Writing Prompt Boot Camp, Day 12

Resignation Letter

Dear Popular Culture,

Yeah, I’m afraid I’m done with you.

I suppose you are owed an explanation, although it should be pretty obvious.

It’s not that there’s so MUCH of you. Or the fact that at least 80% of you is total crap. And it’s not the difficulty in keeping up with you.

It’s all of those things. And one thing more.

You see, I never liked you.

Back when I was in high school, when one can first see how popular culture affects people on a day-to-day basis, it was The Beatles. It was the ever loving, motherfucking, UBIQUITOUSNESS of a band that had broken up when I was still a toddler. There was no new music from them, no chance they would ever reunite due to the murder of John Lennon, and their music had little to do with the music that meant the most to me: punk, hip-hop, and Go-Go (a dance music born and bred in my hometown of Washington, DC). Indeed, each of these genres of music were, in part, a reaction AGAINST the music made by bands like The Beatles.

So imagine my reaction when advertisements featured their songs, radio stations played “Hey Jude” over and over again, and adults kept saying “The Beatles were one of the most important bands ever!”

My reaction could be summed up by two words. Or the related finger gesture. Take your pick.

I have always been contrary by nature. I was kicked out of Sunday School for asking too many questions, so maybe I was never going to fully accept the idea of a “popular culture”. Looking back over my personal history, I was never in the “popular” crowd. I was well-liked and had a lot of friends, but “popular”? Not even close!

The only use I can find for popular culture is that it will point me away from itself toward other things that are less popular, and therefore more interesting to me. But I don’t need to keep up with popular culture in this way. Just like I don’t need to keep checking my compass to see which way North is today.

So, I’m resigning from popular culture. I’m sure you’ll find a replacement for me; there’s a sucker born every minute!

Regards,

Tom Witherspoon