Tag Archives: music

May 14, 2026 · 7:50 am

A Cool New Song I Discovered

Every now and then, I come across a song that just hits me at the right time in the right situation. And for reasons that I can’t explain, it resonates with me. Whenever I find a song like this, it’s not uncommon for me to listen to that song on repeat 15 straight times. That’s the power of music. That’s what it can do for you.

I admit it’s a lot harder to come across songs like that these days. At my age, I’m very entrenched with my tastes. I’m always going to be more inclined to listen to the music that I’ve loved for years. So, when a new song does break through, it’s really something special.

The latest song to do that is by Owen James. It’s called “When I Stand.” It’s this haunting, soft rock with a touch of outlaw county vibe song that flows so beautifully. It’s a fairly new song so chances are you haven’t heard it yet. So please, do yourself a favor and listen to it. Here’s a video with the lyrics below.

I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. I also hope it resonate with you as strongly as it did for me. If it’s not your kind of music, that’s fine. I’m glad you gave it a chance. I hope you still appreciated it.

Now, there’s another reason I’m sharing this. I promise it’s a good reason. I wouldn’t be making an entire blog post about a song I just discovered unless there was something more to it. For this song and for Owen James, there’s an important detail to note. And it’s this.

Owen James, as well as this song, was created by AI.

Knowing this, listen to the song again. Does that information change how you feel about it? Does it change your emotional reaction to it? Is that change positive, negative, or entirely neutral? These are not trivial questions. Regardless of your feelings towards AI, it’s here. It’s not going away. It’s affecting multiple industries, including creative endeavors.

AI music, in particular, has become more prolific in the past couple years. Owen James isn’t even the first AI musician to make a splash. In July 2025, an AI band called Velvet Sundown made a song that generated one million streams on Spotify. That’s a hit by any measure. And it happend before people knew this band and this music was entirely AI.

Naturally, this changed attitudes. This triggered a mix of outrage, intrigue, and confusion. Music is one of those forms of art that can genuinely move us. When you find a song that’s truly powerful, it can be a spiritual experience. It feels like one of those things that AI cannot and should not be able to achieve.

But it did. It has. I even admit I had no idea Owen James or “When I Stand” was AI generated. But learning that didn’t change how I felt about the song. If anything, it impressed me even more. The idea that an AI could make a song like this that appeals to me is incredible. It says a lot about the current state of AI. I get why many find it scary, especially those in creative fields. I imagine musicians of all kinds felt a twinge of distress when they learned Velvet Sunrise made a hit song. There are musicians who dedicate their entire lives to making a song like that. But an AI achieve that with nothing but data, electricity, and algorithms.

Concerns like this have triggered calls for Spotify and other music distribution platforms to label AI-generated music. Those same calls demand an option that allows people to filter it out so that they can only get music made by humans. I actually support that. I think if people don’t want to hear AI music, no matter how good it might be in terms of appeal, that should be their choice. But ignoring AI music doesn’t change the results.

AI is capable of making music. And that music is good enough to garner an audience. As I’m writing this, the official video for “When I Stand” has drawn approximately 5.2 million views and over 108k likes. That’s a lot for any video for a new song of any kind. Look at the comments when you get a chance. There are many from people praising the song, even if they don’t know it’s AI.

Regardless of how you feel about it, chances are it won’t be the last AI song that turns out to be a hit. It also won’t be the last time AI does something in a creative field that succeeds on a level once reserved for humans. Despite resistance, these cases will happen as the technology improves and progresses. It’s bound to cause upheaval. It’s bound to generate more debate, distress, and controversy.

But if, at the end of the day, it still produces something you enjoy and cherish, what does it matter? That’s an open question and one that won’t have any easy answers.

Leave a comment

Filed under AI Art, Artificial Intelligence, music

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

February 9, 2024 · 5:25 am

A Note To Those Who Are Angry With Taylor Swift

As a general rule, I do not look to celebrities to inform my opinions on politics. And I strongly recommend that approach for everyone. Getting your politics from a celebrity is like getting medical advice from a plumber. It’s both misguided and irrational.

