I say this

Spring Awakening

I saw Spring Awakening the other day in Philly.  Great show.  Similar to the themes of Dead Poets Society, lots of teen angst, but with more music and nudity.

A few lines in the play, stuck with me, one being, “shame is a product of education” Then yesterday, I was reading an article about gay and lesbian couples raising children.  Some of the children can’t help but feel ashamed of their parents, they know that is wrong, and therefore begin to feel ashamed for feeling ashamed.  I think this line was Spring Awakening has some relevance to this situation, although, I’d like to modify it to, “shame is a product of culturalization.”  And I think the latter is more true really and I didn’t really look at it that way before.  The children of these gay and lesbian parents feel ashamed of themselves because they know it is wrong to feel ashamed of their parents.  They love their parents, they most of treated them right.  But because our culture has this negative outlook on this (currently) untraditional family, it is brought to their attention that it is wrong (according to culture).  But in reality, they are cared for and loved, just as well as any other child, and it begins to tear them up inside.  Shame, I suppose it wouldn’t exist at all, if we didn’t make such judgements on life, each other, and our selves.  It isn’t until we are older that we become concious of our bodies, and ashamed or certain aspects of them, because our culture has this ken and barbie perception of how we are supposed to look.  As we absorbed more and more media and bullshit, we begin to believe all this crap, purely from osmosis of this oversaturated overload of perfection from the media, culture, and each other.  Maybe once we realize this facade that is shame, we can overcome it.  Realize its not real, its a product of something that was not self discovered, but rather slapped on like cheap paint.  We will no longer supress feelings, supress idea, and become the highest ideals of ourselves.  Shame is a product of culturalization, not education, teach yourself otherwise, realize the greater truth and we will all be happier.

Another line from a song was, “shadows carry the light from the stars.” Which I thought was a nice way of looking at it.  I think most people think that light is expelling the darkness, but really, without the darkness, light does not exist.  And so perhaps, darkness carries us this gift of light.  And maybe thats true for life as well.  When times are tough, maybe that is just the pathway for light and good to find its way to you.  Therefore, embrace the darkness, the badtimes, for they must pave the way for better days, for one cannot exist without the other.

I don’t know, just some thoughts, I suppose.

Anyway, good play. young cast.  thoughtful and full of life.