How might we use music to share our thoughts on a complex issue?

Oct 31

Shaun Pepper · Affirmative Action- Flavour of the week 2

Why I wrote this?

In 2013, I made a mistake, like humans do. I got too excited with a Kanye West halloween costume and I darkened my skin to try and make it ‘authentic’. I recognize my mistake, and boy did the internet educate me. I think people should live with passion and have empathy by placing ourselves into other people’s perspectives, this is why this error and lack of education on the topic really bothered me.

I was thankful for the education by the hundreds of friends on the topic. However, when you post something on social media and have it public, like I choose to do, it meant that all of these people, who did not know me, attacked me for something I should have known existed but didn’t. I am not alone in the universe when it comes to posting things that you later regret and I think now more than ever it is easy to vilify a person’s actions behind the curtain of a key stroke.

When writing this song, I was thinking about the tension between intentionality and interpretation. My intentionality was honestly to honour someone who I respected and think is a true genius and outsider who pushes ideas forward, however the interpretation by the public of my actions was doing just the opposite. I was yet another privileged white male who was perpetuating racist stereotypes.

Since this incident, I have stayed informed and conscious about the topic. Please explore some of the resources below and become educated on the topic as well.