That even applies to celebrities with the star power of Taylor Swift. I’m fully aware that, in terms of celebrity star power, she’s on a very different level compared to most. I even referenced her when I said nobody should ever be as famous as Michael Jackson. Be that as it may, she might very well be the only one to come close to that level of star power.

Now, I don’t consider myself a full-blown Swifty, as they’re called. But I do have friends and relatives who are as passionate about all things Taylor Swift as I am about superhero comics. And I totally respect that. I get that kind of passion. But even those die-hard Taylor Swift fans understand on some levels that she’s not a political figure. She’s an entertainer and, by far, one of the most successful of the past 25 years.

Then, there are those who are angry at Taylor Swift for her recent politics. But unlike other instances in which celebrities mix star power with politics in objectively awful ways, this anger is even dumber than usual. It barely even has anything to do with politics, which makes it even dumber when people try to put a political spin on it.

While I’d rather not get into all the drama surrounding Taylor Swift’s foray into politics, going back to 2020, the current source of outrage is this. Taylor Swift is dating Travis Kelce, the star tight end of the Kansas City Chiefs. And her presence at Chiefs games has had a significant impact on both the ratings of those and the overall interest in this relationship.

Naturally, the NFL loves the extra attention they’re getting from Swift’s legion of dedicated fans. But there is also a sizable crowd of angry, politically motivated individuals who hate the attention she’s bringing to the games, as well as the “politics” she’s engaged in. And I put “politics” in quotes because the criteria these people are using is too stupid for me to put into words.

Officially, the only real political activity Swift has engaged in since 2020 is encouraging people to register to vote. She never told anyone who to vote for or even what party to vote for. She just used her massive platform as a celebrity to get people out to vote. In most circumstances, that’s an objectively good thing. Getting people to participate in the democratic process helps the country, as a whole.

But unofficially, those who hate this brand of “politics” think she and Travis Kelce are part of some elaborate conspiracy to rig the 2024 Presidential Election against their side. They genuinely believe in a real, tangible conspiracy theory that has shadowy political forces manipulating Swift into influencing the upcoming election in a certain way.

Again, it is too stupid for words. I could write an entire book on how stupid it is, but it still wouldn’t be enough.

So, without getting too deep into the politics, I just want to convey one important message to those who are angry with Taylor Swift, her politics, her current relationship, and her public persona.

Getting angry at her for such petty reasons is a huge mistake.

That’s not a warning or anything. That’s just a simple, logical observation. Because targeting public figures for their political views is bad enough. We’ve already seen this same crowd of angry reactionaries target companies, comedians, school boards, and even a children’s hospital.

Yes, they actually got angry at a children’s hospital. That, alone, should tell you all you need to know about the nature of these peoples’ anger.

But going after Taylor Swift is different. She is not someone who is unaccustomed to public scrutiny. She has been a celebrity for over a decade, long before the current political climate. She also is familiar with dealing with hostile fans. So, she’s likely not going to be intimidated by that sort of fiery rhetoric.

Most critically, Taylor Swift has legions of passionate fans who won’t hesitate to defend her. And in this case, they would be perfectly right in defending her because she’s doing nothing outrageous. Again, all she has done since 2020 is encourage people to register to vote. And the fact that this is what enrages these reactionaries so much is both telling and pathetic.

It’s as though they know for a fact that if more people vote, they’re more likely to lose major elections. They’re aware that their views are unpopular, untenable, and just plain wrong. And the only why they have a chance of winning is if enough people aren’t motivated to vote.

That, in and of itself, is pretty egregious. But take another step back and look at the larger message this outrage is sending. These people are utterly outraged at Taylor Swift, one of the most successful and celebrated entertainers of all time, for simply not agreeing with them politically. The way she carries herself, the way she navigates the world of celebrity, and the political stances she’s taken in the past are just too much for them.

