Can Millennials serve themselves and the higher good? They are multi-tasking do-gooders so why not?

[Millennials: Born 1981-1996]

Millennials, who are they?

If you go by the many studies and analysis of the experts, the Millennials have been profiled in some rather interesting ways.  Acknowledging they were the first to be born in the era of technology, they seem to make the most use of it.  They are comfortable using technology to complete work.  They are digital natives yet understand the dangers of the digital world as well, like invasion of privacy, theft of ID, hacking of banking, credit cards, phones and databases with more of your personal records.

Between the Internet, social media, smart phones, endless apps, email and texting they can function almost 24/7.  Yet they also like being connected to real people through friends, associates, sharing experiences and seeking knowledge.

They were much more aware of the world affairs than previous generations yet they are smart enough to not lose sight of the various cultures and diverse perspectives and they try to maintain a high level of tolerance towards differences.  Typically, they have an open mindset and are more likely to accept others opinions and methods.

They are often multi-taskers who encourage teamwork, being involved, and being included.  They are willing to find a new path and curious to learn and develop.

On the negative side…

Some say they are lazy, narcissistic, coddled, even a bit delusional.  Certainly, they are somewhat more civically and politically disengaged and have materialistic tendencies emphasizing money, fame and image.

I have difficulty seeing how having an excessive or erotic interest in oneself and one's physical appearance, the definition of narcissism, could apply but I leave that to others.  They can definitely be confident, self-expressive, upbeat and receptive to new ideas and ways of learning.

However, the jury is still out on whether they are self-entitled narcissists or open-minded do-gooders.  One bad thing in common with other generations is the persistent climb in opioid overdoses and death by this group. 

Still, I believe our Millennial generation may be much farther down the path to success and salvation than those of us who think we’ve seen the light, yet remain stymied, with one foot in the Abyss.

When you stop to think about it, it is a rather disturbing conclusion to reach for those of the older generations like us who think we know everything.  Think of all the oddball attitudes we older folks find in the Millennial generation, reasons we may suspect they are a “lost” generation.

Imagine, a whole lot of them still live at home with their parents, long after college years.  When I grew up college was the ticket to get away from the confines of home.

Who ever heard of a younger generation that showed fiscal responsibility, did not want to spend their best years on the brink of financial ruin?  Who considered debt, whether from outrageous mortgages or multi-credit card debt, an unnecessary burden?  Who rejects the notion we must keep up with the Jones family?  In fact, who is the Jones family and why do we care in the first place?

The Holy Trinity - Coke, Cheeseburger and fries.

Why would a young person in their right mind be concerned about the food they ate and the effect that might have on their health when they reach our age?  Heaven forbid one might question the value of our favorite fast foods growing up, soda, (oops, forgot a classic, root beer floats), burgers and fries, the true American grit.

While we are working overtime shooting our mouths off on social media proving the rest of humanity is just plain wrong and dumber than us, Millennials long ago avoided debates which morphed to bitter battles between the witless in the heat of social media babble battles.  They use the Internet, smart phones and texting to communicate, learn, and grow.

Instead of spending hundreds of dollars on glitzy pop music stars and concert tickets or hundreds more patronizing the professional sports games with modern day gladiators, Millennials seem content with a conversation over coffee with friends.  How un-American.

They forsake news programs because they know it is not news you can use, and would not be caught dead watching the silly fireworks on the polarizing talk shows.

One wonders if most Millennials even know what a Kardashian is, the true color of Madonna’s undergarments, the latest flame of Taylor Swift, or what we are missing with the federal government shutdown.

They seldom debate politics because they have difficulty distinguishing which politicians and political parties lie the least, or they at least dislike conflict. 

Somehow, they think they know the hypocrisy of paying more for designer clothes when they are now made in China.

Often, they wonder how we can judge other nations as bad just because they are not more like us.  Cars are necessary when they cannot find a way to use bikes, buses or subways. 

To them broadcast television is bad because half the air time is spent with intrusive and sex filled commercials telling us how our life is not complete unless we buy what they are selling, and promiscuous sex is not high on their list.

They avoid pontificating to others, senseless debates, self-indulgence, digital addiction, and doctor-prescribed addictive medications known as drugs (except opioids) because they are health and wellness conscious.  That assumes they somehow escaped the obsession with medication dependence their parents might have imposed on them.

