In one sense, everything was normal at the gasoline pump the other day. It is no longer unusual for a loudspeaker to blare out advertisements at you, usually for a car wash or junk food. You can't blame the ad-world for making progress in this direction. After all, television viewers mute out the commercials, and internet eye-ballers use Ad-Block.
But there was something new today. My ears were regaled with a country-western version of rap music. This was a new cultural low for me. A radio listener probably doesn't consider this news at all.
I've lived too long. Maybe I should be dead by now. Lately I have been contrasting the popular culture of my childhood with that of today. Will an old person always prefer the past because they are "conservative" and narrow-minded? Actually, it is young people who are narrow-minded -- they only know one side of the question.
Comments
There is also the problem with my impaired hearing which does not help. It seems that hick-hop or rural rap came on the scene about the time that I stopped listening to the radio so I have missed that cultural degradation.
What the rock-a-billys did to Country and Western was bad enough, I do not need to hear any hick-hop or rural rap. Blue Grass and Gospel seem to have retained their heritage but "Country" has gone 'pop' and I think "Western" died with the Sons of the Pioneers, Gene Autry and Roy Rogers.
As far as preferring the culture of your youth? I don't think you prefer everything about this culture based on various opinions you have expressed here. The culture of your youth didn't encourage one to think for himself/herself, you know. It was pretty darn homogeneous and that is all it really accepted. If you fell out of this narrow band, you paid. We were all pretty brainwashed, pretty straight and narrow, and, especially for you, who doesn't like to be "politically correct", I think you are better off right where you are.
Chris
The trip from young to old is in an age-relative comfort zone. Through life it is difficult to break out of one’s comfort zone. It’s even harder when we reach 60+. With fewer years left, we want to relish them in our comfort zone which often includes memories, experiences and possessions from "the good old days".
Chris
George
For if it was so great, the people back then wouldn't have worked so hard to change it.
Contrast black musical entertainers of the past, like Lena Horne or Nat King Cole, with the knuckle-dragging stars of rap music.
Chris