Has Society Changed?

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I don't know why, but today I had a Beach Boys lyric in my head. I don't listen to the Beach Boys much. I don't have them on my I-pod. I probably haven't heard this song in twenty years.

Well she got her daddy's car
And she cruised through the hamburger stand now
Seems she forgot all about the library
Like she told her old man now
And with the radio blasting
Goes cruising just as fast as she can now

And she'll have fun fun fun
Til her daddy takes the t-bird away
(Fun fun fun til her daddy takes the t-bird away)


The reason why that song was in my head? I spent the other night watching The Honeymooners. Ralph pretended he was sick so he didn't have to visit Alice's mother. He went bowling instead and hurt his back. Laughter ensued when he got busted as he was prone to do.

The best line in the show was this exchange:

Ralph: Come on, you know I don't like to just eat and run.
Alice: Given the way you eat it's a wonder you can walk.

Simple jokes. Simple fun. No M-Fer's. Clean and Funny.

As I sang the Beach Boys song all day, feeling sad that the world we live in seems so unkind. I thought of a line from Charles Starkweather who went on a killing spree in the 50's. When he was asked why he did what he did he said:

Sir I guess there's just a meanness in this world.

Are we meaner now?

Has violent movies and filthy television done something to us?

Compare the above Beach Boys lyric with the lyrics of Emminem, who everyone seems to like.

No more games, I'ma change what you call rage
Tear this motherfucking roof off like 2 dogs caged
I was playing in the beginning, the mood all changed
I've been chewed up and spit out and booed off stage
But I kept rhyming and stepped right into the next cypher
Best believe somebody's paying the pied piper
All the pain inside amplified by the fact
That I can't get by with my 9 to 5
And I can't provide the right type of life for my family
Cause man, these goddamn food stamps don't buy diapers
And it's no movie, there's no Mekhi Phifer, this is my life
And these times are so hard, and it's getting even harder
Trying to feed and water my seed, plus
Teeter totter caught up between being a father and a prima donna
Baby mama drama's screaming on and
Too much for me to wanna
Stay in one spot, another day of monotony
Has gotten me to the point, I'm like a snail
I've got to formulate a plot or I end up in jail or shot
Success is my only motherfucking option, failure's not
Mom, I love you, but this trailer's got to go
I cannot grow old in Salem's lot
So here I go it's my shot.
Feet fail me not, this may be the only opportunity that I got.

The message is positive...I think. There is so much more anger though.

Why is everyone so angry?

Wasn't it more fun, fun, fun?

Or is there just a meanness in this world?

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