Wrong Again Ricardo

I’m sorry Ricardo but you’ve got it wrong this time. I understand your rage at my golf swing, especially after its managed to beat you around a golf course. Hell when I look at video of it I am in awe that I manage to even hit the ball, let alone get it to move in the approximate direction I want it to. But, after all, I am a freak of nature. I understand your rage at old women wasting away what little life they have in a Casino, and how that comment would make you almost as mad as Pauline Hanson telling the government to just ‘print more money’. I understand your rage at young pop and movie princesses and their bullshit about how life is hard and how they shouldn’t go to jail because they are famous. What I don’t understand is why you chose to take out all this rage on one of the more centred and sensible ones of the group.

Despite what you may think of her music, Avril Lavigne does not belong to that group of pop and movie tarts that include Lindsay Lohen, Britney Spears, Paris Hilton and Nicole Ritchie. First, she’s Canadian, which makes her 3000% better than those American Idiots before the game has even begun. Second, most (not all I agree, Girlfriend being the obvious) of her songs have some sort of message, she can actually sing, and yes, she writes her own songs. I don’t care what you say, that does mean something.

A lot of her songs (again besides Girlfriend) have good messages for the very young people you say look up to her. You’re not alone for instance, tells of how no matter how bad you feel, there are people who love you. Not every artist and every song has to be about major political issues Dylan. Sometimes it’s important to look micro as well as macro, and believe it or not most boys and girls at 16 don’t give a shit about Africa. I reckon even you would’ve been more concerned about your golf handicap than starving kids in Africa in 1997.

Your top 3 of supposed ridiculously stupid things to say wasn’t that bad. I mean, sure she could’ve phrased them better, and tried not to use examples which obviously apply only to here world of pop and entertainment, but what she was actually trying to say had merit. The world would be a much better place if more people that our kids looked up to espoused these values. What’s wrong with being thankful? I mean she was talking to a teen American magazine, its fair to assume that ALL of her audience would have clean water. Lots of young people do suffer from self esteem issues, so its an important issue. And what she says is exactly right. Have the confidence to know if someone doesn’t like you, its tham that is missing out, not you. And extending yourself, and believing in yourself is important. Stretch yourself further than your comfort zone, and be surprised by the results. I fail to see what is ridiculous or ‘too far’ about this.

You know just because someone is young, doesn’t mean we shouldn’t listen to them. In fact in a lot of cases we should. They after all are the people that are going to have to put up with the consequences of what happens now. Bob Dylan wrote ‘Blowin in the Wind’ when he was 21. Should we ignore that? People enjoy her music. She has something to say more than whether or not you should sleep with the boy who likes you. Somehow I think that’s what Bill Hicks was talking about. Christina Aguilera and Britney Spears circa. 1999. Not Avril Lavigne.

Finally Ricardo/Dylan/Bitter & Twisted Individual, people listen to Avril because she has something to say, she’s hot, she can sing, and she had the good fortune for someone to notice that. You can’t sing and though you have something to say, if I had to choose between Avril and you to sleep with, I would probably choose Avril. Just. You will be successful, and less bitter, when you realise not everyone gets to shout their views on the world stage, and if you want to, you should try to make it happen, not sit in your own little corner of the world and begrudge those that have. Or at least pick on someone that really is an idiot. I suggest Paris.