They know our healthcare system is broken, designed to keep us sick, exhaust our insurance coverage, suck dry our estates or inheritance, because profits are more important than people.

They see wars we are waging fought around the world, some since their birth, and wonder if we are really saving the world or just making ourselves feel good.

Along the way they have encountered the extreme liberal bias of college teachers yet often reject their propaganda, often choosing to be real Independents, or rejecting the voting system altogether by not even registering to vote.

Of course, they care for the environment but do not believe demonizing or destroying the economy, jobs, security and safety is a good path to success, it must be adopted slowly to be accepted.

We probably have difficulty understanding why they want to engage in face-to-face conversation, yet maintain civility and respect for opposing views, and staying emotionally stable throughout.

Often, they avoid television award shows because they know the awards are based more on the shallow themes and political views of recipients than brilliant scripts, exceptional acting, singing or entertaining.

Come to think of it, why did it take us a lifetime to start pulling the plug on decisive and senseless television babble and crass commercialization when the Millennials started out knowing it was wrong?

Maybe the Millennials are not the Me Me Me generation we feared they might be.  Perhaps their refusal to embrace hypocrisy and lust for wealth and power makes a lot more sense than being caught up in the wrong game.

It just might be that they sense something is wrong, very wrong, with the world they are about to inherit.  Could it be our own perception of the good life is flawed like they think?

Maybe we should stop trying to tell them we know what is best for them, when we know we do not, based on our miserable record while being in charge of the world.

I can only hope that in their opened mindedness and hunger for Truth they are open to the lost truths of Jesus and give them a try like we failed to do in our generation of stewardship of our religious, political and social institutions.  His message of the love of the Father was never meant to be hijacked by any government or religious institution for their sole use, but shared with all.

I just hope the Millennial search for Truth leads them to the message of the miracle of creation, to the faith, hope and charity toward all, and to the love of Father Creator for all souls, a message lost in today’s society.

Do not forget, when we have come and gone, the Millennials are the future.  It will be their turn to fix the mess they inherit just like us.  It is not our job to judge our successors, without fixing what is being inherited by them first.

Taylor Swift for President - Taylor does what politicians cannot do - stand up to corporate America!

.

I have been writing about Taylor Swift since we first became "friends" on MySpace back around 2006.  At the time her first album and single had just been released and she was a sixteen year old veteran performer being introduced to America.

Since then, well you know the story, Taylor soon became a hit, then a superstar, and now, at the ripe old age of 25, is a legend in the music industry.  Since that first album in 2006 released through a small, start up Independent record label Swift has swiftly become the reigning Queen of country music, then Queen of the pop-rock genre.

This year the granddaddy of financial magazines, Forbes, says Taylor is worth over $200 million and named her as one of the Most Powerful Women in the World, at number 65.  In fact, Taylor has sold over 40 million albums and over 100 million single downloads her first decade in the public eye.

In the process Taylor parlayed the Internet potential to become the first true sensation in the music industry to use the Internet to bypass the record labels through her sophisticated use of music videos, on line concerts, social media, Internet promotions, and about every other innovation discovered in this age of the Internet.

Did I mention she earned a 4.0 grade point in high school?

When I wrote how Taylor was far too big for country music, I received a flood of Country Swifties' emails blasting me for such an idea.  Then she released her newest album, 1989, in the fall of 2014, and crushed all singers in country, pop, rock, you name it.  By the way, it was her first pop album - in her own words not mine, and sold over 8.6 million copies.

So why Taylor Swift for President when so many are running already?

Before history buffs mention that she is too young to be president since our Constitution says you must be 35 to be president, I know and I am not talking about 2016.  Taylor has already demonstrated more guts than most politicians taking on the recording industry but she will be 35 when she takes office, if she runs for President in 2024.

Why start drafting her to run almost ten years ahead of time?  Because it gives Taylor the same amount of time to do things to help prepare for her future in politics as president. However, in the past year she has single-handed stood up to the largest music streaming company in the business, Spotify.  Then yesterday, she stood up to one of the most powerful corporations in the world, Apple.

