Obsessed With The Mess That's America

Not only is Marina Diamindis (of Marina & the Diamonds) one of my new favorite artists ever, she's not American. She's British.

I'm kind of really critical of American culture. After reading Augustine's Confessions, I'm pretty much convinced that the US is going to crash, burn, die, perish, terminate, end in every way possible within the next 2 centuries. American culture parallels the declining Roman culture so well. We're complacent. We're nostalgic for garbage, desperate for time. (Too bad Vampire Weekend's American. Just like me.)

Our culture, is really good at being critical. Being critical of our president. Of our artists. Of our teachers. Of our parents. Of our students. Criticize complain grumble argue criticism.

We like our favorite band's older stuff better than the new album. We're pretentious. We criticize the artists and their art while refusing to create art ourselves, it's not our thing.

Our parents are doing it all wrong, but what would we do with a fifteen year old to take care of? Bills to pay, a job to work, a life to live in our forties?

It's easier to be critical than it is to be vulnerable and real and admit that we like things that are beyond our skill set. That we admire something. That we are stunned and amazed at the beauty of the world around us. Not that we are strong, pretentious, comfortable, superior to everything around us.

But guess what?
I'm not a robot.
I'm vulnerable. I'm vulnerable.
I'm not a robot.