Unexpected Wisdom from Popjustice

If there's one websiteI can't go a day without reading, it's Popjustice, the excellent blog on all musical things "pop," especially those tending towards electro and synth-heavy sounds. Basically, if they pimp it, I end up liking it. I know it sounds robotic, but I've almost giving up on trying to find new music on my own because Popjustice's recommendations are great almost 100% of the time.

But I go there to find new pop acts or read snarky comments about the world of music. Not to get statements of philosophical truth. But I ended up getting both today.

The news item was about the new Taio Cruz single "I Can Be," which basically carries these messages, as summed up by Popjustice:

"1. The prettiest things can come out of the coldest night
2. Even with broken wings sometimes you find your way to fly
3. It's time to be bigger, stronger, harder
4. Sometimes the pain is what we need for us to grow"

So pretty much it's standard inspirational stuff, and the song itself is quite good (TM). But get a load of Popjustice's commentary on the subject matter:

"Unfortunately the sad fact of the matter is that for every person who succeeds in turning their life around through positive thinking, there are ten people whose lives never really improve and whose lives may in fact be even more packed with disappointment and perceived failure thanks to nonstop daydreaming about how great things really could be. 'These things' are not sent 'to try us' - 'these things' are usually shit events in and of themselves. Sometimes life is just terrible and no amount of positive thinking will change that fact. Nothing changes. It's just day after day of struggling to keep your head above water until one day you die, the only tragedy being that you're not alive to feel relief that it is all finally over. Still, put your fist in the sky and sing along with Taio..."

Agree? Disagree? I know it's a pretty bleak perspective, but it really struck a cord with me, and I felt like sharing it.

Here's the youtube link for the "I Can Be" video. Check it out. It's worth your time. http://youtube.com/watch?v=Ar2pKa1fp98