Is it even possible not to follow the trend? (country, American)

joyboyo53 · 10-03-2007, 09:19 AM

there is almost 7 billion people on the earth... we are all following some kind of trend whether we know it or not. the idea of originality being at an all time low seems like queer logic however. for starters there is A LOT MORE people now that there was 30, 60, or 100 years ago, so that alone makes it harder to be 'original'. as time passes people like to look back and say 'look at those people, they were original', but in reality they were probably following a trend and just happened to be remembered. besides nobody recognizes someone for being original until is is trendy enough to be noticed.

DontRunMeOver · 10-03-2007, 10:00 AM

If anything, there being a lot more people around now should lead to the total amount of original creations around being at all time high (to quote the song). Maybe the proportion of people doing original things decreases, but in terms of total number there should be more originality around.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jgd85

besides nobody recognizes someone for being original until is is trendy enough to be noticed.

Do you mean that people don't tend to credit something as being important in it's originality until it become accepted by a certain amount of people? Like if you record yourself making hyena noises into a microphone while somebody else reads erotic fiction aloud in a strong, angry Glaswegian accent and a third person plays chromatic scales on the cello then it would probably just be labelled as 'ridiculous' until a critical mass of people have heard and mentioned it to other people, at which point it becomes 'original'. If that's the kind of thing you mean then I agree.

cardboard adolescent · 10-03-2007, 04:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DontRunMeOver

If anything, there being a lot more people around now should lead to the total amount of original creations around being at all time high (to quote the song). Maybe the proportion of people doing original things decreases, but in terms of total number there should be more originality around.

Do you mean that people don't tend to credit something as being important in it's originality until it become accepted by a certain amount of people? Like if you record yourself making hyena noises into a microphone while somebody else reads erotic fiction aloud in a strong, angry Glaswegian accent and a third person plays chromatic scales on the cello then it would probably just be labelled as 'ridiculous' until a critical mass of people have heard and mentioned it to other people, at which point it becomes 'original'. If that's the kind of thing you mean then I agree.

That album needs to be made... you are a genius my friend.

Kevorkian Logic · 10-03-2007, 06:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by swimintheundertow

People like to fit in. Who wouda thunk it.

I disagree, there are plenty of people who don't want to fit in, but somehow by doing that they fall into the group of people who don't want to fit in. I'm sure you have that at your school, in some form.

Quote:

Originally Posted by cardboard adolescent

So... what exactly is the trend? His arguments are very vague and seem more like a bitter rant than anything really worth reading.

The trends he mentions are the
1) Tastemaker trend
2) The Classic-Album-Performance Trend
3)The Reunion Trend
4) The Bjork trend (probably the strongest argument)
5) The Sneaker Trend
6) The Exercise Trend
7) The Comedians and Music Trend

If you want I can explain the trends, but I don't want to insult your intelligence and explain them.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DontRunMeOver

What I think is that it's trendy to write your opinions about music and the music scene in a music magazine and to complain about lack of originality while still buying the same louduptempoamplifiedguitar/bass/drums/vocalssunginEnglish music or softdowntempooneguysingingwhilestrumminganacoustic music despite the huge variety of music available with all sort of combinations of instruments, languages, speeds, dynamics and all other types of musical expression.

To make an analogy, it's easy to complain about the lack of variety of books which have been written if you only ever look at the same shelf in the same bookshop. Anybody who complains about a lack of original music is stupid, even if you insist on looking for originality within the straightjacket of any one narrow genre of guitar music there is still a lot to be had. And even if it isn't readily available in recorded form or at gigs (for polishing music for recording or performance can lose a lot of originality) then somebody who really cares could always rock up at practise and listen as a band is writing a new song and hear music in it's nascent, messiest form.

Generally, if you want something really original but also want it to come in your own preffered format (at a gig, on a stage, with guitars, drums and vocals, on at 10, off at 11) then there's a good chance you'll be let down.

