[BC] Why FM took off in the 60's
Danny Ray Boyer
drboyer
Sun Oct 23 18:39:50 CDT 2005
I agree completely with Bob on this issue.
Danny Ray Boyer
The main objection to Elvis in 1955 was his sexualization of rock and roll;
it was a quantum leap beyond what Sinatra had done in his "bobby socks"
era, about 10 years before Elvis. I don't have a problem with that.
However, I am disturbed by popular culture that glorifies violence and
degrades and objectifies women. I _do_ think that there is an absolute line
regarding "corruption"; this line is not a moving target to be defined down
with each generation. Media that glorifies (as opposed to examines)
sociopathic, self-destructive, or violent behavior steps over it. This is
not a healthy thing for media conglomerates to present as normative
behavior to children and adolescents, all for the sake of the almighty
dollar. I know I'm starting to sound like my parents, but there you have it.
In 1959, the gang culture depicted in West Side Story seemed exotic, not
particularly vicious by today's standards, and, in any event, safely
confined to New York City.
In 1971, Kubrick's film "A Clockwork Orange" seemed like outrageous
science fiction.
No longer.
Circa 1970, there was a big controversy over RCA's allowing the Jefferson
Airplane to sing "it doesn't mean s**t to a tree" on one of their LPs.
Today, this controversy seems quaint.
I am a firm believer in the First Amendment, but I wish that major
entertainment conglomerates would police themselves better. Sometimes, it's
better to leave potential revenue on the table, particularly if it's blood
money, earned by defining deviancy down.
(I can see that this discussion might be headed for AF :-)
Bob Orban
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