Representing the underrepresented

It does matter as to make Christianity less off-putting to some people, it wouldn’t be 100% less offensive but welcoming enough to not make others feel left out. When it comes to dogs and Christianity, somebody like Paul would be satisfied as he’s also leery of them for reasons but a dog lover like Jimmy would be so left out that positive portrayals of dogs in the Bible and related literature would be needed to make him feel less isolated.

The same thing happens if Paul hates cats but Angel loves them that you need positive portrayals of cats and church cats (both actual and heard in stories) to not make the latter feel left out of Christianity. Paul might be satisfied with negative portrayals of cats and dogs but Jimmy and Angel would be disgusted, since they don’t want their favourite animals to be portrayed negatively so they need to be considered.

(To any Christian who likes dogs a lot, putting up with a dog hater like Paul would be really hard to deal with in all honesty.)

The same goes for Christians interested in female leaders, science and the like that they too don’t deserve to be left out.

Intimidated by perfection

A talented rockist, asexual popstar would be easily deemed as the epitome of female perfection in musicianship to the point of being like a real life Mary Sue. Others would be intimidated by her popularity and appeal and even try to find fault with her.

She’d be unsurprisingly very popular with straight male fans whose asexuality and craftsmanship sits well with them. Her asexuality would be used to project their desires onto her even as she gets annoyed by them.

As an asexual, she’d have more of a say on sexual objection and be trusted by them. After all, they’d be more intimidated by women who willingly use their sexuality and express it by having bad taste in men, singing sexually explicit lyrics, enjoy smut and wank.

Women aren’t supposed to do this and an asexual popstar would be used as a standard by which others will eventually be judged by for better or worse.

Aggresssive humour as projection

I suspect that aggressive humour is or can be a form of projection in that while one can’t readily admit disgust, envy or contempt at times, it will ridicule somebody else instead to the detriment of the latter. That and having learnt from the former’s own tormentor at some point or another.

Somebody who ridicules Bronies (men who like My Little Pony) might’ve been embarrassed and mocked for liking something else. Another would have people sneering at someone for being good at something or having certain things they don’t have or whatever.

(David Beckham might’ve felt the sting for life, despite trying to ignore his tormentors in addition to hazing and hence his empathy for others but it could also be another coping mechanism for him.)

Sometimes aggressive humour can come from contempt like admitting something before using that sentiment to ridicule somebody else. It’s not necessarily projection but there’s always the possibility of being ridiculed before and never truly letting go in style.

Further Data

From what I can try to remember, it seems as if at least among the biggest populations in Nigeria Hausa and Igbo people are more likely to own cats without much scrutiny and if there is, it’s either practical or preferential. Yorubas seem to suspect those who own cats for various reasons relating to witchcraft but other Nigerian groups suspect both cats and dogs for the same reason if the Ibibio people are any indication.

Conversely speaking, while Igbos seemingly tolerate cats more than Yorubas they’re somewhat harsher on dog ownership. In one study in Abia, purebred dogs were more likely to be confined and some were slaughtered. In another in Enugu, they were culled and in Anambra forbidden due to a superstition. There seems to be relatively more dog owners especially in the south though the actual extent isn’t known or quantified at this point.

‘I get shamed for…’

Like I said about a big plagiarism scandal changing the music industry forever musicians, producers and songwriters would have to choose between made to look way elsewhere for inspiration or from the public domain to avoid plagiarism. The latter’s much likelier where with folk and choral music as well as being made to sing ancient poetry has become the go-for field for musicians to get away with not writing their own songs.

 

Not writing your own songs is optional if you peruse the public domain a lot. Musicians that allegedly plagiarise will however have a hard time because they’ll forever be seen as lesser for copying other people a lot. As if plagiarism is used to hide their lack of respect for others and craftsmanship. It becomes the new ‘lip-synching’.

 

Just as Martha Wash helped lessen the problem of lip-synching in pop music, maybe Ysan Roche could do similarly for this generation. Like Wash, Roche has been abused by the music industry but instead of having somebody else lip-synch to her singing she has her works plagiarised a lot. In an era where music is readily pirated, this is scary territory.

