Sidenote III

I don’t like music.

Actually, that’s not true. It’s not that I don’t like music. It’s more that I just don’t get it. I can’t appreciate it. I never grew up listening to music. I have no musical ability. And I see no discernible difference between this, this, or this.[1]

To some, it is popular, creative, and/or “good.” They would rate it very high.

To others, it is unoriginal, artistically challenged, and/or “bad.” They would rate it very low.

I could never rate anything musical. I don’t even know what criteria should be used, let alone how to interpret those criteria. I would need someone to provide me with a very detailed rubric if I was going to replace her as a judge on American Idol.

But it’s not just music. Society gives their stamp of approval to certain things while condemning others. Sometimes the reasoning is obvious, but other times I wonder who decides these things. And why. We immediately accept that certain things are [insert positive adjective] while other things are [insert negative adjective]. Half the time I fail to see what apparently everyone else sees. How do we determine the proper rating for things?

Who decided she deserves this?[2]

Or that she deserved one of these?[3]

Or that these guys were qualified to influence summer wardrobes of an entire generation of teenagers.[4]

Maybe it is just me. Maybe I am out of touch with the governing rules of society.[5]

Or maybe society needs to reevaluate it rating sytem(s).

As such, I will be writing (semi) frequently about things that are either overrated or underrated.[6] In doing so, I will attempt to re-order the social order (assuming such a thing is possible).

Or, at very least, I will be able to provide an alternative perspective on the world’s most pressing issues.[7]

Because if the world needs anything, it needs to more people to give their opinion.[8]

[1] As always, I exaggerate, but not much. For me, the only real distinguishing feature is lyrical. Otherwise I see no major difference in musical quality. For real.

[2] The “teens,” apparently. Whatever that means.

[3] Seriously though, Cher is one of my all-time favorite actresses. No seriously.

[4] That being said, a decade later it remains one of my favourite one-liners.

[5] I have already pre-ordered The Ultimate Social Rulebook by Larry David on amazon.com.

[6] Always based on my personal prejudice, of course.

[7] Like how this is a hoax and this is real.

[8] The elimination of global poverty, a cure for cancer, a father figure for Miley Cyrus, and a solution to state debt round out the top five.