Remember a while ago when I mentioned I had solicited ideas for blog posts on Facebook – well, here is one that I had not gotten around to yet – “Your guilty pleasures. The g rated ones that is….” and another was “What’s in the back of your closet” which seems weird, and perhaps it is, but I’m combining the two.
Currently in my closet, well, there isn’t anything hidden. I think that’s the idea. I’m taking this in a way metaphorically as well as literally.
What did I formerly hide?
Alright, so I used to be ashamed that I like Duran Duran.
Back in the late 80s and early 90s, when I’m in my 20s and trying to break into the local music scene, Duran Duran just wasn’t the kind of band you would admit to liking. Not in Seattle, and certainly not with the “alternative” rock crowd.
Finally I got to this point where I wanted to like what I like, and I was okay with people thinking less of me for my choices because ultimately it didn’t matter what other people thought, because my value and worth as a person didn’t change. I admitted liking Duran Duran, got laughed at, shrugged it off, and never looked back.
Rick Springfield is another.
Now, I’m not saying these are the best musical acts out there, but simply I enjoy them, and am no longer ashamed to admit it. They were former guilty pleasures, but now, simply pleasures. These bands that I like (and there are many that fit into this category) do not necessarily have the same caliber of songwriting as The Beatles, the musicianship of The Beach Boys, or the impact on the musical landscape as The Ramones, but they are fun to listen to, and I’m not going to feel guilty for enjoying them on the same playlist that will also feature Bob Dylan, The Go-Gos, Buddy Holly, Aretha Franklin and Bruno Mars.
As for movies and television, there has been much less of a negative connotation for what would be considered a “guilty pleasure” – I think it is generally assumed and accepted what is quality and what isn’t and people can and do enjoy both.
Throw a Kaiju film on and I don’t care if it’s the super cheesy 70s Godzilla or the thought-provoking original. Gamera? I’m down. Ultraman? Most definitely.
Don’t ever be afraid to enjoy whatever it is you enjoy. Just be honest about its quality and the merits it may or may not have. Knowing something isn’t necessarily good doesn’t mean it has no value.
Speaking of value, I have a lot of laserdiscs in the closet I use for storage, some signed Mariners items, my vinyl collection and some other memorabilia. And I’m not ashamed or embarrassed by any of it.