{"id":2325559,"date":"2024-08-16T07:51:01","date_gmt":"2024-08-16T11:51:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/you-dont-need-to-be-beyonce-to-sing-with-your-friends\/"},"modified":"2024-08-16T07:56:59","modified_gmt":"2024-08-16T11:56:59","slug":"you-dont-need-to-be-beyonce-to-sing-with-your-friends","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/you-dont-need-to-be-beyonce-to-sing-with-your-friends\/","title":{"rendered":"You Don&#8217;t Need To Be Beyonc\u00e9 To Sing With Your Friends"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fyou-dont-need-to-be-beyonce-to-sing-with-your-friends%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2325559&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The passage reflects on the shift in entertainment practices from the past to the \u200dpresent, using \u200dexamples from literature and contemporary society.\u200c In Jane Austen&#8217;s novels, young women like Elizabeth Bennet participated in music-making \u200cto entertain friends\u2064 and family,\u200b regardless of their talent level. Similarly, characters in J.R.R. Tolkien&#8217;s *The \u200dLord of\u200b the Rings* found joy in storytelling and shared creativity during their journeys.<\/p>\n<p>The author poses\u200b a \u200cconcern\u200d regarding whether\u2063 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/kamala-harris-condemns-d-c-demonstrators-despite-past-encouragement-of-violent-blm-mobs\/\" title=\"Kamala Harris condemns D.C. demonstrators despite past encouragement of violent BLM mobs\">mass media<\/a> has\u2062 diminished our ability to engage\u2062 in such artistic expression, suggesting that \u200btoday&#8217;s gatherings are \u2064more likely to \u200crevolve around watching movies or\u200b listening to playlists rather than participating in live storytelling or singing. There is \u200ca growing pressure \u2062to be\u2063 exceptional, \u2063influenced by the \u200dprevalence of\u200c professionally \u200dproduced entertainment, leading many to question the value of their own creative contributions.<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, the piece discusses the decline of small communities, which offered\u2062 individuals the\u2063 chance to\u2064 shine in specific areas and fostered\u2064 a sense of \u2064connection and\u2063 local pride. Nowadays, \u2062children are \u2062more \u2064inclined to engage with digital\u200c media than to participate in\u2064 community activities, reducing opportunities for interpersonal entertainment. The author argues that while striving for excellence is commendable, the true value of art\u2062 lies in its\u2062 ability to\u2062 bring joy and meaning to individuals and their communities, rather than in reaching a professional standard.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>Read any Jane Austen novel, and you&rsquo;ll find that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/2-women-dress-up-as-grannies-to-get-covid-19-vaccine-report\/\" title=\"2 Women Dress Up As Grannies To Get COVID-19 Vaccine: Report\">young ladies<\/a> were often asked to sing and play the piano to entertain family members and guests. Even those who didn&rsquo;t have particular musical talent, such as Elizabeth Bennet, were encouraged to share what they could. It didn&rsquo;t matter if one didn&rsquo;t have a voice like Celine Dion or a smash record &mdash; friends and acquaintances enjoyed playing for each other.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Likewise, in <em>The<\/em> <em>Lord of the Rings <\/em>trilogy, Frodo and the Fellowship passed their traveling time by telling stories, poems, and riddles of their own creation. Unaided by playlists of professional musicians or studio-recorded audiobooks, they relied on each other for intellectual stimulation and entertainment.<\/p>\n<p>These classics reveal humanity&rsquo;s unwavering ability to create art and entertain. Has mass media damaged our ability to do so?<\/p>\n<p>Nowadays it is more likely that friends will get together for a movie night than to tell stories around a fire. They might share Spotify playlists, but rarely their voices. Part of this is because the expectation to be exceptional has never been higher. We are surrounded by professionally produced entertainment, invoking the question, &ldquo;If you can&rsquo;t be good enough to be professional, why do it at all?&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Striving for excellence is a virtue, but not all of us can be Michelangelo. Yet the point of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/buttigieg-blasts-trump-for-lazy-campaign-attacks-hes-lost-a-step-washington-examiner\/\" title=\"Buttigieg blasts Trump for \u2018lazy\u2019 campaign attacks: \u2018He\u2019s lost a step\u2019 - Washington Examiner\">art isn&#038;rsquo<\/a>;t to be legendary, but to bring meaning and joy to ourselves and our community.<\/p>\n<h2>Lack of Small Communities<\/h2>\n<p>In <em>12 Rules for Life<\/em>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/quotes\/9074032-it-was-easier-for-people-to-be-good-at-something\">Jordan Peterson<\/a> explains, &ldquo;It was easier for people to be good at something when more of us lived in small, rural communities. Someone could be homecoming queen. Someone else could be spelling-bee champ, math whiz or basketball star. There were only one or two mechanics and a couple of teachers. In each of their domains, these local heroes had the opportunity to enjoy the serotonin-fueled confidence of the victor.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>It&rsquo;s no secret that small, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/the-communitarian-revolt-against-government-lockdowns\/\" title=\"The Communitarian Revolt Against Government Lockdowns\">tight-knit communities<\/a> are unraveling in today&rsquo;s world. Kids are more likely to play in Little Leagues than with neighbors. Phones make it more likely for kids to watch YouTube than put on performances like the March sisters in <em>Little Women<\/em>. Entertainment that used to be provided by friends and family members is now greatly monopolized by industries and viral internet stars.<\/p>\n<p>Our society has gone from small, intimate, and local to vast. Along this vein, people are more likely to focus on national rather than local politics. Think of all the problems that would be solved if people spent as much time in local politics as they did following the national scene. The effect one individual can have on the nation is infinitesimal, but the impact one individual can have on a small local community is huge.<\/p>\n<p>Our nation needs healing largely because our communities need healing. If we revived customs like spending evenings together sharing artistic achievement, no matter how small, we could strengthen communities and heal this country. But we need to overcome the pressure to be extraordinary to do so.