Most consumers pay little attention but most people in the music industry make their money in the form of royalties paid for record sales and plays in the entertainment media.  Streaming services for audio, like Spotify, have to pay royalties to writers, artists, and producers, if they sell ad free subscriptions for around $10.00 a month.

Unfortunately, most streaming services do not have many subscribers.  What they do have are free members who get free music with a thick dose of commercials.  There are no royalties paid for the free service, even though ad sales generate money.  To illustrate the problem, Spotify has about 80 million users but only 20 million subscribers.  Thus, artists get a royalty on just 25% of their music on Spotify.  Taylor said it was not fair and pulled her music.

This weekend Apple announced the new Apple music streaming company and said no royalties would be paid to the artists for free trial members.  Taylor responded the same day that it was not fair to all those young artists and retired artists who would earn no royalty and said she would not allow her new record-setting album, 1989, to be part of Apple.

Here is what Taylor wrote to Apple.

To Apple, Love Taylor

I write this to explain why I’ll be holding back my album, 1989, from the new streaming service, Apple Music. I feel this deserves an explanation because Apple has been and will continue to be one of my best partners in selling music and creating ways for me to connect with my fans. I respect the company and the truly ingenious minds that have created a legacy based on innovation and pushing the right boundaries.

I’m sure you are aware that Apple Music will be offering a free 3 month trial to anyone who signs up for the service. I’m not sure you know that Apple Music will not be paying writers, producers, or artists for those three months. I find it to be shocking, disappointing, and completely unlike this historically progressive and generous company.

This is not about me. Thankfully I am on my fifth album and can support myself, my band, crew, and entire management team by playing live shows. This is about the new artist or band that has just released their first single and will not be paid for its success. This is about the young songwriter who just got his or her first cut and thought that the royalties from that would get them out of debt. This is about the producer who works tirelessly to innovate and create, just like the innovators and creators at Apple are pioneering in their field…but will not get paid for a quarter of a year’s worth of plays on his or her songs.

These are not the complaints of a spoiled, petulant child. These are the echoed sentiments of every artist, writer and producer in my social circles who are afraid to speak up publicly because we admire and respect Apple so much. We simply do not respect this particular call.

I realize that Apple is working towards a goal of paid streaming. I think that is beautiful progress. We know how astronomically successful Apple has been and we know that this incredible company has the money to pay artists, writers and producers for the 3 month trial period… even if it is free for the fans trying it out.

Three months is a long time to go unpaid, and it is unfair to ask anyone to work for nothing. I say this with love, reverence, and admiration for everything else Apple has done. I hope that soon I can join them in the progression towards a streaming model that seems fair to those who create this music. I think this could be the platform that gets it right.

But I say to Apple with all due respect, it’s not too late to change this policy and change the minds of those in the music industry who will be deeply and gravely affected by this. We don’t ask you for free iPhones. Please don’t ask us to provide you with our music for no compensation.


Taylor

Taylor used the Internet site Tumblr  to send her message to Apple, signed Love Taylor, and in minutes the social media airways lit up when the tens of thousands of Taylor Swifties started tweeting, re-tweeting and burning up the Internet.

  

Mind you, Apple's stock this week passed $700 billion in value and sophisticated investors say it should reach $1.26 trillion in value soon.  Amazingly, in less than 24 hours and after executive sessions and trying to reach Taylor, Apple became the first music streaming company to reverse itself and say, ooops, now they will test paying royalties for all free trial subscriptions.

Everyone's favorite sweetheart became a mighty lioness and brought the behemoth mighty Apple to their knees just to protect those artists, dedicated musicians, and technicians with no voice in our capitalist system.  That skinny country kid from Pennsylvania and Nashville grew up in a hurry, is now based in NYC, the really Big Apple, and is guiding fellow writers, musicians, and producers through some trying times in the music industry.   

When Taylor said enough is enough - Apple blinked, then cracked.

We need good hearted, intelligent, and strong women in politics who are young, successful outside of politics, and ready to rumble.  I urge the Swifties to start a draft Taylor Swift movement now so Taylor and the nation can be ready for her in just ten years.

Remember all those bankers who nearly bankrupted America and lost trillions of dollars in money from the little people?  Well no one in the Obama Administration, in fact no one in the Democratic or Republican party except for Senator Elizabeth Warren, has stood up to them, let alone got them to back down.

