With that sense of ownership comes a very slippery slope down to the busy highway of reality. I know this because I have to constantly remind myself that although I’ve been a fan since 1981 (and as I type that I’m telling myself that 1981 wasn’t really that long ago…ha!), I’m only a FAN. I’ve never been behind the big curtain to see what goes on behind the scenes, nor do I know even the first thing about the business dealings that must go on. I can’t possibly know how the band should handle their business, and even though I feel like I’ve been around long enough to be an expert – I’m not. I catch myself trying to play Monday Morning Quarterback (I know not all of our readers are from the US, so I apologize for the American football reference – I don’t know an equivalent reference for the rest of the world’s version of football!), and then I staple my mouth shut and tie my fingers together. Although I’d like to say I’ve got it all figured out, of course I don’t!
Along with that sort of feeling of ownership comes one where we all want to believe they love us best. Elementary schoolyard type issues, of course – but it still holds true. We’ve all been fans for so long, how could they NOT know that, see that, and adore us for that? Why wouldn’t they love the US best?? (puh-leese. I can name about 500,000 reasons why they shouldn’t!!) Simon mentioned being glad he was in Canada yesterday, and as a big reward, his twitter blew up with messages from many, MANY fans asking why he didn’t love the USA. I think that annoyed the hell out of Simon (it annoyed me, and I live here!) because he responded with his usual sarcasm – mentioning that it’s a sense of national insecurity. True, although I think it is more like insecurity in general. If they didn’t love touring, if they didn’t love seeing new places – why would they bother? Believe me, they like the US fine, but sometimes it’s really nice to get the hell out of Dodge and see somewhere new! The United States might very well be a nice place – I haven’t personally traveled the world enough to really know it’s the best, nor would I put myself out on a limb to say so. I know there are other places on the planet that are just as nice, in completely different ways. I appreciate different cultures and ways of life. Why wouldn’t the band? What bothers me the most about all of that is then we’ve got people who do not live in the US who end up believing that Americans only think of themselves, that we’re just soulless people who are made purely of money and don’t have any vision of the rest of the world. While I have no doubt that there are plenty of people like that in this country, and those opinions have little to do with Duran Duran as they might our foreign policies and our history; I really don’t think that the comments to Simon had anything to do with that vision. It had everything to do with feeling as though we all individually have some sort of ownership over the band. Go on and admit it – it won’t kill you, and I already did it! We want to keep them for ourselves because we’re all selfish little beasts at times, and along with being beasts – we’re damn insecure no less! Not only do we want John and Simon to tell us if they’re going to come back to see us again in the fall – we want them to know which venues they should play at, and then we want a DM (direct message) back from them saying that we’re the best fan “evah” and that they really would just rather stay in the US.
Wake up, people!!! There’s a whole world out there – and for the record, sure…I’d love for the band to play here continuously. In my backyard, naturally! I’m sure fans in Japan, China, India…South Africa…Australia, New Zealand and plenty of other places I’m not mentioning but probably should would love for them to play there continuously as well! There’s one band and a zillion places to visit. We must share and be thankful that they’re still playing – some day not so incredibly long off that may not still be the case.
-R
We Americans are highly ethnocentric. Look at the statistics about how few Americans have traveled outside the country — shocking in comparison to people from outside the U.S.
We all need to play nice in the global sandbox and share our favorite band. I am grateful that they still tour. I've had some good times and great memories from seeing them live, and I will be sad when the say comes that they hang it up.
Until then, be nice to each other, everyone! Especially Americans — quit being such a pompous bunch! (Yes, coming from me, a “meek and mild” Midwesterner — HA!)
Good points, Deb! I think a lot of the reason why Americans don't travel more is probably due to the size of our country – it takes quite a bit to get out of here, whereas in places like Europe, the transportation systems are much easier to utilize, but yes – Americans can be very pompous. I was amazed at how rude Americans were when I was overseas with my husband a few years ago. It was embarrassing, actually. -R
Unfortunately people make comments in regards to tour locations that are just plain ugly. Just recently someone made a comment (elsewhere) that non US nations don't get concerts because those countries don't help when there's a crisis or disaster somewhere in the world hence they don't make themselves known. Unbelievably ignorant and incorrect of course.
That is one of the most horrible things I've ever read regarding someone's reaction to where the band does or does not play. I don't even really know how to react to that, especially on this morning – the morning after the announcement that Bin Laden was killed by US Navy Seals.
Ignorant? Yes. Rude? Absolutely. Ugly? I can't even begin to describe how I feel about that. Embarrassed, actually. -R
For me it was sadness really. Sad that someone can say such things and sad how it makes fellow citizens of their nation (like yourself) feel. There is nothing to be gained.
It is also not an isolated incident – things like this get said now and then. All we can do is hold on to our own humanity and values and treat others with respect.
You are absolutely right – there is nothing to be gained by not only feeling that way – but by giving that feeling “life” by vocalizing it and just putting it right out there in the universe. I know it's not isolated (although I'd really much prefer to believe that), and it's so painful to know that there are any number of people in my own country that would say things like that. I'm so embarrassed by our own ignorance sometimes. My 9th grade science teacher had a saying up in his classroom that I still remember to this day (actually there were two, but only one applies…) “Better to remain silent and simply appear stupid than to open ones mouth and remove all doubt.”
Yes, I can remember that saying (as well as visualize how it was printed and the paper it was written on) but don't ask me to recite the scientific eras of time in order…still can't do that! 😀 -R