Misfits, Revolt!

Every decade has at least one stereotype. Usually, these stereotypes are defined through the era's music, war, and/or social rebellions. The 1960's are perhaps the most renowned because they possessed all three aspects; Vietnam, Civil Rights Movement, the British Invasion, and an uprising generation's protests against social norms. The people wanted peace, freedom, and they expressed all of these feelings through music. Everything they worked for and earned formed the 70's: a simple cause and effect formula. The next generation rebelled against the happy hippies with a less positive desire for freedom--anarchy. The Punk Rock scene evolved into the hair bands of the 80's while Pop Music and Hip Hop were developing throughout the mainstream. Let's be honest, 80's Pop Culture yielded several noteworthy icons; such as Madonna and Michael Jackson, but when it comes down to it, the legwarmers, teased hair, and catchy radio tunes are really just guilty pleasures. They weren't much of a milestone for the History Books.The things people should know about the decade are somewhat a forgotten secret. If you asked someone in the 80's who Morrissey or The Smiths were, they would probably know, but nowadays it's a shocker if someone does. The same goes for extremely important artists like Tears for Fears, Joy Division and the Pixies. We all know it's safe to say Kurt Cobain started a genre of music. But where do people making this claim think the inspiration came from? Without the Pixies, the formula for grunge and Nirvana would cease to exist. Grunge took people back to the lack of effort in appearance. This is where the magic stopped. Icons like Kurt Cobain and Bradley Nowell died, and the 90's were a simple democratic society with nothing to rebel against. I call these the lost years. From the late 1990's to the present, Pop Culture doesn't have much to show for itself other than wardrobe malfunctions and the magic that is auto-tune. It was like growing up in a more embarrassing version of the 80's because our generation was just a copy-cat of everything before us. Most of society doesn't even know about the things that they should remember. 

I didn't need to do any research to write this. My mom was a teenager in the 60's, and my dad was a teenager in the 70's. They taught me everything I wouldn't learn in books, which lead to the realization that I would need to teach myself the rest. Where their generation's left off, I picked up the pieces and devoured any information about the underground world and counterculture. In doing so, I found that I hardly fit in with the world around me. It seemed that my interests were incompatible. In high school I found several friends in the same position and eventually there were groups of fellow lost souls. The only problem was what I mentioned earlier--copy-cats. People were wearing tight pants, calling themselves Punks, or wearing tie-dye shirts and Birkenstock's  under the assumption this made them a Hippie. It was quite frustrating. There were days I understood why the Gothic kids painted their faces out of rage and sat in their own hallway. I wanted my own hallway. I didn't understand why people couldn't just be themselves. Why do we have to call ourselves anything? Labels are inevitable, but why would anyone label themselves? My

only escape from this was the variety of music I listened to. I grew up with the classics and discovered as many varieties of soothing sounds possible. Bands and Artists like Elliott Smith, The Postal Service, Ben Folds and Bright Eyes got me through the day-to-day basics, but it wasn't until I discovered the power of live music and a crowd of fellow outcasts that I realized what was happening. After my first String Cheese Incident show in 2004, everything fell into place. I was addicted to concerts. It seemed like every weekend I was somewhere watching music. The best part was that it wasn't just about the music. People were there because we felt united. We all felt the vibe of acceptance and understanding. It's nearly 10 years later and it seems as though this vibe has wrapped itself around the entire universe. My generation's counterculture is already teaching its followers. 

Society as a whole is a hot mess. We're at war with other countries and ourselves, we're in an unbearable Recession, Hannah Montana shaved half her head, and it really feels like everyone is wandering aimlessly--my generation especially. We were told, "Go to College. You'll get a job." But as it turns out, life after college is nothing like St. Elmo's Fire for us. Well, maybe a little, but we definitely didn't walk away with that diploma and a career in our hands. We weren't even  left with much possibility. So, what do we do? Dwell? Give up? Find a cardboard box? No. We enjoy life. There is a huge revolution happening and I'm not sure if anyone even notices. People are letting their Freak Flags fly with pride. Gay people can get married in several states, some people are allowed to smoke pot, and it's not unusual to walk down the street and find more than one yard with someone hula hooping in it. Yoga is now a trend, and honestly, who can complain about that? People are easing their minds in every way imaginable, and more people accept this than not.

Because the physical tangibility of music went down the drain, live music exploded. It is the easiest way for people to unite and share their weirdness. It doesn't even matter what kind of music it is: Jam Bands, Rap, EDM, Alternative, Metal, etc. The sky is the limit! The more eccentricities you smash together, the better. The more united and stronger we become. I never thought I'd be a part of a cultural movement. I thought my generation was too apathetic to try. But look at where we are now. We might not have a clue what we're doing with our lives, but at least we've learned how to live them. We're living in a world where unicorns are cool, hula hoops light up, and people wear fuzzy boots, tutus, and face paint in public. Is that a problem?