John Mayer

I just read a blog that John Mayer posted the other day, and was really intrigued. He talks about "a level of self consciousness so high in my generation, that it's actually toxic."

he elaborates, " what I want to do is to shed a little light on why we're all in the same boat, no matter the shape of the life we lead: because every one of us were told since birth that we were special. We were spoken to by name through a television. We were promised we could be anything that we wanted to be, if only we believed it and then, faster than we saw coming, we were set loose into the world to shake hands with the millions of other people who were told the exact same thing.

And really? Really? It turns out we're just not all that special, when you break it down. Beautifully unspectacular, actually. And that truth is going to catch up with us whether we want to run from it or not. The paparazzo following me to the gym ain't gonna be Herb Ritts and the guy he's following ain't gonna be Bob Dylan."

Man, I do think John is insightful and very aware of his generation, which I would classify myself in. But what strikes me as interesting is how he seems to be saying that everyone is in the same boat, UNLESS you are a Bob Dylan or a Herb Ritts. Like if you reach a certain level of fame or "importance", then you have attained contentment with yourself and the world, and you no longer struggle with being self concious or wondering if you are as "special" as everyone said you were.

And I would venture to say that everyone, everyone, even Dylan and Ritts and Madonna and Mozart are, and were, just as conflicted as the rest of us.

And why? Because in our insufficence, we are painfully aware that we are not enough on our own. I believe it is part of being human, part of being alive in the world, because we were made by a God who is our idenity and salvation. Every generation that has ever lived has been sick, in need of healing. And maybe John is right, maybe our generation's symptoms look like toxic self conciousness, like a desperate desire to be loved and important. I think the concept of fame has been somewhat of a thief to us. That is another blog, perhaps.

2 Corinthians 5:1-3
Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked.

This post is a part of Randy Elrod's Watercool Wednesday's, check it out!