And that, simply put, is pathetic.

On top of that, these reactionaries are telling Swift’s legion of fans that they hate her for this one simple disagreement. And many of those fans are young, passionate, and likely weren’t even interested in her politics until people from a certain end of the political spectrum started attacking her. How do you think they’re going to feel about those who hate her? Moreover, how do you think that’s going to impact their voting habits?

Personally, I still don’t care about Taylor Swift’s politics. Even if she didn’t agree with me politically, I would still have her songs on my workout playlist. Whenever there’s a disagreement like that with anyone, celebrity or otherwise, it’s just easier to shake it off.

But that apparently isn’t enough for these angry, reactionary whiners. They still feel compelled to attack her for the sin of not going along with their agenda. And they really think they’re more powerful than Taylor Swift’s legion of fans.

Well, if they really think that, by all means. Keep trying to villainize her. Keep pretending that hating her won’t have a significant influence on young people who love her music. Just don’t be surprised if the consequences aren’t something you can easily shake off.

Leave a comment

Filed under Celebrities and Celebrity Culture, politics, rants

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

January 30, 2024 · 5:29 am

Why NOBODY Should Ever Be As Famous As Michael Jackson

This is a video from my YouTube channel, Jack’s World.

In this video, I explore the world of fame, fortune, and celebrity. And for people of a certain age, none achieved more of that than Michael Jackson. While his legacy in the annuls of pop culture might be a bit mixed these days, it’s hard to overstate just how big an icon he was.

But as monumental a figure he might have been, I strongly believe that NOBODY should ever be as famous as him ever again. That kind of fame might not even be possible anymore. But I feel it’s worth revisiting. Enjoy!

Leave a comment

Filed under Celebrities and Celebrity Culture, Jack's World, music, psychology, YouTube

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

January 5, 2024 · 6:36 am

Napster, Generative AI, And How The Internet’s Past May Define Its Future

This is a video from my YouTube channel, Jack’s World.

This video explores a major chapter in the history of the internet to help inform what may lay ahead for the future. And for those of a certain demographic, one of the most disruptive programs during the early days of the internet was Napster.

This famous/infamous program completely upended the music industry. It also triggered lawsuits and upheavals from which the industry has never recovered. How it all played out was complicated, but the end result set a precedent that has helped shape the course of the internet.

Now, with the rise of generative AI, a similar predicament is playing out. And we would all be wise to heed the lessons learned from Napster.

1 Comment

Filed under AI Art, Artificial Intelligence, ChatGPT, Jack's World, technology, YouTube

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

December 3, 2023 · 9:05 am

A Brief Note On (The Stupidity Of) Book Bans

We live in strange, tense, and frustrating times. I know you could say that about any point in any era. But it feels like we’ve been saying that a lot late. I know I have. Just look at some of the posts I’ve made on or near Election Day in the United States. But as someone who lives less than two hours from Washington DC, I tend to feel the politics of these times more than most. And I’ve been around long enough to see some strange and troubling trends.

Then, there are certain acts or phenomena that are just plain stupid on a level that defies parody.

I generally try to empathize and understand where other people are coming from, especially if they have a different background or ideology from my own. There are just some instances where that’s not possible. The breadth of the stupidity is just too great.

That’s exactly how I feel about book bans. For reasons that are too fucking idiotic for me to paraphrase, there are real people living in real places in the United States of America who are advocating for book bans. Some are going so far as to burn them.

Again, this is not 1933. This is happening in 2023. That point is worth belaboring.

Now, I don’t want to name names or organizations. But you don’t have to look far to see who are advocating for book bans. You also don’t have to dig too deep to uncover what sort of ideology they ascribe to.

Here’s a hint. It’s the same ideology the requires stormtroopers, secret police, and prison camps.

