An IVM Opinion Column: Dawning of the Age of Modern Elitism

Dawning of the Age of Modern Elitism
…and its many annoyances
An Article by Brandon Jones

Disclaimer: These opinions are those of Brandon’s and Brandon’s alone. Brandon’s ideas and thoughts don’t necessarily represent the opinions of other staff and writers here at IVM

Reading the cesspool of comments online whether it be Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Instagram, or heck even old school “www” websites (remember those?), one is left with a dilemma….do I bite my tongue or join in with the crazy circus monkeys? Hopefully not the latter, am I right?

Chaos ensues in this modern society we live in, whether it be on visual media, vocal media, or even by sight. We are curious creatures by nature, but that certain curiosity should come with a warning label that’s for sure! Be careful what you read and write there are always those watching, waiting, baiting, ready to pounce on the next victim.

What am I getting at? What’s with the animal metaphors?

It’s just that, people are animals. This insane animalistic behavior being regurgitated on the masses through the media we consume is killing us all (or making us dumber in the process).
You think it stops with “Christianity” and “Christian” music but sadly it doesn’t. This “Elitism” is bred in quiet corners of the world and then unleashed with full growth potential leaving a nasty venomous bite on the unexpected.

Spewing hatred, ill will, anger, pain, and robbing the youth of their innocence who are just looking to us “adults” for answers, is pure sadness. The love is in decay, the hope is in ruins.

Lost…..

So much of modern entertainment and those following it, creating it, promoting it, etc. leaves you with a sense of loss. That painful reminder of emptiness inside because of despair and living without meaning is a result of an endless supply of sadness. Hopelessness is not a catch phrase or a symbol of life’s most endearing moments. Hopelessness should be a reminder of what happens when you take out the “God” equation from your life, from society, from entertainment, and replace it with a lack of substance. There is a real abuse of Faith going on in today’s world. I don’t mean that from some sort of “persecution complex”, I say it because we have literally replaced the word “Faith” with the me me me pursuit of self-worth. I’m sorry but if you take out Faith, Hope, and Love out of society what do you think is going to happen? Imagine, Oh I already have…

Where am I going with this article and why did I go from animal metaphors to a full on investigative report on faith in modern society? I am not qualified so I’ll leave that to the “professionals”. I’m going to bring this all the way back around back to the reason I first wrote this piece to begin with – Elitism.

With my generation, (you know those old guys sitting in an arm chair shouting at a tv screen, yeah those guys) the lack of respect sort of took root and today through a few other generations, it has grown and produced some ugly fruit. Yeah I just took a whole smack at Gen X and Millennials I am looking at you too. This lack of respect and common decency especially in today’s modern online world is really disheartening. There came a time where I visited message boards (Forums) and would comment, sometimes getting wrapped up in arguments that would never go anywhere. Those days went to Myspace and now Facebook, Youtube, Instagram, Websites, etc. The comments are ugly, people. There are always going to be positives and negatives in any situation but even the snarky positives and hateful negatives start to blend together making one disgusting inedible pie. Huh? Remember the movie “The Help”, well what she baked is literally every comment thread I’ve been reading lately. So it must stop at “Christian Music” right? Surely those folks “know better” right?

You heard me mention the word “decency” earlier? Well some folks still don’t fully grasp that term. I used to get trapped in the whole “well that band A isn’t good, and is certainly a rip off of band B, which is loads better than band C” disagreement rabbit hole and it has been bumming me out as of late.

Gen Xers who are going online and arguing about stupid stuff such as which band is more indie than another, or which band is just a carbon copy of a better band, or you are so lame if you listen to this band and only the cool people listen to this other band, needs to end. Get over it people. If you are 30+ and fighting about certain styles of music that somehow give you more testosterone (not true, keep believing) than other people who listen to less inferior music, you need to start taking your crazy pills (I would know because I take them but the kind I take doesn’t make me say unintelligent things, right?).

I’ll say this with all seriousness, no music you choose to listen to will make you tougher, manlier, more feminine, girly, more liked, more popular, on fleek, radder, cooler, or hipper than anyone else on the planet. It didn’t happen, doesn’t happen, will never happen. This is what you call “modern elitism”.

I’ll take it a step further, it’s pure snobbiness. I am a member of many groups on facebook, I run IVM, and have pages/personal accounts on several other media sites. I witness it all. I browse anonymously, and I read people’s uninformed opinions. The sad fact about it all is that there is a certain herd mentality. You know like when a bunch of sheep know they are about to be attacked by a predator and they run huddled together, or those prey animals on the African sahara that try to escape the nasty grip of a lion? That is what we are all becoming, a herd. What I want to know is who are you letting be the Lion or predator in this scenario? Who are you truly afraid of? Maybe that predator you fear is really the eyes, the ears, the finger pointing of people just like yourself who are also feeling the same burdens of misinformation and uninformed decision making.

The point is, don’t let a few nasty people make up your mind for you. Don’t base decisions and opinions on just a few false declarations. If you enjoy something, speak up about it. Try new things, don’t be afraid to sample things you might not normally be accustomed to (with music selections). If you don’t like it in your own mind after listening by yourself, then so be it. Just say “not for me, but maybe someone else might like it, and at least this artist is trying to create art”. Don’t be that guy (or girl) who has to tell the whole world that “Man, this band really sucks and none of their music is good. I only liked their first album….” Or how about this winner “This band is a total rip off of so and so, every band in the ‘Christian’ scene is a carbon copy of a ‘better’ band in the ‘secular’ scene”. Ok, I was almost finished here with my thoughts, but I have to break this down real quick. Sorry, bear with me.

Did you ever consider that those “secular” bands you worship so much as being original gangstaz and innovators are in fact influenced by the same pool of bands that every one else possibly is? So just because “this band” you claim is a rip off happened to like a similar rock/alternative/punk rock band (as example) that suddenly lessens the impact of their creative drive? Is creativity truly dead because any band can count an “influence” on their hand? So you basically say that every single one of the past 70+ years of modern music that has charted and been marketable is just a rip off? Well you do know that Elvis was influenced by artists, Johnny Cash had his influences, The Beach Boys, Beatles, Rolling Stones, Black Sabbath, Creedance, Led Zeppelin and all those early era “rock/pop” acts had their influences no matter how much innovation you may claim to their names. Why u mad brah?

I am not so much “mad” as I am disappointed, disgruntled, and irritated with this driving force of modern media we call “home”. Heck I am probably adding more charcoal to the flames by writing this commentary piece. Don’t let your modern elitism and a snobby attitude get in the way of an actual brain and of using cohesive thoughts to form sentences. The next time you see a comment thread on a popular post, stop and think for a minute about the people reading it. Will they be substantially rewarded by my hate fueled vitriol that I lack the common decency in throwing their way? Or maybe by taking a step back, revaluating your words and the power behind them, you’ll improve not only yourself but make inroads to the hearts of the hopeless who truly are searching for more substance.