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griffin tucker

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want to change the world? consider music.

consider the hit-count of a politician trying to change the world with music:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZboCxbTzHk

compared to the hit count of a musician (er, actor) performing politics (with music):

WARNING: possibly NSFW: http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/3766fd30dc/kiss-my-a-with-denis-leary?ted.com

my point is, if you're interested in becoming powerful and/or changing the world, consider becoming a musician as compared to becoming a politician.

what are your thoughts?

Related Talks:
Topics: music politics
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    Simon Tam

    • +1
    Jul 11 2012: The arts have always been a powerful way to create a lasting impact - not just musicians but writers, film makers, painters, dancers, etc. as well. Whether one chooses to use that medium to create change in the system or not is a different story.

    Currently, I'm using music as a platform to create social change to address social iniquities, racism, etc. Our music isn't "political" in the strict sense but the music career has helped the message spread.
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    Feyisayo Anjorin 50+

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    Jul 11 2012: You are right. The arts is a great vehincle for social change.
    However, a lot depends on the creators of art.
    What is their motives? What is their message?
    Sometimes the message is affected by the messenger; perceptions and subsequently reception of messages depends, to a large on the messenger.

    A musician who is in and out of rehab for some addiction; or in and out of courts for some alleged misdeeds; or some hip hop star with lyrics full of swear words and obscenities; would not be a good messenger of responsible lifestyle.

    So, music is a good medium. But we also need musicians who practice what they preach; and say what they say because they believe it, and not because they want to look good.
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      griffin tucker 10+

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      Jul 11 2012: for the record: just as many cover-ups happen with musicians as with politicians, musicians just do it with something they call 'style'

      that being said, musical 'aids' such as drugs (illegal or not) can help invoke or sedate a musician as needed to either provoke opinion or simply tell a large group of people to (put politely) be quiet.

      politicians and musicians use a kind of magic to say so much with so little.

      i'm paraphrasing here, but there's an old quote i quite enjoy:

      ~"politicians use truths to tell lies, where as the musician will use lies to tell truths"
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      Simon Tam

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      Jul 11 2012: I think it's also important to remember that not everyone on stage is out there to preach. Many artists just want to create art but get their personal lives, habits. activities, problems, etc. thrown under the limelight. It's one of the costs of fame, sure, but there are those who just want to make a sustainable career and treat it as such, whether they are making good role models or not. The same could be said for anyone in entertainment or the public sphere - actors, athletes, and so on.
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