“Born to Be Wasted” by 009 Sound System, Monday, September 13, 2021
THE CAR'S GOIN' FAST, GONNA SPEED IT UP. "Born to Be Wasted" isn't a deep song, by any means. But before knocking the plethora of mixed metaphors, remember that this song is a stock song to make YouTube videos seem like they are using original content. Lyrically, "Born to Be Wasted" sounds like a nihilistic party song. If "wasted" refers to being drunk, the song is a fun party anthem. But being "born" to live in a drunken state seems rather dark. If "wasted" means thrown away, the song gets even darker. The namesake of Lana Del Rey's major label debut LP "Born to Die," talks about the risks of living as worth taking because death is inevitable. Anberlin's "Godspeed" is a rock 'n' roll tale of misadventure primarily about the "27 club" of musicians--Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, and others from the "Chelsea Hotel" drug scene and extended to artists like Kurt Cobain and Amy Winehouse who all died young. Lana Del Rey, at the age of 27 also was quoted as being fearful to joining the "27 club"--musicians who died of drug overdoses or alcohol poisoning before the age of 30. Anberlin's "Godspeed" is an antithesis to this rock 'n' roll lifestyle, saying, "They lied when they said the good die young." But there is possibly another interpretation to "Born to Be Wasted"; however, it is hard to tell if this was Perls' intention. On YouTube, the song is used for several slideshows of U.S. Troops in Afghanistan and Iraq. One video says has the caption written: "support our troops," another one has a commenter who states: "Does anyone feel how heartbreaking these images are? Combined with the song, they're an emotional rollercoaster. War ruins so many lives, all for the arrogance of the rich that lose nothing." When life ends so quickly, it's hard not to feel that it was inevitable, or that the life was simply wasted. And for twenty years, America has fought in a controversial war with no obtainable end-game, some simply wonder if it was all just a waste?
THE NIGHT'S NOT GONNA LAST SO LET'S KEEP IT UP. "Let's try," is how Song Jae had left Josh at the hotel. He had to go back to work and couldn't spend Sunday night with Josh. On Saturday night, Josh demanded to see Song Jae and they spent the night together. "The problem is, you don't try to communicate," Jacob said the morning before, lounging in his plaid boxers and university t-shirt during the ambiguous slumber part. Jacob was an International Studies student at Gyeongsang National University. The two had messaged on Grindr before meeting in person the night for dinner and a late movie. During dinner, a barbecue restaurant near campus where neither knew how to cook the beef and at one point nearly caused a restaurant fire, both talked about what they were doing in Korea. Jacob told Josh that he was in the final year of studying his undergrad and would be returning to the Philippines in the winter, or that was the plan. His devout Catholic family was struggling to accept their son as he came out shortly before coming to Korea. "So, what's your deal?" Jacob asked fondling the beef with his chopsticks. Josh admitted that he was merely looking for friends for a long summer holiday. "I recently came out--to myself--a year ago. I have a boyfriend. He works up in Gyeongi, but he's very busy this summer." "Ah, that sucks," Jacob said. He then moved laid his hand on his chin, "I think we all have that Korean boyfriend. The one that's there at first. It's all trips and flowers and candy at first." He took another piece of beef from the grill, "All you white boys I meet are the same here. Always in a relationship with a Korean, always looking for something on the side. Always complaining about the emotional absence." Josh furled his forehead, in slight distaste that he had been so accurately stereotyped. But Jacob kept talking. "Me, though, my absent Korean boyfriend is an older white American soldier. Up in Osan. When he's on leave I'm in class. When I'm on leave, he's stuck on base." "I'm sorry to hear that. So how do you cope with it?" "Friendship. And lots of one-night stands." He narrowed his eyes and leaned in, placing his hand on his chin, his thumb slightly caressing his bottom lip. "But I never mix the two." His eyes swept Josh's torso vertically. "How about you?"
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