Blah, Blah, Blah

Is it just me or does there seem to be a complete lack of authenticity in our current culture? It just feels like everyone is just going through the motions at this point. In a world where every action has a sponsor, how do we find the genuine article? Have our minds been atrophied to the point that we wouldn’t be able to read it if we did. Oh, that reminds me: this blog is brought to you by Goldschlager and Marty’s Good Time Crab Shack.

When I say “genuine”, I am referring to a television show, movie, book, album, flyer, or car that isn’t just geared, made, or said to garner profit. The word altruism is now just something that writers throw around to sound educated. I understand capitalism. It’s the foundation of the American Dream. I get that and I also get that no one plays to lose (i.e. not making money). However, this tarnishes the final product for me when it is so obvious that it was done solely for profit. Everything feels profit-driven; everything feels fake. There are no more “for the love” acts. Everyone is searching for that big break, that elusive, ever-so-addictive 15 minutes of fame. What ever happened to “just for the hell of it?”

Take the internet. In its infancy, it was a wild, disorganized mess similar to Drew Barrymore in her teens. There was a wealth of information, activities, and blogs (not named “blogs” at the time but the same design) for free. No one was getting paid. It was the essence of “just for the hell of it”. You see, when you take profit and self-aggrandizement out of the equation, there is nothing to get in the way of love and respect. Would you rather root for the basketball player that takes a pay cut just to help a team win a championship or a mercenary for hire that plays for the checks? Ill give you a sec…….Yep, I thought so. When the cost of living goes up and that paycheck doesn’t have the same impact it once did, you get a professional athlete putting up bush league performances.

That is one of the reasons “Seinfeld” was so popular. It perfectly captured the zeitgeist of nothingness. There were no motives for the characters, just living life. And so came off as genuine because it had that “just for the hell of it” appeal. But, you say, “It IS a superior product and Larry David and the rest of the cast were insanely paid for it.”

Well, you are right. Like I mentioned before no one plays to lose; not to mention that I AM indirectly getting paid for this blog (*cough* click the banner ads *cough*). Maybe it’s not the money-grubbing mentality of our nation. That’s just the effect. The cause of the problem is apathy. The “there’s no point in doing anything if it’s not for the money” mentality. To quote the well-known street professor, Curtis Jackson (50 cent), “if you ain’t talking about money homie, I ain’t concerned.” BINGO! The total lack of caring in our culture is robbing us of emotional enrichment, satisfaction, and comfort. So much so that everything is just business now. And, THAT’S what’s making me feel so empty. Without heart, soul, and love, everything just comes off as blah, blah, blah. And, what better illustration is there than 1,500 or so words about absolutely nothing. I guess content is pretty important too.