<\/p>\n<h2>No Need to be a Sensation<\/h2>\n<p>The home I grew up in was full of artists. None of us are TikTok sensations, but everyone in my family enjoys sharing some form of music and storytelling. When my sister was in high school, she wrote and produced a musical with friends. It has few views on YouTube, but our family and her friends enjoyed watching it immensely. <\/p>\n<p>My brother will probably never play at Carnegie Hall, but his banjo act complete with jokes and tricks brings joy to all who are fortunate enough to listen. And while I would love to publish my comedic novels, I am glad many of my friends find them hilarious and insightful even if they may never see a bestseller&rsquo;s list.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>I&rsquo;ve heard girls say they wish they could sing on a stage in front of vast, cheering audiences like Taylor Swift. Honestly, it&rsquo;s an enticing dream and the desire for excellence and recognition is very human. But so is our ability to perform not for strangers but people close to us. And this is part of humanity that our fame-obsessed, media-infused society is apt to neglect.<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p>      Meg Marie Johnson graduated with her master&rsquo;s in English from Brigham Young University. She writes adaptations of classics for children and young adult social satire. You can follow her on X at @MegMarie24601.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Explore any Jane Austen novel, and you&#8217;ll notice that young women were frequently invited to sing and play the piano to entertain their families and guests. Even individuals without notable musical skills, like Elizabeth Bennet, were encouraged to contribute in whatever way they could. It wasn&#8217;t essential to possess a voice akin to Celine Dion&#8217;s or have a hit record; friends and acquaintances enjoyed performing for one another.<\/p>\n<p>Similarly, in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Frodo and his companions passed the time during their travels by sharing stories, poems, and riddles they created themselves. Without access to curated playlists from professional musicians or pre-recorded audiobooks, they relied on each other for intellectual engagement and entertainment.<\/p>\n<p>These literary works highlight humanity&#8217;s enduring capacity for artistic creation and entertainment. However, has mass media hindered our ability to engage in these activities? <\/p>\n<p>Today, it&#8217;s more common for friends to gather for movie nights rather than share stories around a campfire. They might exchange Spotify playlists but seldom share their own voices. This shift is partly due to an increased expectation of excellence; we are inundated with professionally produced entertainment that raises the question: &#8220;If you can&#8217;t be as good as a professional artist, why bother at all?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>While striving for excellence is commendable, not everyone can be Michelangelo. The essence of art lies not in achieving legendary status but in bringing meaning and joy both personally and within our communities.<\/p>\n<p>**Diminishing Small Communities**<\/p>\n<p>In *12 Rules for Life*, Jordan Peterson notes that it was easier for individuals to excel when more people lived in small rural communities where local heroes could shine\u2014be it as homecoming queens or spelling bee champions\u2014with fewer competitors in each field providing them opportunities for confidence-boosting victories.<\/p>\n<p>It&#8217;s evident that small close-knit communities are disintegrating today. Children are more inclined towards organized sports leagues than playing with neighbors. With smartphones at hand, kids often prefer watching YouTube over putting on performances like the March sisters did in *Little Women*. Entertainment once provided by family members now largely comes from industries dominated by viral internet personalities.<\/p>\n<p>Our society has transitioned from being intimate and local-focused to vast and impersonal. Consequently, people tend now toward national rather than local politics; imagine how many issues could be resolved if individuals invested as much energy into local governance as they do into national affairs! While one person&#8217;s influence on national matters is minimal at best, their impact within a small community can be significant.<\/p>\n<p>Our nation requires healing primarily because our communities do too. By reviving traditions such as spending evenings together sharing artistic endeavors\u2014regardless of scale\u2014we could fortify our communities while contributing positively toward healing this country; however we must first overcome the pressure of needing extraordinary talent.<\/p>\n<p>**No Need For Fame**<\/p>\n<p>I grew up surrounded by artists who may not be TikTok stars but take pleasure in sharing music or storytelling among ourselves. My sister wrote a musical during high school with her friends\u2014it may have few views online but brought immense joy within our family circle when we watched it together.<\/p>\n<p>My brother might never perform at Carnegie Hall yet his banjo act filled with humor delights those lucky enough to hear him play. As I aspire towards publishing my comedic novels someday I find satisfaction knowing my friends appreciate them even if they never make it onto bestseller lists.<\/p>\n<p>I&#8217;ve heard girls express wishes about singing before large audiences like Taylor Swift\u2014a tempting dream indeed\u2014and while seeking recognition is part of human nature so too is performing intimately before loved ones\u2014a facet often overlooked by today&#8217;s fame-driven media culture<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3363,"featured_media":2325560,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/46269977832_efec8aa695_o-scaled-e1723645587771.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[546],"tags":[10940,6711,22710,3863,6309],"class_list":["post-2325559","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-federalist","tag-fun","tag-confidence","tag-friendship","tag-music","tag-singing"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/46269977832_efec8aa695_o-scaled-e1723645587771.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2325559","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3363"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2325559"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2325559\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2325560"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2325559"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2325559"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2325559"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}