Then and Now... It's ALL the same

 

The fight through the generations is always the same you have it easier, I had it harder, things are much better now, you don’t need to do much to make it….  The argument is age old and has never changed.  The older generation says the music is nonsensical, loud, no quality; the younger ones say you don’t understand, I need to express myself, you’re too outdated…the list goes on.

I am lucky I come from within an industry that changes, it is vibrant and constant evolving.  Technology, social and economic factors force evolution in everything and I cannot believe how people forget they were young once.  They had long/short/coloured/punk hair, tried silly things, told white lies not to get into trouble… life is a constant learning process.

I VEHEMENTLY disagree with people that have the need to compare life and situations because YOU CAN’T.  Life is different at the turn of every decade - from the advent of electricity to cars to the telephone and television all of which took years apart to invent and yet nowadays in a blink of an eye your phone is obsolete and another model has taken its place.  The pace of change is phenomenal and can't be stopped.

Therefore to be judgmental of people and their situation is insane.  How can you say life today is better than yesterday or things are easier or of a better quality. No such thing! The platforms and the types of challenges may differ but there will always be problems and hardships no matter what generation you come from.

I have watched artistes in 4 decades in this country and yes the opportunities are different BUT THEN so are the problems. I can name a whole list of good and bad for EVERY decade from more airplay, piracy but still people bought originals, black and white but it didn’t mean lesser quality, reality programs doesn't mean artistes that can’t perform.

Let me just say something… the truth ALWAYS prevails.  If an artiste makes it big via a reality program, I say kudos to them cause it is torture to go through one of those, but whether or not they survive the industry still goes back to the basic talent and the ability to stand the test of time.  Market forces determine that, nobody needs to pass judgment, the people who watch and listen will decide.  If they are good they will prevail.

I talk from a music perspective… in the classical age baroque was frowned upon, classical frowned on pop, pop frowned on rock, rock frowned on hip-hop, everything frowns on metal… even the medium… analog frowns on digital… is it better NO, is it worse NO…. it is evolution.  Like I say embrace change or be run over by it.  No matter what the genre, medium, art, platform, pros or cons our lives are richer by looking back and learning… then looking forward AND LEARNING too.

Peace, Love and Respect through the ages...