woodstockbirdybird
06-08-2001, 12:57 AM
Just heard Destiny's Child's song "Survivor" (how could I miss it? It's even used in a commercial). As far as I can tell, it's addressed to an ex (could be way off, but I'm not about to analyze the lyrics, as that would mean listening to the friggin' song of my own free will). Last night I was watching VH-1's "100 Greatest Dance Songs", and number one was "I Will Survive" by Gloria Gaynor. Which is definitely addressed to an ex. Well, guess what? No Shit you will survive. You've been through a breakup, not a fucking prisoner of war camp. Get over yourself. If a breakup was life-threatening, the planet would only be populated by those boring-ass people who married their high school sweethearts and have been together forever and never shut up about it. The whole globe would turn into one big Salt Lake City, and the only thing on Tv would be Rosie O'Donnell and QVC. So be thankful your man/woman dumped you. But I digress.
I blame the self-help movement for usurping the term "survivor"; since everyone has to be a victim in order for their lives to have any validation according to its tenets, a large segment of society has turned into one big pulsating drama queen. Every tiny thing that even slightly fucks off your day is magnified into some nearly insurmountable obstacle to your fulfillment, lending everyday life a Sissyphean sense of helplessness without the aid of regular therapy. Excuse me while I puke.
Didn't "survivor" once have a concrete meaning, reserved for those who had been through a war, or concentration camp, or ploane crash, or deadly disease, or some horrible catastrophe? Now, anybody who can somehow manage not to die can claim the term. Lenny Kravitz, in the song "Mr. Cab Driver", sings, after the cabbie passes him up 'cause he's black: "Mr. cab driver, fuck you, I'm a survivor." Why, because some asshole's prejudice didn't cause your brain to start hemmorhaging? Please explain it to me, or shut the fuck up.
I'm not trying to make light of the pain of a breakup - I've been through them. Been through a divorce and a bunch of other unpleasant shit, too, but I wouldn't call myself a survivor. I don't need to hold on to the pain I've been through and wear it like a badge of honor that validates my existence. I get over it and move on, like all healthy people. I don't feel the desire to compare my personal suffering with a torture victim or a cancer patient to feel like a worthy human being. And I think it's disrespectful when others do.
As for the TV show - yeah, right. Does anyone honestly believe that they're going to let these people be put in real life-threatening situations? Are they really in danger of starving to death when there's a full crew of people following them around? So you had to work hard and exercise and you lost some weight. Big deal. Plenty of people around the world do the same thing every day. It's called Basic Training. And there's no chance at a million bucks or lucrative endorsement deals when they're finished, either. So piss off with your whining.
I blame the self-help movement for usurping the term "survivor"; since everyone has to be a victim in order for their lives to have any validation according to its tenets, a large segment of society has turned into one big pulsating drama queen. Every tiny thing that even slightly fucks off your day is magnified into some nearly insurmountable obstacle to your fulfillment, lending everyday life a Sissyphean sense of helplessness without the aid of regular therapy. Excuse me while I puke.
Didn't "survivor" once have a concrete meaning, reserved for those who had been through a war, or concentration camp, or ploane crash, or deadly disease, or some horrible catastrophe? Now, anybody who can somehow manage not to die can claim the term. Lenny Kravitz, in the song "Mr. Cab Driver", sings, after the cabbie passes him up 'cause he's black: "Mr. cab driver, fuck you, I'm a survivor." Why, because some asshole's prejudice didn't cause your brain to start hemmorhaging? Please explain it to me, or shut the fuck up.
I'm not trying to make light of the pain of a breakup - I've been through them. Been through a divorce and a bunch of other unpleasant shit, too, but I wouldn't call myself a survivor. I don't need to hold on to the pain I've been through and wear it like a badge of honor that validates my existence. I get over it and move on, like all healthy people. I don't feel the desire to compare my personal suffering with a torture victim or a cancer patient to feel like a worthy human being. And I think it's disrespectful when others do.
As for the TV show - yeah, right. Does anyone honestly believe that they're going to let these people be put in real life-threatening situations? Are they really in danger of starving to death when there's a full crew of people following them around? So you had to work hard and exercise and you lost some weight. Big deal. Plenty of people around the world do the same thing every day. It's called Basic Training. And there's no chance at a million bucks or lucrative endorsement deals when they're finished, either. So piss off with your whining.