Holy Rollin’, Batman! Why it’s Righteous to Rock…, By Whitney Farmer – Un Pop Culture

November 25, 2009 Whitney Farmer 4 Comments

Yesterday, my Mom started a tough conversation with me. She and my Dad have updated their wills and she wanted to go over it. During the talk, she told me that all of their end-of-life instructions were spelled out in their Prime Directives, whether they wanted to be resuscitated in the event of a heart attack, whether they wanted life support, etc. I was absolutely still before I carefully told her that “Advance Directives” were instructions like she was giving me, and that the “Prime Directive” was the policy of the Star Fleet Federation to not interfere with the development of alien cultures, a frequent cause of dispute between Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock on “Star Trek”. Laughing at my mother in that moment, and then her joining me until we both collapsed on the ground, was the best abdominal exercise I have done since…a long time. That gave me enough joy to fuel the rest of the tough conversation and the rest of my day.

It’s a paradox but true to state that we need to take fun times seriously. There don’t seem to be many places on the planet right now where a soul can find refuge from a storm. War, discord, famine, and death are taking turns taking a toll on our resources, and most people are working through the demands of their lives with some kind of fear tormenting them. Most are afraid for their jobs and livelihoods, or their lives. This has happened before and even worse. The Great Depression was called that for the right reason.

When my eyes see so many needs, how do I justify working in a rock club instead of in something…serious? I can look you in the eye through my big and black prescription glasses and say that what happens here is important.

Music does soothe the savage breast, and it is vital to find an oasis, where you can breathe and laugh and get poison out of your system. When my heart is broken, I listen to Billie Holliday. The sadder her songs, the lighter I feel. There is great comfort in finding out that pain is common: It means that you are never alone in it. That’s why people sing along with bands on stage – They are up there in the drama with them.

People also drink here, real live official alcoholic beverages. And I approve of it. There is an ancient writing that says “…Give beer to those who are perishing and strong drink to those who are in pain. Let them forget their poverty and remember their misery no more…” If what we do here can lift a person out of their troubles for a time, it can free their minds to find solutions to the problems that they are battling. Historically, economic downturns have corresponded with an increase in entertainment expenditures and alcohol consumption. And downturns have also created surges in business start-ups and increased patent activity. Perhaps these aren’t spurious conclusions. Joy makes us strong and brave. If it comes in the middle of a battle, it can help us win.

So, working in rock n’ roll contributes to the global economy, the advancement of human civilization, and disaster relief. This is exactly what I am writing to my alumnae association which has requested an update from graduates for its upcoming newsletter.

Quote of the Blog:
…overheard from Ed, our Dude of Light and Fog and Resident Sage: “I’ve decided that there are a lot of benefits to people thinking that you’re an idiot. For the most part everyone leaves you alone, and you can get away with saying anything you want.”

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Whitney runs a rock music venue located in L.A. She has an M.B.A. and no one cares.