this post was submitted on 15 Jul 2023
229 points (96.4% liked)

Showerthoughts

30401 readers
818 users here now

A "Showerthought" is a simple term used to describe the thoughts that pop into your head while you're doing everyday things like taking a shower, driving, or just daydreaming. The most popular seem to be lighthearted, clever little truths, hidden in daily life.

Here are some examples to inspire your own showerthoughts: 1

Rules

  1. All posts must be showerthoughts
  2. The entire showerthought must be in the title
  3. No politics
    • If your topic is in a grey area, please phrase it to emphasize the fascinating aspects, not the dramatic aspects. You can do this by avoiding overly politicized terms such as "capitalism" and "communism". If you must make comparisons, you can say something is different without saying something is better/worse.
    • A good place for politics is c/politicaldiscussion
    • If you feel strongly that you want politics back, please volunteer as a mod.
  4. Posts must be original/unique
  5. Adhere to Lemmy's Code of Conduct

If you made it this far, showerthoughts is accepting new mods. This community is generally tame so its not a lot of work, but having a few more mods would help reports get addressed a little sooner.

Whats it like to be a mod? Reports just show up as messages in your Lemmy inbox, and if a different mod has already addressed the report the message goes away and you never worry about it.

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
 

The greatest song about accepting your struggles as key to making you who you are, while also refusing to pass that generational trauma on to your own children, is Johnny Cash / Shel Silverstein’s “A Boy Named Sue”

*Bonus points for implicitly understanding the trauma of being misgendered.

top 17 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] [email protected] 27 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

The song to me feels more to be about how the intergenerational cycle of abuse isn't a 1-to-1 transfer of trauma rather than being about any refusal to continue the cycle. Sue's trauma is about chronic mocking/bullying resulting in an insecure need to prove his masculinity via violence. His father's struggle isn't specifically elaborated on but it's clearly present and ultimately comes down to a similar relationship with violence/masculinity. His abandonment and rash naming decision caused his son a lot of struggle in his life and his father's reasoning for doing that was because of his own life's trauma.

The conclusion to the song was Sue coming to understand and appreciate his father's decision even if the trauma Sue experienced prevents him from repeating the decision. Which underscores the way intergenerational trauma and violence often isn't a straight line. Sue didn't decide to become a great father who would keep his children free from the need to constantly prove themselves physically. Sue merely decided not to name his son Sue.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 2 years ago (3 children)

Only I some versions. In some the singer decided to name their child sue as well, perpetuating the trauma

[–] [email protected] 18 points 2 years ago

This is known as "ruining the song."

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 years ago

Wait, why? The reason the first father named him sue was because he abandoned him, so is the other version saying that they're also going to abandon them?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 years ago

gotta make sure that boy is tough!

[–] Piecemakers3Dprints 13 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (2 children)

You should listen to the second song, then. Might change your perspective.

Full disclosure: both were written by Shel Silversein, but Cash refused to perform the latter. This is pre-Where The Sidewalk Ends, mind you. This is The Great Smoke-Off era Silverstein.

edit: Here's Shel Silverstein performing "Father of A Boy Named Sue"

[–] [email protected] 8 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Yeah, "Father of a Boy Named Sue" Is really like "What if, instead of writing a good song, I make myself look like a hugely toxic, ignorant piece of shit by writing this song instead"

[–] Piecemakers3Dprints 2 points 2 years ago (1 children)

I'm not disagreeing with you, though that certainly sounds like your perspective was newly informed by this additional trivia.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 years ago

I don't understand what you mean. This isn't new trivia. It's just a hugely problematic, incestuous, transphobic song

[–] Offlein 3 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (2 children)

Holy fuck

... It doesn't even make sense. If Sue ends up choosing to live life as a flamboyant, gay drag queen then why is Sue pissed off at the dad in the first place? 🤔

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 years ago (1 children)

The father-son/daughter incest was also an interesting choice.

[–] Offlein 0 points 2 years ago

Hmm that part really was the only thing that resonated with me.

[–] Piecemakers3Dprints 2 points 2 years ago

Maybe that's yet another secret one finds where the sidewalk ends? 🤷🏼‍♂️

[–] Thorosofbeer 3 points 2 years ago (3 children)

You should check out the song "Patches" If that's what you're interested in.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 years ago

Patches, I'm depending on ya son...

That song hits hard in a town that was farm heavy

[–] Offlein 1 points 2 years ago

Patches by Dickie Lee or Patches by Clarence Carter?

... Or Patches the Clown by Deadbolt?

(All great songs.)

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 years ago

Just reading the name Patches brings a hit of emotions. Great song

load more comments
view more: next ›