculous, allow me to think upon these things.]

We were discussing some of the songs we hear on the radio like Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance” or even Beyonce’s “Beautiful Nightmare”. Maybe I’m not listening to them fully. But I do take them for what they’re worth.
For one thing, there’s nothing beautiful about a nightmare – especially when it’s a relationship with another person. And Lady Gaga’s urge for a bad romance… what does this say about culture?

I feel like a lot of this stuff promotes violent relationships, and I think we’re seeing the rise of its popularity among their targeted audience. 

I look at the Twilight Series [Get back! Get back, you! ] And for my birthday, we went and saw New Moon. It’s purely ridiculous fiction if not some form of softcore emotional fantasy. Maybe that’s why it’s so good. It is entertaining…I’ll say. 

The relationships in these stories are violent…hurtful…and I feel could show a young audience what they need to have a passionate relationship. I mean…both guys are literally seconds away from killing her the entire time. Her identity is intertwined in the struggle for her own lust. Her identity is in a vampire who’s so obsessed, he fights daily not to kill her. [Meaning, her identity should be her own, not that of Edward or Jacob or whatever creature she falls in love with…]
I don’t know. I could delete all of this and say I’m looking into it way more than I should. And maybe I am. I think it’s important to see these things. 

Don’t romanticize a bad romance. Just because it’s popular on TV and on the radio, it’s not healthy [and we should know this by now]. Your relationships shouldn’t be damaging. I try to imagine this scenario that Beyonce paints as she sings, “You can be a sweet dream or a beautiful nightmare… Either way, I don’t want to wake up…” 

I just kind of laugh. Beyonce can sing and I do love what she does, but dang, that just seems scary. I don’t want to be stuck in a nightmare of a relationship – even if it is…somehow…beautiful? 

I hope that we don’t romanticize bad relationships. This is really all I’m trying to say. It can be painted as passion or love – but it can turn into such a hidden wound. 

There is a hope that we don’t take this stuff seriously, in which everything I said could be turned into a balled up piece of paper and thrown into the trash can. But what I do know, is that America knows what sells: sex, violence and…more sex. 

What are we listening to? Reading? Watching? Will our hearts come out of it healthy…or in a better place? Or can we safely distance ourselves from poorly written songs…this…I hope. 

I’ll leave with the words of Lady Gaga:

“Oh-oh-oh-oh-oooh!
Oh-oh-oh-oooh-oh-oh-oh!
Caught in a bad romance
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oooh!
Oh-oh-oh-oooh-oh-oh-oh!
Caught in a bad romance
Rah rah ah-ah-ah!
Ro mah ro-mah-mah
Gaga Ooh-la-la!
Want your bad romance!”