I think, for one day out of the year, all the things that are really popular, should be considered really unpopular. And then, for that one day, we could all really feel like we’re taking a stand. We could feel like we’re taking the road less traveled by. We could feel like rebels.
We could yell things like, “Look, I like watching ‘Survivor’, and I don’t care what anybody thinks!”
And, “I realize this doesn’t go along with what the media says I should like, but God help me, I like that damn Shaggy song! I know no one else really likes it, but I just think it sounds good, and I’m gonna stick by what I believe!”
And then, see, all those people who like things because they’re unpopular would be screwed.
They’d be walking around, sayin’, “Yeah, I really liked that independent movie that was only released in three theaters, and was black and white, and was largely about death and depression, and never actually had talking or tonal music, and mostly consisted of the camera directly filming bright lights head on. I really like that movie.”
And we could all just say, “Well…yeah, everybody saw that movie. God, that’s so unoriginal.”
For one day out of the year, we could all just say, “You know, ‘Die Hard’ was a great movie; and I know that’s an unpopular view, but I have firm beliefs, I’m stickin’ by ’em!”
For one day of the year, when some drunk guy played “Come On Eileen” at the bar jukebox, we would all say, “Wow, I haven’t heard that in a while. That drunk guy who just put this on has a rare and very unique ear for music.” And then maybe we’d get to know that drunk guy. And maybe that drunk guy would have other rebellious views. Like that “Terminator 2” kicked ass. And that Elizabeth Hurley is damn hot. And that, yes, he has few allies on this point, but when people make noises that sound like farts, well, that’s pretty funny.
And for that one day, for that one glorious day, everything that drunk guy was saying would be bold and brash and antiestablishment. For one day, we’d all feel like rebels. We’d all have our own opinions. We’d all be individuals. A huge mass of individuals all individually liking the exact same things and feeling like we were making tough, individual choices!
And then the next day would come. And it would all be back where it was. And we’d be driving home in our cars from work. And the new Britney song would come on in our radio. And we’d quickly say, “Oh, man, I’ve heard this so many times; I’m so sick of it,” and we’d move to change the station. And then we’d look around our car, and notice that no one else was there but us. And we’d think, “You know what, despite having heard this song 400,000 times, and despite knowing that this song was manufactured by evil record company executives solely to make me want to buy soft drinks, and despite the fact that I know that everyone else in the world mindlessly enjoys hearing this song…so do I.” And we’d take our hand off the radio.
And we’d let Britney sing.
And somehow. In a strange way. We’d be taking a stand.
And then we’d stop at the gas station and buy a 24-pack of Pepsi for no apparent reason.