But all you really need to know is that these efforts are usually the ones the villains in every TV show, book, or movie get behind. They see people reading books with ideas they don’t like. They worry that those same people, which include children and young adults needed for factories and war zones, embracing or identifying with those ideas.

But rather than confront those ideas, the book banning advocates would just prefer that people never know about those ideas in the first place. The evil, sadistic logic is that if people never read about it, then they can never think about it. And if they can never think about it, then they’re easier to control and guide.

That may not be the reason book banning advocates say out loud, but that is the effect. They’ll usually frame it as “protecting children” or “combating obscenity.” But don’t fall for that. At the end of the day, those who seek to ban books just want to eliminate ideas and stories they don’t like from the public consciousness.

That’s not conducive to protecting children and fostering a healthy society.

That’s a tactic for fascists, authoritarians, dictators, and general assholes.

Now, those tactics were certainly damaging in the past. Until very recently, books were the primary source of important information. If people didn’t have access to books, then they didn’t have access to knowledge, stories, and new ideas. Finding or preserving banned books used to take a concerted effort and many brave individuals put their lives at risk to further those efforts.

However, what makes modern book bans especially stupid is the simple fact that the internet exists. Libraries and book stores are no longer the lone repositories of knowledge and stories. Anyone with a smartphone can access more knowledge in five seconds than an entire university of academics could 50 years ago.

At this point, trying to ban books is akin to trying to censor telegrams. All they achieve now is raising the profile of these books they’re trying to ban. Hell, the book banning advocates might as well identify as free advertising because sales of banned books tend to spike whenever they bitch and moan about certain titles.

So, in addition to being a dick move, as well as tactics used primarily by fascists, it’s completely counterproductive. It wastes time, money, energy, and has the opposite effect of what’s intended. With that in mind, I have just one last message to those who still think banning books is a worthwhile endeavor.

Read a fucking book! Preferably a history book!

Leave a comment

Filed under Current Events, politics, technology, Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

September 21, 2021 · 5:43 am

A Fun Thought Experiment Inspired By “Back To The Future”

24 Facts About 'Back To The Future' That Might Surprise You

There are some moments in movies that stick with you for all the right reasons. As much as I love and consume superhero movies, not all those moments have to do with comic book characters or action stars in the mold of John McClane. Sometimes, a scene is just so beautifully done that you can watch it a million times and still smile.

That’s how I feel about one particular scene in “Back To The Future.” Specifically, it’s that legendary moment where Marty McFly plays Johnny B. Good at the school dance after helping his parents fall in love. It doesn’t matter how you feel about the song, the movie, or the actors. This scene is just pure, unrivaled fun.

I first saw this movie over 25 years ago. This scene is still one of my favorite movie scenes of all time. When I think “Back To The Future,” I think this scene.

I could talk about this scene for hours on end. However, I’d like to set aside the cinematics for a moment and use it as the basis of fun little thought experiment. Lately, I feel like some of my previous thought experiments were a bit too serious. These experiments should be fun and I think this one has plenty to offer.

The premise is simple. You’re basically in Marty McFly’s shoes and you have a chance to share music from the future with people from the past. For the sake of broadening the experiment, I’ll even tweak a few details. In terms of specifics, here’s the situation.

You’re in 1955 America.

You’re on a stage facing a large audience of kids and their parents.

You have a chance to play one song before you go back to the future.

It could be any song from any era.

You have the ability to play, sing, and perform that song perfectly.

What would that song be?

After first seen that scene in “Back To The Future,” I often entertained thoughts about the song I would play if I were in Marty’s position. Over time, I find myself entertaining those thoughts even more. I’ve been on this planet long enough to see many changes and trends with popular music.

Some of it has been positive.

Some of it has been downright awful.

What we consider good or bad comes down to taste, but there’s no getting around it. What would be considered mainstream today would be considered obscene in 1955. Remember, this was an era where people thought Elvis moving his hips was too risqué. Can you imagine how they would feel if they heard Cardi B’s “WAP” or pretty much any song by Kid Rock?

