….. being yourself. That’s what.
I was just thinking the other day… Looking at random blogs, fashion sites, online zines… and I got sad. Mostly because I feel like a lot of the different subcultures that exist today, exist because at some point there was someone who felt like they didn’t fit in. (Stay with me.)They had a movement of their own to live for. So they did and maybe at some later point, it caught on or somebody else felt like they could fight for those same things. Maybe it wasn’t even a “fight”, maybe it was just a way of living. Marching to the beat of their own drum. My Granny always told my sisters and I from a very young age… “You girls just march to a different beat”. I didn’t really get it back then and honestly, I’m glad I didn’t because when I was that young I didn’t see the point in pointing out people’s differences. It was just a way of living. Still is, I suppose. Or at least, I hope.
I do get it though and I see it in other people now… mostly young people. My sisters, for sure. But in a lot of our fans, as well. Again, mostly in the younger ones. Cause when we’re just young enough, we’re not yet jaded or bothered by what’s “cool”. We’re not quite as worried about fitting into some of society’s little cliques or sub-genres of human beings. So, we just do whatever comes naturally to us. Funny how there’s an entire part of our culture completely obsessed with youth and beauty – yet we forget the most essential ingredient to youthfulness is that clean slate, non-judgemental, wide-eyed curiosity. You can’t be sold any of that.
Anyway, I got sad because within these subcultures and an entirely new breed of “too-cool kids”… there are likely some people who, at some point, didn’t fit in, weren’t “normal”, and probably needed somewhere to go to feel like they could fully express themselves. I see it everywhere. These are the nerds from junior high that got bullied everyday but then ended up in a band and now they’ve turned their old loser status into a trophy of pretentiousness to beat everyone over the head with. The guys and girls who wouldn’t be caught dead in a regular old mall where they once probably got made fun of for what they were wearing… but are now wearing unique and fun brands like UNIF or Lazy Oaf (which, to be extra clear, I love) and calling everyone else “basic”. I’m just saying, why doesn’t the cycle end with the people who should’ve learned their lesson? Why aren’t the once regarded weirdos and freaks raising up a new generation of people who are more self-assured in their individuality? Why does it seem like some of the strange ones found their bit of success and now look down on anyone else who doesn’t look, think, or have the way they do? It’s like seniors who constantly give sophomores a hard time as if they weren’t just sophomores themselves like 3 years ago. I was not the most popular person in school. And even when I did have friends I still felt a bit like a weirdo. I’m not threatened by that… It’s something that I hope to encourage other people with. That’s a huge part of the message behind Paramore. To lift up the people who feel ashamed that they’re different. To tell them that that’s probably the coolest part about them.
At this very moment, at 24 years old, sitting here in sweats and looking/feeling utterly disastrous (hey, i got my rights)… I have to say, I’m really proud that as a kid I never felt like I fit in with the popular crowd. And as an adult, I don’t feel like I fit in with the self-righteously uncool crowd either. Honestly, it’s nice to be on a real quest to just be me everyday. No matter what. It doesn’t matter if I’m in Silverlake, CA – land of the upturned noses – or back home in Nashville. Doesn’t matter if we’re on a red carpet. I guess I just couldn’t care less. I’m not saying it’s always easy but it’s always worth it to stay true to you.
If anything, this could be a Back To The Future type of warning, to anybody who cares enough about this post, that high school ends but it never actually ends. There will still be people around who try to point at you and laugh. Who think you’re not on some tip like they are. Who feel like their job, their shoes, their money, their boyfriend or girlfriend, their lifestyle … is on some level that you haven’t even ever heard of. The truth is that no one else could live your life. Nobody else – man or woman – could wake up and put on your shoes in the morning. Nobody else could pull it off. So own that. Cool is a lie. Cool doesn’t matter and it never did. Merely perception.
In conclusion, you are your own torch carrier. Don’t let anybody steal your light. Wear what you want. Think how you want. Challenge normal. And yes, even challenge what’s “cool”.
In total conclusion… We’re really excited to be posting the video for “Anklebiters” in a couple of days. This is not an official single release, this is just a video we wanted to have done because of what the song has come to mean for our band. Thanks to all the people who came up on stage with us over the last tour and a half and sang it with us. This song is our way of contributing to the art of self-love and self-acceptance, no matter the odds.
We love you guys and we love you most when you’re being yourself.
xxxxx h