 

Hopefully Roche’ll emerge victorious.

Blurred Lines

I suppose a huge music plagiarism scandal could change not only the industry but also criteria for good musicianship. From then on, it’s not enough to be able to write your own music but also come up with your own ideas. If that’s too high, there’s always the public domain to fall back on but plagiarism and other unethical methods are big no-nos.

 

At any rate, folk and choral music become big pop staples for musicians and songwriters who can’t come up with their own ideas  and still don’t want to plagiarise. This is artistically and legally one of the only fields where they can get away with not writing their songs without worrying a lot. This could work to their favour.

 

But musicians that plagiarise will forever be regarded as untalented and no matter how skilled they are, if they are caught dead plagiarising they are forever regarded as lesser musicians. As harsh as it sounds, it’s inevitable given the growing fear of plagiarism with cases like Ysan Roche becoming better known to the public.

Stop the Uncle Tom Madness

Like I said, Shawn James gave a pass for what’s practically a black stereotype. James Olsen is really a glorified Uncle Tom in that he mostly exists to assist Kara and you don’t see him hang out with other blacks so often. It’s very much like the way Uncle Toms are portrayed in that they’re differential and loyal to their white counterparts as to be their pets and helpmeets (which is what James did).

 

However some fans would think he’s selfish for wanting to spend more time with his own family (specifically an orphaned relative) even though that ironically makes him more important and interesting. James is now a character people don’t necessarily like but can relate to. There are orphans and single parent families. James is going to be in that camp. If he’s played by an unusually pale black character (it happens due to a defect), he’d be very nonstereotypical.

 

Too bad fans would rather stick to a stereotype than to an iconoclastic type.

A newfound sensibility

It turns out that the audience for superhero media is more gender-balanced than previously thought in some surveys. No doubt that there’s a growing female presence in the industry though they themselves aren’t without their own problems.

 

As Stars, Beetles and Fools said, some female authors can be just as guilty of the same vices as their male counterparts do. Both Amanda Conner and Holly Golightly participate in cheesecake just like their male counterparts do.

 

Of course a new sensibility’s going to offend old-timers, even myself. It’s completely alien. It goes against our traditions and beliefs. Never mind that the superhero comics industry’s painfully inbred.

 

So inbred it needs new genes to keep a healthier gene pool. Substitute gene for meme and you’d get what I’m saying. Perhaps it’s going to take longer to get adjusted to it, not necessarily going back to the days of Stan Lee save for innovation and a real new direction.

The new rockism

A massive plagiarism scandal will end up raising the bar for good musicianship. It’s not enough to compose one’s own music, play instruments and sing well. It has to be original and not openly wear its influences.

 

By then, musicians, songwriters and producers are forced to take their inspiration outside of music. They’ll even abstain from music for prolonged periods to avoid plagiarism. Musicians being accused of plagiarism isn’t anything new but they’ll be hit hardest.

 

The new rockists will despise anyone who homages, references and covers older songs and musicians. A plagiarist is a plagiarist, even if it’s talented and can do better than this. People who cover songs, wear their influences and do homages will be as hated as people who don’t write their own songs and play instruments.

 

Nobody wants to be unoriginal because they don’t want to wound up stealing someone else’s work. Respect becomes a big thing to new rockists because it involves boundaries over what the musician can and can’t do.

 

There’ll be less tribute acts because nobody wants a ripoff anymore. Originality and respect are prime virtues to avoid another massive plagiarism scandal.

The goalposts keep moving

If a big plagiarism scandal hit the music industry, people will change their minds. From then on, bands that imitate and admit their influences will be regarded as unimaginative and untalented.

 

Musicians that don’t (openly) wear their influences and might not be that exposed to music, challenging themselves to create new sounds from real life will get a pass and even be well-regarded.

 

Musical originality becomes a big thing, becoming an improved version of rockist criteria where the musician has to come up with its own ideas and sounds to avoid accidentally plagiarising another’s work.

 

The standards would be far higher, favouring mathematicians who rarely listen to music over singers that wear them. Mathematicians making music isn’t new, dating as far back as the 60s but will proliferate in light of the greatest music plagiarism scandal.