Thursday, February 28, 2013

Followup

Another thought on "Inspiration Porn" ...

99% of the time, I don't like sentimentality.* "Inspiration Porn" relies on sentimentality, so I guess predisposed to hate it. Which is not the same thing as objecting to it or arguing that it is harmful. I think it is, but mainly I just don't like it. It's yuck.

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* The 1% represents the love scene from "Say Anything", the La Marseillaise scene from "Casablanca", and all of "Before Sunrise".

Are There Any Good "Disability Songs"?

Large percentages of popular songs are about being a woman or being African-American. There are also some sub-genres of folk music from specific ethnicities that are nevertheless widely popular, like Celtic or Latin music. There are entire sectors of the music industry devoted to what it's like to be Southern and / or rural, and working-class in America, i.e., Country Music ... or young, i.e. 98% of all popular music.

Yet, I can't think of a single song, much less a genre or sub-genre of popular music that clearly expresses or represents disability.

Yes, there are people with disabilities and others who write songs for a niche audience of disability activists, but that's not what I'm asking about. Folk or protest songs about disability may be incredibly rich, eloquent, and beautiful, but if they are mainly shared at conferences and marches, then their social significance and impact are limited. They don't have the reach of other genres that do speak of distinct groups, but to a broad audience. And I'm not even really looking for a genre. One song would do.

Can you think of one bona-fide, disability themed, popular song?