Perhaps Taylor can finally start throwing the crooks in jail since she is not a politician and is entering the race with no strings attached.

Taylor Tells the Truth!

Swift Justice to Crooks!

Swift says Stand up for Someone!

Taylor Swift will Sweep the Politicians Out!

.

Taylor Swift 2010 Prediction Comes True - Taylor moves to Pop

.

January 6, 2010 I wrote the following article.  Country fans of Swift said it would never happen.  Today it did.  See second article on CMA and Taylor Swift.

Coltons Point Times
January 6, 2010

Taylor Swift carries Country Music industry but may soon be lost to Pop

Carrie Underwood - Yet Another Country Act Like Taylor Swift Lost to Pop?



Country music continued a decline in sales dropping 9% in 2009 although it was not because of Taylor Swift whose Fearless album was the top seller of the year in all categories of music and her millions of sales and sold out tours kept the country music industry from falling flat on it's face.



Like it or not Taylor Swift is a genuine pop star and her sweep of all kinds of awards this year have established that beyond a doubt. But she belongs in the pop world. Her lyrics, music, videos and appearances long ago left country music behind. More important, she made it with the sacrifice and help of her mother, not the production company from American Idol like Carrie Underwood, and all the while Taylor has carefully maintained creative control of her life while Carrie never had creative control.

In fact I was surprised Taylor Swift bought a condo in Nashville and not Los Angeles but with her wealth a second mansion in LA should be just around the corner. She should enjoy and take advantage of her position as the top selling female artist of all genres of music this year. To young Taylor Swift country was a stepping stone, not the end game.



Like a young Olivia Newton John, Taylor's transition from new country artist of the year to pop was lightning quick. As she solidifies her position in the pop world through her media savvy and television show appearances she will take along with her the millions of adoring fans who were new to country music this past year because they were not country fans in the first place but young teens who related to Swift and her saga of a teen's life.



She has a lot in common with her friend Miley Cyrus who is a wannabe fellow Disney protégé like Britney Spears, at least a Britney without all the hang ups, and also a young teen sensation. Country music is not their natural home, lifestyle or future.

Forget their roots, Hollywood has first claim on these rising stars with the combination of a far greater pop fan base, motion picture and television contracts, TV appearances and more money than Midas. It is a pretty irresistible lure for a teen queen and perhaps more so for someone later in their career. In truth they should capture the moment for such a moment may never come again in a lifetime. Celebrity worship in America is a very fickle and overwhelming occupational hazard.



Carrie Underwood is not Swift however. Urban backgrounds and leather outfits do not make one a pop star. Hers will be a more difficult path than that of her younger peers like Taylor and Miley. Underwood could have been a country queen but in the end I fear her country music career will suffer as she continues to push her way into the pop field. None of the ladies mentioned are pure country or even country pop and their fan base has not helped other artists sell records unless they happen to be touring with Taylor Swift.

Yet the country record labels will be betting their futures on finding the next Taylor Swift and more traditional country music will be pushed farther into the background with less opportunities for record deals and less opportunities for older, established artists. We will watch the next five years as country labels chase the dream of the next Taylor Swift and lightning doesn't strike that often. While pop songs and teen stars are pushed on the public the real country writers and artists will once again be shoved into the background with the door slammed shut rather than opened.

The handful of kings and queens of country will still rein supreme but the aspiring country songwriters and artists will have to adopt the pop genre to get a deal and make it on the concert tour. Once again country music seems to be self-destructing in the interest of maintaining formula songs and copycat acts.

Once upon a time country music encompassed a great range of styles and looks. Once upon a time country was the innovative genre in music and country fans embraced a wide diversity of styles and looks but once upon a time seems to be a thing of the past. In the world of today many great older acts will be pushed into early retirement by an industry whose obsession with the dollar will always trump their interest in preserving all that is good about country music.

As for Carrie Underwood, who could be a country artist, her handlers have demonstrated over and over again that the American Idol approach is the only one. How much do they understand the record buying public? Well they have captured some impressive pop sales from Idol but look at the enormous exposure it took to pull it off. Any aspiring artist given a television audience of 20-30 million week after week could sell records.



