November 02, 2005
Billy Joel and Image
Chuck Klosterman argues that Billy Joel's depression and loneliness has authenticity and weight to it which makes his music more meaningful. He argues that this authenticity stems from the fact that his depression isn't pretentiously rooted in image. In fact Billy Joel has no image. Billy Joel is decidedly not "cool" and he is also not so "uncool" as to be cool. He just isnt cool. This is because he has no image. He has never been able to successfully create an archetypal image of himself for people to follow. His attempts at pop image in the eighties were half-ass and he would tell you that himself.
This is why I have spent my entire life defending my taste in Joel's music to the "cool" and the ironically "uncool" alike. They demand an image and I cant give them one. And this is why I relate to Billy Joel's music. I myself have no image.
I think that one of the primary causes for depression in my life is that I dont know who I am. (this is reflected strongly in my choices of wardrobe over the years) I often dont know my image. I know that by faith I am supposed to rest joyously content in the image of Christ, and identify myself completely in Him. But I often have weak faith, and I sometimes find the image of Christ to be obscure and intangible. I still seek an image (much like the Byzantines in the iconoclastic controversy that we are studying in World History class-how is that for a historical quip?)
One recent joyous time in my life was when I was hired to be a teacher. I was thrilled that I could now claim the image "teacher." I was going to Iowa to "teach." But after teaching for a few months, I have suffered several bouts of depression because although I teach, I dont teach as capably or as competently as I think a teacher should teach. And the image seems more meaningless and intangible. And this makes me feel lost.
For many years I thought that I would go to seminary right after college. I wanted to have the image of a "seminary student" and evolve from there into the image of a "minister." But life happened, and I got sidetracked and confused. This is mostly because I sometimes dont know who I am. I feel that God has gifted me to do things, but I sometimes feel "generically" gifted. I feel "generically" intelligent, but not particuarly intelligent about any one area. I feel "generically" articulate, but not articulate about any one thing. I feel "generically" passionate, but not about anything specific.
And without really stretching this out any further, let me just say that this is why I relate to Billy Joel. He's kind of imageless. Kind of generic. But sincere.
Posted by todd at November 2, 2005 06:31 PM