mermaid motel

WEST COAST.

Black Beauty, Pawn Shop Blues, Hawaiian Tropic, All You Need, and Disco. 
 
Hawaiian Tropic has a cheery sound to it but you aren't coming back and I know that now gets me every time and really sets/changes the mood of the song.

I think it's just during the commercial break though.

Last year I was planning on getting a cabin for NFR release weekend so I could just experience it in a hot tub for the first time watching the sunset or something. I had my air bnb booked but had to cancel it because of course. This year I finally got to book my cabin, and I got back from hiking just in time to pour a bottle of wine and pack my bong to watch the sunset. I made a fire in the fire pit and then eventually the stars came out and Not All Who Wander was playing and I ugly cried. This is the view from my hot tub and the stars are stunning, I wish I had a fancy camera to capture them for you guys because this is too beautiful for words and this album is too tbh. That’s all 

I don't co-sign all of this, but I think it might just be complicated by her fame tbh. Idk anything about her friends really, and its not like all POC are woke etc, but you definitely have a point about like 'true' friendships and what not... at least thats been my experience as I've gotten into my twenties and re-evaluated my old friendships (for context, I am black)
Good friends DO want to educate you, especially when you are wrong. And Good Friends can be receptive to that kind of criticism. My problem with the QFTC reception as an onlooker (and one of the most likely unintended consequences of 'cancel culture') is just its efficacy on an individual level. There are people who say and do racist or sexist or problematic things that we can't forgive, and who are malicious and come from a bad place, and there are those who are ignorant - often painfully so, but believe they are coming from a good place. I think Lana is one of the latter, and even though she doubled down during the QFTC debacle about being misunderstood and made it about her, it just made me want her to realize she was wrong, rather than throw her away for being wrong about it. I knew she had friends of color (some were people even mentioned in the post) and while I don't expect all POC to be woke, educate everyone around them all the time mental labor etc., I was just kind of personally hoping she'd have this kind of backlash again but localized from people who actually know her 1 on 1, because she is very very distrusting of media reception, to an unhealthy amount for sure.
 
I don't think she fakes being woke though, I actually think she just doesn't think about that kind of thing at all in the first place and sees herself as a morally upstanding person, which then absolves her of having to think about things. It's privileged and narcissistic (ironically, the thing she says is tearing America/the world apart) but yeah, that's my take.
She's like the most millennial in the way she speaks and in her music, but also kind the worst at social media and being informed on news at the same time, its really interesting actually
 
That being said, it + her being rich and famous and surrounded by yes-men might be another reason for a friend who is a POC to like, avoid calling her out. I've had that white friend who like... definitely could be better about certain issues, but I just don't speak up to them because at the end of the day, its taxing for me and we arent *that* close anyway, like I dont think of us as best friends or friends for life or anything. Sincerely hope she has people like that in her life who can be like 'hey girl, this isn't okay and heres why' with total honesty. 
 
Anyway, I didn't really stan Lana as a person ever, mostly her music and her story and how its impacted my life personally, so this doesnt really affect me too much, but she's really pushing it. I don't need to stan her as a person, but I do kind need her to be the kind of person who isn't so awful that it makes me want to distance myself from her entirely for my own sake. I totally understand people who have already done that in this last year and who are going to do that in the future. Just hope I'm not one of them!

Because they're obviously not real friends. They're her token nonwhite friends. All my extremely close friends, and I've seen this in other multiracial friend groups, talk about race and all that shit very freely. True friendship gives an extremely comfortable amount of freedom that would be horrifyingly uncomfortable for 3rd parties unaccustomed to it who witness it. (idk how to phrase this properly) Good friends want to educate you but in a very shitposty 'i love you but you're dumb as shit' way. I can't explain it. I shitpost racial tropes with my friends all the time. Taking the piss out of life while letting your friends know backhandedly you're aware of the particular racism they face.
I think Lana is that one white friend we've all had that feigns this fake wokeness so they seem 'sensitive' and 'compassionate'  but you wouldn't trust the bitch when the revolution came. But most woke women do this, they're somehow always dating the type of person they proclaim to hate. 'I hate straight white men' but their bf is the straightest whitest man you've ever seen in your life on top of having the matching personality.
Back in 2012, did she not have any friends that were like 'Lana, you can't play dress-up with Native American clothing because you painted houses one time at a reservation.' And donating money to them doesn't change anything. White people are always paying folk to let them be racist towards them lmao. 'I'll give you thousands of dollars, let me call you the n word in my funny skit or my pretentious film.' I guess it's better than just racism huh.
(Bonus: her 'im not racist, my best friends are rappers' has the same energy as Biden's 'poor kids are just as smart as white kids' Why are they like this lol)
I love Lana's music but boy, is she unbelievably mediocre as a person. Being average is fine but she's convinced she's running with the wolves. ?