It would be hard to imagine the full spectrum of peoples’ shock. That’s part of why I asked this same question on the popular subreddit, AskReddit. I did not get nearly as many responses as I’d hoped. That’s why I want to ask it again here.

You’re in that same position as Marty. You have a chance to leave an impression that will transcend time, space, and vastly different musical eras. What song do you play? Here’s my general list in no particular order.

“Thunderstruck” by AC/DC

“Enter Sandman” by Metallica

“Shake It Off” by Taylor Swift

“Break Stuff” by Limp Bizkit

“Gin And Juice” by Snoop Dogg

“American Badass” by Kid Rock

“Uptown Funk” by Bruno Mars

“Superfreak” by Rick James

“X Gonna Give It To Ya” by DMX

“Kickstart My Heart” by Motley Crue

“American Idiot” by Green Day

“Welcome To The Jungle” by Guns N’ Roses

“Applause” by Lady Gaga

“The Fight Song” by Marilyn Manson

“Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana

If I had to pick one, I honestly would have a hard time deciding. As much as I love these songs, I have a feeling the words might completely fly over the heads of a 1955 audience. If they heard a song like “Smells Like Teen Spirit” or “Gin And Juice,” they might not understand it. They might be more confused than shocked.

Other songs might get a much stronger reaction. Pretty much any song by Marilyn Manson and Eminem would surely offend, if only because of the profanity. Other songs, like many by Green Day or Lady Gaga, would contain messages that would definitely conflict with 1955 America. However, I still suspect the teenagers would love it.

For that same reason, I think the parents of 1955 would hate every song by Guns N’ Roses and Motley Crue, but the teenagers would love it. It’s loud, it’s energetic, and it has plenty of sexual overtones. That’s going to appeal to the youth of any era.

Other songs might have truly universal appeal. I feel like most songs by Bruce Springsteen could play in any era and still get audiences cheering, young and old alike. I feel the same about many Taylor Swift songs. I honestly think “Shake It Off” would play well to a 1955 audience. It might even play too well to some crowds.

That’s just my opinion. I still don’t know which song I would play out of that list. What about the rest of you? What song would you play in Marty’s position if you had the opportunity to time travel to 1955? I’d love to see your list, as well. Please share it in the comments.

Leave a comment

Filed under movies, music, Thought Experiment

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

October 8, 2020 · 5:43 am

Streaming Music Into The Brain With Neuralink: Why I Want To Try It

Say what you want about Elon Musk. He’s an eccentric billionaire. There’s a lot to say and not all of it is good. Whatever you think of him, though, you can’t deny he has some big, bold ideas. You don’t become a billionaire tech icon without plenty of those.

I’ve talked about some of his bolder ideas before, namely the potential impact of Neuralink and brain/machine interfaces. I still contend those ideas are still as bold as ever. It’s just a lot harder to explore and contemplate them when we’re in the middle of a global pandemic.

Despite the grim circumstances clouding our world now, Musk still finds a way to drop a new idea into the mix. This one is actually related to Neuralink and the world of brain augmentations. While this effort is still ongoing and very early, he did imply that the neural implants that this company would offer might have another feature that hasn’t been highlighted. Specifically, it’ll allow you to stream music directly into your brain.

It wasn’t treated as groundbreaking. In fact, this topic came about during a Twitter conversation between Musk and an engineer of all things. Usually, Twitter conversations are about as productive as arguing with a creationist, but on rare occasions, something beautiful emerges. I say this is one of them.

Digital Trends: Elon Musk says Neuralink chip will let you stream music into your brain

Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s brain interface company, Neuralink, wants to let you stream music directly into your brain.

Musk recently said that Neuralink’s brain chip technology would allow people to stream music into their brains effortlessly. Musk confirmed the feature on July 19 over an exchange with a Twitter user who asked: “If we implement Neuralink – can we listen to music directly from our chips? Great feature.” Musk replied with a simple, “yes.”

