# 2 and 3/4: Tuesday, August 25, 2009

In Defense of "The Mainstream"
by Sasha Faust

If you're one of those Pabst-chugging hipster kids who scoff at anything even remotely popular (but don't get me started with you, because we all know that there are legions of you people liking the same "obscure" shit anyway), piss off. Same for you anti-establishment punk types, with your aversion to anything even vaguely conventional. I'll have you know this isn't about me defending the transparency and dead-behind-the-eyes glamour of MTV and mainstream magazines, this is about something else. Rather, I'm defending your right as a viewer to just say no, but at the same time, I'm proposing you give everything a fair shot first before you put the nix on it.
There are some people out there who say that MTV is force-feeding you music and visuals---sort of like junk food for your eyes and ears. And well, yeah, while the Pussycat Dolls are undoubtedly the metaphorical equivalent to a cheddar, bacon, beef, and Splenda burger, that's not the point. The point is, MTV isn't forcefeeding you anything. You can turn that shit off if you want to. But I challenge you not to (right away at least).

This is my way of keeping your attention because you've still got like, five paragraphs to go.

MTV is merely a broadcast, and whether they're spewing total bullshit (Miley, Britney, Asher Roth), or legit musical talent (Kings of Leon, Silversun Pickups), believe it or not, you have the power to decide for yourself what works for you and what doesn't. And while the barrage of shit "artists" greatly outweighs the good on your television screen, that's okay, because it should help you keep perspective. Not all of this "underground" business is genius, either; wherever you go, you'll find music worth ignoring and music worth listening to.
And being able to decipher between the two is a huge part of what being an avid music lover is all about. And being able to say you like Lady Gaga in a room full of punks because you genuinely feel that way takes a sturdy set of lowhangers. If you've got passion for your music, then you should at least have the guts to try something new, even if it isn't your typical preference, even if it completely sucks, even if its playing on MTV. Because sometimes, it isn't so bad. And sometimes, it might even be good. Maybe great.
Don't get me wrong, though, subculture is a beautiful thing. It gives lesser-known artists a forum to do what they love for people willing to listen in a world that embraces aesthetics and packaging more than the tunes themselves.
But you can't call yourself a music lover if you never go above ground, so to speak; refusing to listen to something on the basis of its popularity, genre, or appearance on a major music broadcast. You're only putting up unecessary walls and constructing irrational limits on what you think you're allowed to like. The entire "purist" mentality is a joke, anyway; it's supposed to be about conviction and principle, but you can't be a total purist because there's always a loophole someplace. It's that kind of holier-than-thou elitism that makes you look just as self-important as the kids who thought your music was lame.
And you most certainly can't blame MTV for being responsible for being the only noteworthy crap-factory. There are plenty of so-called underground sites littering the blogosphere with complete bullshit, too.
In conclusion, open your mind! Or suck it.

Because she's totally legit and I love 'er.

For the record.

"Be regular and orderly in your life so that you may be violent and original in your work."

Gustave Flaubert