But do they always know what works? Simon Cowell is the genius behind American Idol and locks up the singers participating with his music company. He then works out deals with record labels to sell the records. Carrie Underwood and Kelly Clarkson are country singers who won American Idol and both are being pushed into the pop fields. Surprised? Don't be. Look at the demographic profile of American Idol, which the New York Times’s Bill Carter described as “a phenomenon built on new artists singing mainly middle-of-the-road pop songs of the ’60s and ’70s.”



Susan Boyle, the frumpy Scottish loser of the British version of American Idol, also controlled by Cowell, came within an eyelash of beating Taylor Swift out for the most album sales of 2009 with her new and first CD, I Dreamed a Dream, shooting past 3 million in sales the first month. Music companies thought it would not succeed because she mixed a variety of pop styles on it and it was primarily marketed as a real CD, the kind you had to buy in stores.

The same American Idol team produced Carrie Underwood's televised holiday special that I watched just before Christmas and it confirmed my belief that yet another young country music artist has been lost to the lurid lure of the pop world joining fellow rising star Taylor Swift.



The special was billed as a holiday feature but there was very little country or holiday in it as far as I could see. The producers chose to have Ms. Underwood start the show by forsaking all that is good about country and appearing in a skin tight leather outfit far more suited to a Las Vegas lounge than a family audience. Even her song, Casanova Cowboy, was far from a holiday offering.

It was the same when Underwood and two friends, all white, pimped the Black groups of the 1960's and sang songs like Leader of The Pack, Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow, and Be My Baby with Kristen Chenoweth and Christina Applegate.



Her pop arrangements along with several others was most certainly intended for the American Idol audience, not CMT, and though she did have Brad Paisley and Dolly Pardon appear, they were almost after thoughts to the pop feel and urban bawdiness projected throughout. They almost seemed uncomfortable being part of the show.

The sexy costumes, staging and songs were far from the country music I grew up listening to and watching, and were augmented by rather stupid skits about Jesus and gays which contributed nothing to the holiday season or Underwood reputation. If it were billed as anything but a family, holiday, country music special it would not matter.

Other skits made Carrie out to be an egotist which hardly seemed to be the Underwood I remembered. Clearly the American Idol crowd who controlled the special and control Underwood have no clue about the value of traditional American music during the holiday season. More clearly, they are trapped in their own egos and developed a script for Underwood that made her seem like a juvenile jerk.

Anyway, it was symptomatic of the perilous future for the country music industry. It was almost as if she was reaching far beyond her comfort zone to try and establish her standing in the Taylor Swift world of pop music, as if saying I belong there and I was first. It hardly seems like the Underwood of the past but it is consistent with the American Idol money machine.

Taylor Swift found her own way to the world of pop with her independence, charisma and hard work. No multi-million audiences every week on American Idol. Carrie Underwood had the audiences and sold out to the show producers and now is being pushed out of country into the more profitable pop world. Time will tell if it is a smart move.

Country music in general, and aspiring country writers and artists in particular will be the ones to really suffer.  They have no where else to go until the Internet takes over the future direction of the country music industry from the ditto record labels.

Article today....

August 20, 2014

Country Music Association Says Goodbye to Taylor Swift

By Antoinette Bueno 22 hours ago

Taylor Swift and The Country Music Association break up.

It was nice knowing you?

When Taylor Swift made it very clear in her Yahoo Live stream Monday that despite her country roots, her fifth album 1989 is her "first documented, official pop album," The Country Music Association responded shortly after with a tweet of their own.

"Good luck on your new venture @taylorswift13! We've LOVED watching you grow! #TaylorSwiftYahoo," the tweet read.

Though presumably because some of her fans took the response as a not-so-subtle dig at the "22" singer, they have since deleted the tweet.

But those following Swift's career have had to see this coming -- the first single from her new album, "Shake It Off," is indeed unabashedly pop, which should come as no surprise given that its produced by Max Martin and Shellback, the team behind the 24-year-old’s other genre-crossing hits "We are Never Ever Getting Back Together" and "I Knew You Were Trouble."

Just last November, The Country Music Association presented Swift with its prestigious Pinnacle Award, given to an artist who has achieved worldwide success and recognition that's unique to country music.

Country legend Garth Brooks was the only other performer to ever win the award.

.