Now, regardless of what you think of Musk’s claim or the technical feasibility of actually streaming music into the brain, I want to make one thing clear. I hope to leave no amgibuity.

I want to try this.

I really want to experience this at some point.

I love music as much as the next person, but my cumulative experience with headphones, stereo systems, and ear buds has been mixed at best. The idea of bypassing that entirely and streaming my favorite songs directly into my brain just has so much appeal and not just from a practical aspect.

Music can a powerful influence. That’s not just an opinion. There’s real science behind it. I’ve certainly experienced that. There are songs on my playlist that can affect my mood, my focus, and my emotional state. Those effects can be pretty diverse. That should be a given. You’re not going to react to a Metallica song the same way you react to a Taylor Swift song.

It’s a testament to how impactful music can be. Now, there might be a way to stream it directly into our brains? Sign me up!

It’s not an incredibly radical idea, when you break it down. In a sense, the music and all its powerful influences goes to your brain already. It’s just indirect. First, it has to go through your ear and then your ear has to process the sound and then the interpretations of those sounds has to go to various parts of your brain. Neuralink is just offering a more direct path.

Imagine hearing something that makes no sound.

Imagine experiencing the emotions and excitement of music in a unique and intimate way.

It may not be the most groundbreaking use of neural implants, but I still want to try it. If being stuck in lockdown has taught us anything these past few months, it’s that we need a diverse range of experiences. There’s only so much we can get from binge-watching Netflix, playing video games, and Zoom chatting family members.

We need those experiences to enrich our lives. We have no idea what kind of state the world will be in by the time this technology is refined. Who knows what kinds of experiences we’ll pursue? Hopefully, I’m around to stream my favorite playlist directly into my brain. It might not be the most profound use of this technology, but it will definitely rock.

2 Comments

Filed under futurism, Neuralink, Sexy Future, technology

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

September 8, 2020 · 5:55 am

A Fun Video That Helped Boost My Mood After A Bad Day

Every now and then, we have a bad day. It can be for any number of reasons. You get stuck in traffic, you’re late to something important, or everyone around you just gives you too much crap for one day. Some have more bad days than others. It’s never pleasant. It’s just part of life. The key is finding ways to cope.

I have many methods. Just this past week, I had a very rough day. I was not in a good mood when I got home. Dealing with it is easier said than done. However, sometimes the little things are what turns a bad day into something bearable.

For me, one of those things involves a few goofy, happy-go-lucky, low-effort YouTube videos that just make you smile. As someone who’s now trying to build his own YouTube channel, I’ve come to appreciate them more than most. To that end, I’d like to share one of those videos that just helped put a smile on my face after that day. I didn’t make it, but I’d love to thank whoever did.

Hopefully, this makes a bad day bearable or a good day even better. Enjoy!

Leave a comment

Filed under health, Uplifting Stories, YouTube

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

August 22, 2020 · 9:25 am

A Brief Note On Cardi B’s “WAP” For The Ben Shapiros, Religious Zealots, And Regressive Whiners

When I was a kid, one of the most obscene, deplorable things in media was Mortal Kombat. This video game was deemed so obscene, so violent, and so utterly wrong that it would destroy an entire generation.

Yes, people believed this poorly rendered violence would destroy a generation. Honestly, I’m insulted.

Not long after that, it was the overly sexual attire that Brittney Spears wore in her music videos. Apparently, that was deemed too graphic for a generation to handle. It was going to corrupt everyone with horribly impure thoughts about sexuality.

Again, having been young at the time, I’m insulted. Then again, there was one a time when Elvis’ hips were deemed too sexual. We, as a society, still have a lot of issues to overcome with respect to sex. It still makes us uncomfortable and uptight. It makes adults afraid for their children and children afraid of their own bodies. This is not new.