Can we stop using a racist as if it's one category and a noun? People can be racist without being "a racist" I've had loved ones... people I've trusted... friends.... be racist. And I am a black woman. It doesn't mean I automatically see them as a confederate flag waving bigots, but they have been racist and said/done racist things, and it can't be ignored and has to be called out. People think you have to have racist intentions to be racist. No. Even good people with good intentions can perpetuate racism and they must learn from those moments. It's not just overt hate that exists within the realm of racism we experience. You can be racist without being "a racist." And thus Lana absolutely can say something racist. It's called ignorance and it's still no excuse. Let's please stop acting like it only applies to one evil category of people. And also, having black friends or partaking in black culture doesn't free you from the cycle of racism. I'm not even sure what the context of this response was, but the one of steps toward combating racism is recognizing in all forms (small and large and within a one's ownself) and not feeling so damn uncomfortable about it! 

Can we stop using a racist as if it's one category and a noun? People can be racist without being "a racist" I've had loved ones... people I've trusted... friends.... be racist. And I am a black woman. It doesn't mean I automatically see them as a confederate flag waving bigots, but they have been racist and said/done racist things, and it can't be ignored and has to be called out. People think you have to have racist intentions to be racist. No. Even good people with good intentions can perpetuate racism and they must learn from those moments. It's not just overt hate that exists within the realm of racism we experience. You can be racist without being "a racist." And thus Lana absolutely can say something racist. It's called ignorance and it's still no excuse. Let's please stop acting like it only applies to one evil category of people. And also, having black friends or partaking in black culture doesn't free you from the cycle of racism. I'm not even sure what the context of this response was, but the one of steps toward combating racism is recognizing in all forms (small and large and within a one's ownself) and not feeling so damn uncomfortable about it! 

Can we stop using a racist as if it's one category and a noun? People can be racist without being "a racist" I've had loved ones... people I've trusted... friends.... be racist. And I am a black woman. It doesn't mean I automatically see them as a confederate flag waving bigots, but they have been racist and said/done racist things, and it can't be ignored and has to be called out. People think you have to have racist intentions to be racist. No. Even good people with good intentions can perpetuate racism and they must learn from those moments. It's not just overt hate that exists within the realm of racism we experience. You can be racist without being "a racist." And thus Lana absolutely can say something racist. It's called ignorance and it's still no excuse. Let's please stop acting like it only applies to one evil category of people. And also, having black friends or partaking in black culture doesn't free you from the cycle of racism. I'm not even sure what the context of this response was, but the one of steps toward combating racism is recognizing in all forms (small and large and within a one's ownself) and not feeling so damn uncomfortable about it! 

Can we stop using a racist as if it's one category and a noun? People can be racist without being "a racist" I've had loved ones... people I've trusted... friends.... be racist. And I am a black woman. It doesn't mean I automatically see them as a confederate flag waving bigots, but they have been racist and said/done racist things, and it can't be ignored and has to be called out. People think you have to have racist intentions to be racist. No. Even good people with good intentions can perpetuate racism and they must learn from those moments. It's not just overt hate that exists within the realm of racism we experience. You can be racist without being "a racist." And thus Lana absolutely can say something racist. It's called ignorance and it's still no excuse. Let's please stop acting like it only applies to one evil category of people. And also, having black friends or partaking in black culture doesn't free you from the cycle of racism. I'm not even sure what the context of this response was, but the one of steps toward combating racism is recognizing in all forms (small and large and within a one's ownself) and not feeling so damn uncomfortable about it! 

Can we stop using a racist as if it's one category and a noun? People can be racist without being "a racist" I've had loved ones... people I've trusted... friends.... be racist. And I am a black woman. It doesn't mean I automatically see them as a confederate flag waving bigots, but they have been racist and said/done racist things, and it can't be ignored and has to be called out. People think you have to have racist intentions to be racist. No. Even good people with good intentions can perpetuate racism and they must learn from those moments. It's not just overt hate that exists within the realm of racism we experience. You can be racist without being "a racist." And thus Lana absolutely can say something racist. It's called ignorance and it's still no excuse. Let's please stop acting like it only applies to one evil category of people. And also, having black friends or partaking in black culture doesn't free you from the cycle of racism. I'm not even sure what the context of this response was, but the one of steps toward combating racism is recognizing in all forms (small and large and within a one's ownself) and not feeling so damn uncomfortable about it! 

