Oh, don't get your knickers in a twist, I'm not defending this heinous act. He was probably drunk, but he's got a history of bad choices when he's drunk, at some point you have to grow up.
But in the old days, a faux pas would negatively affect your career. Not anymore. Because you've got your fans and the rest don't matter. And this is something the rest can't understand. They're sitting in judgment of bad actors, waiting for a penalty, and then nothing happens.
This is the essence of the red/blue divide. You're asking why the Trumpers aren't affected, disillusioned by the Donald's bad behavior. They're invested in Trump, there's nothing he can do wrong. Didn't he say he could shoot someone in the middle of the street and get away with it?
Trump is a bleeding edge character, a paradigm-buster, and no one in staid society is willing to admit it. They'd rather talk about his bad behavior. But look at it this way, Trump changed politics completely, he spoke truth. Don't blow back. But that was his appeal back in 2016, he spoke in plain English when the traditional, compromised pols did not. And this appealed to people. Trump harnessed social media. Everything the "New York Times" hates Trump employed. They hate people who are on their phones 24/7, they hate social media, and Trump has used both to not only become President, but have a good chance of being re-elected President!
As for the stolen election... We had Fox News, but people were under the belief that there were some facts, some truths. But facts and truth went out the window long before Trump said the election was stolen, he just capitalized on this change while others ignored it.
And Trump understands our divided society, our competing teams. You're either with him or against him, and if you're against him you're a pariah. It's not only Trump, it's America at large. Participate online and the haters will descend. You may not participate, you may be a lurker, but in truth you're afraid, because if you enter the maelstrom you're going to get bitten. The question is how do you keep on going? Taylor Swift sang one song after another putting men down and did it hurt her fan base? Well, for a minute there a few years back, when she was trying to be liked, when she was assembling her Girl Squad, but the point is her fans don't care, they're all-in, and if you're not, it doesn't bother them, they're not listening to you.
Teddy Swims has the number one record. I like Swims, wrote about him a few years back, but have you even heard this record? Are you aware of Swims to begin with? What does a number one record even mean? Radio airplay? Who is listening to terrestrial radio? Talk about disinformation... The radio industry keeps telling us everybody is listening and I can't find anyone under twenty five who ever does. Talk about a disconnect. What are you gonna believe, the corporation or your own eyes and ears? I'll bank on the latter.
Yes, it's every person for themselves.
And we don't care about putting you down as much as we want to be able to follow our muse, do what we want to unfettered.
Furthermore, most people want gun control and now mass shootings are de rigueur, you see the headline, shrug, and then move on.
Yes, in many ways you feel powerless, so you hitch your wagon to something... Could be a musical star like Morgan Wallen, could be a techie like Elon Musk. You need a hero, someone to believe in, and if an outsider questions this hero and your devotion they should be prepared to be excoriated.
And Trump may be insane and dangerous, but Biden and the Democrats are living in the last century, they squandered an online lead to the Republicans and are all about TV advertising. Meanwhile, I think half of what interests me Biden is unaware of.
Don't blow back, your knee-jerk defense proves the point. You're invested and the rest of us need to STFU!
I'm sick of being told to STFU.
Just like the Morgan Wallen fans. They're sick of being called redneck sh*tkickers. They've had enough with the pronouns. Even I, a dyed-in-the-wool leftie, have had enough of the left wing orthodoxy, especially as evidenced on college campuses. Trans rights, yes, bathroom rights, yes, but trigger warnings? It's a damn BOOK!
These are people who are afraid of life, who want to be protected from it. Good luck with that, we're all on our own, put on your armor and get into the arena with the rest of us. You think you're better? We know you do, and you're not.
So Morgan Wallen makes pop music, about life. He leads with his music as opposed to brand extensions. There are chord changes and choruses in his music. And that's why people are drawn to him.
Even worse, haven't you messed up when drunk? People are sick and tired of one strike and you're out. Everybody screws up. Even RFK, Jr., and he's running for President!
Once again, I'm not apologizing for Morgan Wallen. He should have known better, and when you're a public figure, you're held to a higher standard. My point is just because you're pissed off, don't think everybody else is. Just because you care, don't expect everybody else to. And when you only weigh in when someone crosses the line... Wallen fans don't care what a non-Wallen fan has to say. You carry the flag and soldier on, you're sick of the intelligentsia, the self-anointed thought police, telling you they know better, that you're wrong.
Wallen can't fight this bad behavior with a donation. Even an explanation is not good enough. Even intoxication is no defense. He should not be emboldened by getting a pass from his fans, but man, he needs to wake up. For a guy who tours stadiums everywhere he seems to have quite the small town perspective. Aren't you supposed to grow up and learn, be better?
Well, not Elon Musk, he's locked in adolescence, and unlike Wallen Elon thinks everybody is the enemy.
But if you're up in arms that Morgan threw a chair off the roof...
No one got hurt, and it's not a third rail situation. Sex, racism... There are some bad behaviors that are beyond the pale. This chair-flinging is not one of them.
So continue not to listen to Morgan Wallen. It's not going to hurt him a bit, his fans are still dedicated.
If you're sitting in judgment of everyone else you're missing the point, you're not living your life. America today is about actors, not followers. Get in the game, then you'll have some impact. But just because you went to college, live in a big house and drive a German car... I hope you care, because no one else does. You think you're impressing others? People are too busy to care about you. They don't have time for so much, you think they're going to envy you because you wear a Breitling, drive a BMW and vacation in Martinique?
Keep dreaming.
There is an opening for leaders. Morgan Wallen is not one of them. He's an entertainer, don't confuse him with the Beatles. But know that Wallen has an audience and almost everybody bitching does not. It starts with your identity, there must be some reason people glom on to you. Build your audience and then you will have an impact. Because when you're out there alone screaming at those who are not like you and don't agree with you, it just demonstrates that you're not living in the modern world, that you don't get it.
As for Biden... I hope he wins, but man, how could you run someone who seemingly no one can relate to, and Kamala Harris is worse! That's a good plan, forget personality, forget charisma, forget belief, forget team sport and just bitch about the other guy.
And Wallen knows it's about a hit record. You can put out multiple albums, even stream a few million tracks yet be meaningless in the world. If you want power, and power is everything, you can't complain you're not getting paid, you must earn your perch, your station.
Furthermore, money isn't everything, message is.
And my message is this chair incident won't hurt Wallen at all, won't dent his live business, won't hurt his airplay, won't alienate his fans. Rather than put down his fans, ask why. Those questions and their answers will open your eyes and unlock modern society for you.
Don't follow leaders and watch the parking meters?
Bob Dylan had it right in 1965 and still does. The work triumphs. Investigate.
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