Now, let me make a quick note on Cardi B’s recent song and music video, “WAP.” For those not up on the acronyms, “WAP” stands for Wet Ass Pussy. I’ll give everyone who had one too many health lessons from priests, rabbis, mullahs, and republicans a moment to stop gasping. I’ll give another for the uptight regressive whiners on the left who think anything overtly sexual is somehow damaging to women.

Everybody okay? Good, because I think we should all take a step back and take a deep breath, while we’re at it.

 

Let me start by saying I’m not a big fan of Cardi B. I don’t like her music or her style, but I totally respect her effort. It’s not easy to achieve the status she has achieved. It’s even harder to stay relevant at a time like this when the dumbest things start trending for no reason.

Even though I’m not a fan, I still find myself respecting her more for the reaction she garnered for this song. From Ben Shapiro to Tucker Carlson, the people who often ally themselves with fun-hating religious zealots who seem to want women to be 1950s housewives are aghast at this song. That shouldn’t surprise anyone. These are the same people who whined about Dungeons and Dragons, for crying out loud.

What should be concerning, though, is how their reaction seems to imply they don’t know how female bodies work. It’s one thing to be ignorant about sexuality in general, but it’s not like Cardi B’s song is breaking new ground. Popular music has had graphic depictions of sex acts and genitalia for decades. Cardi B is just the latest. She just happens to be more overt than most when it comes to depicting female genitalia.

I know that’s going to make a certain crowd very uncomfortable, but so long as they’re thinking about Cardi B and wet ass pussies, I think this is a good time to remind them of something.

Female genitalia gets wet and moist when aroused.

Just like male genitalia getting hard, female genitalia getting wet and moist is part of the process.

In general, that’s a good thing. If a woman is going to enjoy sex, it’s important that she be aroused. That’s why foreplay is so important for both parties during sex. Whether you’re gay, straight, or something in between, this is basic human anatomy. None of this is a medical secret. Anyone can look up the process of female arousal, provided they can sift through the porn.

Cardi B singing a song about why it’s awesome is no different than a male singer celebrating how great it is to have a dick. There’s nothing wrong with, either. We’re all naked underneath our clothes. We all have certain parts of our bodies that garner more attention than others.

It’s okay to celebrate our bodies.

It’s okay to be horny, aroused, or excited.

It’s even okay to know your body well enough to understand what makes it feel good.

I know that’s always been a sore point for some people. The female body is still very taboo. Why else would we still censor female nipples? The idea of women enjoying sex is also taboo, thanks largely to some of those awkward feelings I mentioned earlier. It’s a big reason why we have an orgasm gap.

I’m not saying Cardi B’s song will do anything to mend that gap or temper the taboos surrounding the female body. I’m just think this is a good opportunity to acknowledge how awkward we still are about female genitalia. There are some reasons for that, but few are good or valid.

Female genitalia gets wet when aroused. It’s a good thing, in general. Women understanding how their bodies work is healthy and necessary. There will always be songs and media about the female form, as well as the male form. You can whine about it all you want. That’s not going to change anything.

Also, let this also be a teachable moment for men, women, and everything in between about the value of understanding your partner’s body. At the very least, let us all offer some sympathy and understanding to Ben Shapiro’s wife.

Today, it’s Cardi B’s wet ass pussy.

Yesterday, it was Elvis’ hips.

We have a long way to go with respect to appreciating and understanding sexuality. Let this be a step in that process.

Leave a comment

Filed under censorship, gender issues, health, human nature, outrage culture, political correctness, politics, sex in media, sex in society, sexuality, women's issues

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

May 1, 2020 · 6:01 am

Ode To “Hold My Hand” By Hootie And The Blowfish: My First Favorite Love Song

When we’re kids, we rarely listen closely to the songs we love. It starts almost immediately after we graduate from singing along to nursery rhymes to singing along to whatever song is on the radio. We rarely understand the meaning of the song, the lyrical structure, or any subtext or innuendo. We just like how it sounds.

As a result, some of the songs we love as kids age better than others. Kids who sung the lyrics of Prince probably didn’t pick up on the incredibly sensual undertones to his lyrics. As adults, it can be somewhat jarring to learn just what those lyrics meant.