Can we stop using a racist as if it's one category and a noun? People can be racist without being "a racist" I've had loved ones... people I've trusted... friends.... be racist. And I am a black woman. It doesn't mean I automatically see them as a confederate flag waving bigots, but they have been racist and said/done racist things, and it can't be ignored and has to be called out. People think you have to have racist intentions to be racist. No. Even good people with good intentions can perpetuate racism and they must learn from those moments. It's not just overt hate that exists within the realm of racism we experience. You can be racist without being "a racist." And thus Lana absolutely can say something racist. It's called ignorance and it's still no excuse. Let's please stop acting like it only applies to one evil category of people. And also, having black friends or partaking in black culture doesn't free you from the cycle of racism. I'm not even sure what the context of this response was, but the one of steps toward combating racism is recognizing in all forms (small and large and within a one's ownself) and not feeling so damn uncomfortable about it! 

Can we stop using a racist as if it's one category and a noun? People can be racist without being "a racist" I've had loved ones... people I've trusted... friends.... be racist. And I am a black woman. It doesn't mean I automatically see them as a confederate flag waving bigots, but they have been racist and said/done racist things, and it can't be ignored and has to be called out. People think you have to have racist intentions to be racist. No. Even good people with good intentions can perpetuate racism and they must learn from those moments. It's not just overt hate that exists within the realm of racism we experience. You can be racist without being "a racist." And thus Lana absolutely can say something racist. It's called ignorance and it's still no excuse. Let's please stop acting like it only applies to one evil category of people. And also, having black friends or partaking in black culture doesn't free you from the cycle of racism. I'm not even sure what the context of this response was, but the one of steps toward combating racism is recognizing in all forms (small and large and within a one's ownself) and not feeling so damn uncomfortable about it! 

Can we stop using a racist as if it's one category and a noun? People can be racist without being "a racist" I've had loved ones... people I've trusted... friends.... be racist. And I am a black woman. It doesn't mean I automatically see them as a confederate flag waving bigots, but they have been racist and said/done racist things, and it can't be ignored and has to be called out. People think you have to have racist intentions to be racist. No. Even good people with good intentions can perpetuate racism and they must learn from those moments. It's not just overt hate that exists within the realm of racism we experience. You can be racist without being "a racist." And thus Lana absolutely can say something racist. It's called ignorance and it's still no excuse. Let's please stop acting like it only applies to one evil category of people. And also, having black friends or partaking in black culture doesn't free you from the cycle of racism. I'm not even sure what the context of this response was, but the one of steps toward combating racism is recognizing in all forms (small and large and within a one's ownself) and not feeling so damn uncomfortable about it! 

Can we stop using a racist as if it's one category and a noun? People can be racist without being "a racist" I've had loved ones... people I've trusted... friends.... be racist. And I am a black woman. It doesn't mean I automatically see them as a confederate flag waving bigots, but they have been racist and said/done racist things, and it can't be ignored and has to be called out. People think you have to have racist intentions to be racist. No. Even good people with good intentions can perpetuate racism and they must learn from those moments. It's not just overt hate that exists within the realm of racism we experience. You can be racist without being "a racist." And thus Lana absolutely can say something racist. It's called ignorance and it's still no excuse. Let's please stop acting like it only applies to one evil category of people. And also, having black friends or partaking in black culture doesn't free you from the cycle of racism. I'm not even sure what the context of this response was, but the one of steps toward combating racism is recognizing in all forms (small and large and within a one's ownself) and not feeling so damn uncomfortable about it! 

Can we stop using a racist as if it's one category and a noun? People can be racist without being "a racist" I've had loved ones... people I've trusted... friends.... be racist. And I am a black woman. It doesn't mean I automatically see them as a confederate flag waving bigots, but they have been racist and said/done racist things, and it can't be ignored and has to be called out. People think you have to have racist intentions to be racist. No. Even good people with good intentions can perpetuate racism and they must learn from those moments. It's not just overt hate that exists within the realm of racism we experience. You can be racist without being "a racist." And thus Lana absolutely can say something racist. It's called ignorance and it's still no excuse. Let's please stop acting like it only applies to one evil category of people. And also, having black friends or partaking in black culture doesn't free you from the cycle of racism. I'm not even sure what the context of this response was, but the one of steps toward combating racism is recognizing in all forms (small and large and within a one's ownself) and not feeling so damn uncomfortable about it! 

