
At the risk of belaboring the obvious, these are divisive times. Everyone seems a bit on edge and easily riled. I got into a little exchange on Facebook that typifies this condition and while it was ostensibly just a discussion about music, there were bigger issues at play.
A certain music writer — whose stuff I actually quite enjoy — posted the following quip:
“I heard someone described as ‘the kind of guy who thinks Killing Joke is an important band,’ and days later, I’m still laughing about it.”
Now, I thought this was a bit offsides, so called him on it, suggesting that, as the former editor of a music mag that used to regularly put folks like Tila Tequila and Avril Lavigne on its cover, maybe he’s not really qualified to quantify a band’s importance.
He didn’t take that well, earning me an “oh fuck off,” followed in short order by the epithet “asshole.” It should be noted that his initial comment wasn’t really a statement about Killing Joke, but more about the type of individual that thinks highly of Killing Joke, and from as far as I can tell, the real asshole is the one who laughs at people whose tastes differ from his own.
Anyway, he could evidently dish it out, but couldn't take it. He unfriended me, deleted my comments and posted his one-sided take. But being that we share several friends in common, I provided that other side of the story on my feed.
This morning, he’d posted his own follow up (apparently, I touched a nerve), but was still missing the point. While I’ll be the first person to cop to my own ridiculousness for being a frothy-mouthed Killing Joke fan, this wasn’t really about that.
His comment wasn't an attack on the band – quite assuredly, Killing Joke don’t need me to defend them -- it was an attack on people who rate and/or value that band. The band is almost incidental. Their name certainly brought me to the conversation, but we could have just as easily been talking about The Buggles or Fleetwood Mac or Insane Clown Posse.
The bottom line is this: If you laugh at and belittle a group who don't share your particular tastes/opinions/sensibilities, you should be totally prepared to have said group laugh back at you. I did that, and he got all red-faced and took his ball and went home.
If you can’t take a joke, maybe think twice before you make a joke.
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