On the other end of the spectrum are the songs that only seem to get better with age. They’re not nearly as common or appreciated, but they hold a special place in our hearts, none-the-less. For me, one song in particular stands out. It’s a song that I think everyone who was alive and had a radio in 1994 probably heard at least once. It’s “Hold My Hand” by Hootie and the Blowfish.

I know they’re not the coolest band from that era. In fact, they’re one of those bands who people love to hate for shallow reasons. They’re an easy band to be cynical about. They had one massively successful album, but they never duplicated it. Their songs are cheerful, upbeat, and fun. That kind of thing just doesn’t work in a world steeped in cynicism, pessimism, and internet trolls.

However people might feel about them, they’ll always have a special place in my heart for one simple reason. That song, “Hold My Hand,” was the first love song I ever genuinely liked as a love song.

That matters a lot to me because, at the time, I was still a young kid. I was just starting to develop a taste for romance. I started noticing the romantic subplots of my favorite cartoons. I began appreciating romance in a way that set me apart from others. Then, this song came out.

It was a simple, genuine love song. The lyrics were easy to understand and follow. The tune and rhythm was catchy. Everything about it just clicked with me. While it’s not my favorite love song right now, it’s always been in my top ten. Even if you’re not a fan of the music of that era, I encourage you to appreciate the sentiment of the song.

What makes it stand out even more is just how well this song has aged. Whereas some love songs have gained a more creepy, if not stalker-like subtext, the sentiment in “Hold My Hand” actually works better today than it did in the mid-90s.

The song doesn’t involve someone professing complete and utter captivation.

It doesn’t rely on the kind of fairy tale love that exists only in Disney movies and bad romantic comedies.

It relies on love that feels real. Just read the lyrics.

With a little love and some tenderness
We’ll walk upon the water
We’ll rise above the mess
With a little peace and some harmony
We’ll take the world together
We’ll take them by the hand
‘Cause I’ve got a hand for you, oh
‘Cause I wanna run with you
Yesterday, I saw you standing there
Your head was down, your eyes were red
No comb had touched your hair
I said, get up, and let me see you smile
We’ll take a walk together
Walk the road awhile, ’cause
‘Cause I’ve got a hand for you
I’ve got a hand for you
‘Cause I wanna run with you
Won’t you let me run with you, yeah
Want you to hold my hand
(Hold my hand)
I’ll take you to a place
Where you can be
(Hold my hand)
Anything you wanna be because
I wanna love you the best that
The best that I can
See I was wasted, and I was wasting time
‘Til I thought about your problems
I thought about your crimes
Then I stood up, and then I screamed aloud
I don’t wanna be part of your problems
Don’t wanna be part of your crowd, no
‘Cause I’ve got a hand for you
I’ve got a hand for you
‘Cause I wanna run with you
Won’t you let me run with you
Want you to hold my hand
(Hold my hand)
I’ll take you to the promised land
(Hold my hand)
Maybe we can’t change the world but
I wanna love you the best that
The best that I can, yeah
Let me walk, oh won’t you let me, let me
(Hold my hand)
Want you to hold my hand
(Hold my hand)
I’ll take you to a place where you can be
(Hold my hand)
Anything you wanna be because
I oh no, no, no, no, no
(Hold my hand)
Want you to hold my hand
(Hold my hand)
I’ll take you to the promised land
(Hold my hand)
Maybe we can’t change the world but
I wanna love you the best that
The best that I can
Oh, best that I can

It feels like an honest, sincere love letter. It says I’m not going to try and love you like a queen, goddess, angel, or something other than human. I’m just going to try and love you the best that I can. I don’t want to take you far away and do all these strange, lurid things. I just want to hold your hand.

As a romantic sentiment, it’s hard to have something as simple and sweet.

2 Comments

Filed under Jack Fisher's Insights, romance

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,