That's one of the most clever arguments i've heard for anything in a while.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jgd85

there is almost 7 billion people on the earth... we are all following some kind of trend whether we know it or not. the idea of originality being at an all time low seems like queer logic however. for starters there is A LOT MORE people now that there was 30, 60, or 100 years ago, so that alone makes it harder to be 'original'. as time passes people like to look back and say 'look at those people, they were original', but in reality they were probably following a trend and just happened to be remembered. besides nobody recognizes someone for being original until is is trendy enough to be noticed.

I agree with what you say, but i'm wondering if it is necessary to be recognized? Why is there a human desire that they get a cookie for everything they do cleverly or uniquely?

=ladyface= · 10-07-2007, 07:26 PM

Trends are interesting things. Young people often go out of their way to avoid them but then find that they're doing exactly the same things as other youths that are trying to avoid them...

I worried about that sort of thing when I was young but I don't think it matters now. I loved the 'nu rave' clothing that was very fashionable this year and lots of people would have considered me a trend-follower but I was perfectly happy because I was wearing exactly what I wanted to wear.

Frances · 10-07-2007, 07:33 PM

I've always had the same clothing trend,
Long Pants, Band Shirt. and for the forseeable future, it'll stay the same.
I'm that cool.

anticipation · 10-07-2007, 09:06 PM

i hate everything and everyone.

GQ lied to me,
being trendy isn't hard at all.

Reddie1337 · 10-08-2007, 05:12 PM

well, i don't really care what is cool or not, its just whatever i feel like. so if its a trend, SO BE IT!

Kevorkian Logic · 10-08-2007, 05:27 PM

^stick around.

although your sn predicts you won't.

right-track · 10-16-2007, 03:49 PM

The trend for British kids immitating American "gangsta" rappers is getting way out of hand, if it hasn't already.
Which it probably has btw.

I've never followed a trend in my life that's effected the way I live, but these days it seems to be a way of life for some.

I fear for my kids future on the strength of it.
For me this is the most disturbing trend of all.

10-08-2007, 05:27 PM	#29 (permalink)
Kevorkian Logic Imperfectly Perfect Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: North Carolina Posts: 1,290	^stick around. although your sn predicts you won't. __________________ "it is only through a limitless accumulation of the imperfect that a certain type of perfection can be attained"

10-03-2007, 09:19 AM	#21 (permalink)
joyboyo53 down the rabbit hole Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: the mountain called monkey Posts: 764	there is almost 7 billion people on the earth... we are all following some kind of trend whether we know it or not. the idea of originality being at an all time low seems like queer logic however. for starters there is A LOT MORE people now that there was 30, 60, or 100 years ago, so that alone makes it harder to be 'original'. as time passes people like to look back and say 'look at those people, they were original', but in reality they were probably following a trend and just happened to be remembered. besides nobody recognizes someone for being original until is is trendy enough to be noticed.

10-07-2007, 07:26 PM	#25 (permalink)
=ladyface= Sounds Like Disco Tetris Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: UK Posts: 346	Trends are interesting things. Young people often go out of their way to avoid them but then find that they're doing exactly the same things as other youths that are trying to avoid them... I worried about that sort of thing when I was young but I don't think it matters now. I loved the 'nu rave' clothing that was very fashionable this year and lots of people would have considered me a trend-follower but I was perfectly happy because I was wearing exactly what I wanted to wear.

10-07-2007, 09:06 PM	#27 (permalink)
anticipation Music Addict Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 3,565	i hate everything and everyone. GQ lied to me, being trendy isn't hard at all.

10-08-2007, 05:12 PM	#28 (permalink)
Reddie1337 Groupie Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Canada Eh? Posts: 6	well, i don't really care what is cool or not, its just whatever i feel like. so if its a trend, SO BE IT!

10-16-2007, 03:49 PM	#30 (permalink)
right-track Atchin' Akai Join Date: May 2005 Location: Unamerica Posts: 8,723	The trend for British kids immitating American "gangsta" rappers is getting way out of hand, if it hasn't already. Which it probably has btw. I've never followed a trend in my life that's effected the way I live, but these days it seems to be a way of life for some. I fear for my kids future on the strength of it. For me this is the most disturbing trend of all.