Was I unkind to John, or simply honest?

[cuttingedgedjs]

Yes yes, Happy Birthday to old Johnny and pip pip and all that.

I wrote a short piece about John, and wished him a happy birthday, but I wouldn't mind some opinions. It isn't fluffy, but I don't think it's unfair either. I think I was honest, and who better than die-hard Beatles fans to tell me if I hit the mark or if I'm way off base.

http://www.cuttingedgedjs.com/blog/2010/10/09/the-duality-of-john-lennon/

I titled it "The Duality of John Lennon", which might just give a hint of where I went with it.

[Maia 66]

I don't think you were unkind, but I think you missed a bit of the nuance about John's persona and the public's fascination with him. (Especially those of us who grew up with him.)

John was a symbol of the rebellious spirit of an age, and, as such, served as an icon to those of us who just wanted (and still want) a little truth. John knew how to cut through the BS and say what was on his mind. And even though there was a core of hostility inside him, he was able to express some very positive and loving messages... and because it came from such a heartbreaking place, it endeared him to us.

His yan/yang is the most fascinating of all the Beatles. He battled demons his whole life, and even though he never truly conquered them, at least he never believed he had "the answer"... his was a perpetual journey. And he brought us along for the ride.

I don't like the way a lot of people seem to "judge" John these days.... sort of a backlash to the supposed deification after his death. But what those people fail to realize is that he has been placed high up on this pedestal because he was a truly gifted artist who had a unique and very genuine way of touching us deeply and inciting great compassion. And isn't compassion a good thing?

[cuttingedgedjs]

I don't think you were unkind, but I think you missed a bit of the nuance about John's persona and the public's fascination with him. (Especially those of us who grew up with him.)

John was a symbol of the rebellious spirit of an age, and, as such, served as an icon to those of us who just wanted (and still want) a little truth. John knew how to cut through the BS and say what was on his mind. And even though there was a core of hostility inside him, he was able to express some very positive and loving messages... and because it came from such a heartbreaking place, it endeared him to us.

His yan/yang is the most fascinating of all the Beatles. He battled demons his whole life, and even though he never truly conquered them, at least he never believed he had "the answer"... his was a perpetual journey. And he brought us along for the ride.

I don't like the way a lot of people seem to "judge" John these days.... sort of a backlash to the supposed deification after his death. But what those people fail to realize is that he has been placed high up on this pedestal because he was a truly gifted artist who had a unique and very genuine way of touching us deeply and inciting great compassion. And isn't compassion a good thing?

Thank you. You certainly make some valid points that I maybe had not considered.

[cuttingedgedjs]

I don't think you were unkind, but I think you missed a bit of the nuance about John's persona and the public's fascination with him. (Especially those of us who grew up with him.)

John was a symbol of the rebellious spirit of an age, and, as such, served as an icon to those of us who just wanted (and still want) a little truth. John knew how to cut through the BS and say what was on his mind. And even though there was a core of hostility inside him, he was able to express some very positive and loving messages... and because it came from such a heartbreaking place, it endeared him to us.

His yan/yang is the most fascinating of all the Beatles. He battled demons his whole life, and even though he never truly conquered them, at least he never believed he had "the answer"... his was a perpetual journey. And he brought us along for the ride.

I don't like the way a lot of people seem to "judge" John these days.... sort of a backlash to the supposed deification after his death. But what those people fail to realize is that he has been placed high up on this pedestal because he was a truly gifted artist who had a unique and very genuine way of touching us deeply and inciting great compassion. And isn't compassion a good thing?

So I'm back. I couldn't get your words out of my head, and there's really nothing I love more than ideas that make me completely re-think my own ideas.

When I say I couldn't get your words out of my head, I truly mean it. All day, thinking "how could I have missed the mark by so much?", and all because - for me - what you said really hit home.

In a way, I did miss the nuance, and more noticeably I missed the raw candor that was John. I'm still not sure where I would have worked in in to the point I was trying to make but regardless, I did forget it. I would have to agree that Johns ying/yang was the most fascinating of the group, likely more than most people in general.

But what you said about cutting through the BS was what really hit home. He did. Nobody had ever done that before, and very few do it now. Even when it is done now it isn't done with the brutal honesty of John.

Perhaps I see a bit of my own darkness that I work so hard to keep in check in John Lennon. Heck, most everyone is a conformist compared to John.

Thank you for making me think, and showing me what I already knew, but had somehow forgotten.

[Maia 66]

Thank you for making me think, and showing me what I already knew, but had somehow forgotten.

No, THANK YOU for restoring my faith in the willingness of people to have an open mind and engage in intellectual dialogue. :cool1:

[cuttingedgedjs]

No, THANK YOU for restoring my faith in the willingness of people to have an open mind and engage in intellectual dialogue. :cool1:

How can someone immerse themselves in Beatles and not keep an open mind?

The Beatles are infections open-mindedness defined. The more I read and write and learn about them, and the more I listen to their music, the more I grow as a person.

[beatlebangs1964]

Edge, you might want to send your work to "Paperback Writer" forum. There are a lot of writers who check over there and many of them are hard core inveterate John fans. They can give you some more good critiques.

[cuttingedgedjs]

Edge, you might want to send your work to "Paperback Writer" forum. There are a lot of writers who check over there and many of them are hard core inveterate John fans. They can give you some more good critiques.

Thank you.

Can you give me a link?

[SF4-EVER]

BB's talking about the forum right here at Beatlelinks:

http://www.beatlelinks.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=&daysprune=&f=16