When it came time to try and relaunch my blog, I really wanted to sit down and rethink exactly what type of theme or idea I would have with the new page. It's not like I think the blog will make me famous or even infamous-I just wanted to create something I loved that combined my passion for fashion, art, music, social issues and a confessional aspect to it. And one of things I really thought about was how to make it genuine and authentic--I really wanted it to be positive and funny and maybe be something that could brighten some one's day. I wanted it to be a way to share myself and hopefully inspire others to do the same. At times the previous blog felt like it became too biting and shallow and a bit too ironic.
I've come to hate the idea of irony.
(Don't worry Alanis--your song is still fine with me)
The thing is I've come to find the idea of irony-or like/loving things in an ironic way-to be a bit of a cop out. Now the word has come to be something different than it's actual meaning (See above for example number 1) and it is very popular to voice your opinion on things this way. People love Pabst beer ironically because it so bad it's good, watch things like "Flowers in the Attic" and "Sharkando" because the acting is terrible or the CGI poorly done, and it's a badge of honor to have those type of ridiculous passions.
But loving things ironically gives you an automatic disclaimer--like if someone else points out why you shouldn't like a thing or how foolish a TV show is you can just distance yourself from your original opinion but making it seem like "yeah-it's terrible and I know it's terrible so I don't really think (blank) is great and all I really like is "Breaking Bad" and handcrafted home brewed beer." This love of the idea of irony has become a safety net that allows you to have "out" and takes away the responsibility of owning up to your own taste and interests leading people to always be able defer to the group consensus.
And that makes me sad because one of things I think is great about people, friendships, and being social is the idea of being able to share experiences and passions, being able to say what you love and share that love with others, passing along genuine ideas, art and discourse. Instead now everything can be cut down with an ironic joke or gesture.
I guess what I'm saying is that irony has taken the place of passion when it comes to how people feel about this, we don't celebrate what we love but instead keep it at a distance as though it might hurt if it comes too close. It's a shame because there is nothing bad about loving things that aren't perfect--whether it's ABC Family shows about teenage girls being stalked via text, pop songs about foolish things that have just really great beats, or movies about stupid things with great lines or books with really bad silly plots but characters that make you happy.
(Even Zac Efron thought Vanessa Hudgins's "Sneakernight" was a good song)
At the end of the bad loving bad things isn't the end of the world--because there is obviously something about it that you genuinely care for. Maybe you like the outrageous prose in a Steven King novel or the phat beats in a Flow Rida song--it's okay to find the bits and pieces of things to enjoy in the midst of the sub par. In a way that is what life is, special moments, people, and ideas that are surrounded by the mundane or dull--it's learning how to find and appreciate the positive that gives life meaning.
That's not to say you can point and laugh at the bad things you had along the way--I still look at certain things in my life and groan but with a slight smile. We all have to sometime's own up to our bad taste in things but we shouldn't always have a default status on everything we like so we can be cool or disavow ourselves.
I mean--I'm cool there is a website possibly devoted to all my previous bad dating choices
Dating Life Pre-Johnno or Bad Idea Jeans Central
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