Can we stop using a racist as if it's one category and a noun? People can be racist without being "a racist" I've had loved ones... people I've trusted... friends.... be racist. And I am a black woman. It doesn't mean I automatically see them as a confederate flag waving bigots, but they have been racist and said/done racist things, and it can't be ignored and has to be called out. People think you have to have racist intentions to be racist. No. Even good people with good intentions can perpetuate racism and they must learn from those moments. It's not just overt hate that exists within the realm of racism we experience. You can be racist without being "a racist." And thus Lana absolutely can say something racist. It's called ignorance and it's still no excuse. Let's please stop acting like it only applies to one evil category of people. And also, having black friends or partaking in black culture doesn't free you from the cycle of racism. I'm not even sure what the context of this response was, but the one of steps toward combating racism is recognizing in all forms (small and large and within a one's ownself) and not feeling so damn uncomfortable about it! 

Can we stop using a racist as if it's one category and a noun? People can be racist without being "a racist" I've had loved ones... people I've trusted... friends.... be racist. And I am a black woman. It doesn't mean I automatically see them as a confederate flag waving bigots, but they have been racist and said/done racist things, and it can't be ignored and has to be called out. People think you have to have racist intentions to be racist. No. Even good people with good intentions can perpetuate racism and they must learn from those moments. It's not just overt hate that exists within the realm of racism we experience. You can be racist without being "a racist." And thus Lana absolutely can say something racist. It's called ignorance and it's still no excuse. Let's please stop acting like it only applies to one evil category of people. And also, having black friends or partaking in black culture doesn't free you from the cycle of racism. I'm not even sure what the context of this response was, but the one of steps toward combating racism is recognizing in all forms (small and large and within a one's ownself) and not feeling so damn uncomfortable about it! 

Can we stop using a racist as if it's one category and a noun? People can be racist without being "a racist" I've had loved ones... people I've trusted... friends.... be racist. And I am a black woman. It doesn't mean I automatically see them as a confederate flag waving bigots, but they have been racist and said/done racist things, and it can't be ignored and has to be called out. People think you have to have racist intentions to be racist. No. Even good people with good intentions can perpetuate racism and they must learn from those moments. It's not just overt hate that exists within the realm of racism we experience. You can be racist without being "a racist." And thus Lana absolutely can say something racist. It's called ignorance and it's still no excuse. Let's please stop acting like it only applies to one evil category of people. And also, having black friends or partaking in black culture doesn't free you from the cycle of racism. I'm not even sure what the context of this response was, but the one of steps toward combating racism is recognizing in all forms (small and large and within a one's ownself) and not feeling so damn uncomfortable about it! 

Can we stop using a racist as if it's one category and a noun? People can be racist without being "a racist" I've had loved ones... people I've trusted... friends.... be racist. And I am a black woman. It doesn't mean I automatically see them as a confederate flag waving bigots, but they have been racist and said/done racist things, and it can't be ignored and has to be called out. People think you have to have racist intentions to be racist. No. Even good people with good intentions can perpetuate racism and they must learn from those moments. It's not just overt hate that exists within the realm of racism we experience. You can be racist without being "a racist." And thus Lana absolutely can say something racist. It's called ignorance and it's still no excuse. Let's please stop acting like it only applies to one evil category of people. And also, having black friends or partaking in black culture doesn't free you from the cycle of racism. I'm not even sure what the context of this response was, but the one of steps toward combating racism is recognizing in all forms (small and large and within a one's ownself) and not feeling so damn uncomfortable about it! 

Can we stop using a racist as if it's one category and a noun? People can be racist without being "a racist" I've had loved ones... people I've trusted... friends.... be racist. And I am a black woman. It doesn't mean I automatically see them as a confederate flag waving bigots, but they have been racist and said/done racist things, and it can't be ignored and has to be called out. People think you have to have racist intentions to be racist. No. Even good people with good intentions can perpetuate racism and they must learn from those moments. It's not just overt hate that exists within the realm of racism we experience. You can be racist without being "a racist." And thus Lana absolutely can say something racist. It's called ignorance and it's still no excuse. Let's please stop acting like it only applies to one evil category of people. And also, having black friends or partaking in black culture doesn't free you from the cycle of racism. I'm not even sure what the context of this response was, but the one of steps toward combating racism is recognizing in all forms (small and large and within a one's ownself) and not feeling so damn uncomfortable about it! 

Can we stop using a racist as if it's one category and a noun? People can be racist without being "a racist" I've had loved ones... people I've trusted... friends.... be racist. And I am a black woman. It doesn't mean I automatically see them as a confederate flag waving bigots, but they have been racist and said/done racist things, and it can't be ignored and has to be called out. People think you have to have racist intentions to be racist. No. Even good people with good intentions can perpetuate racism and they must learn from those moments. It's not just overt hate that exists within the realm of racism we experience. You can be racist without being "a racist." And thus Lana absolutely can say something racist. It's called ignorance and it's still no excuse. Let's please stop acting like it only applies to one evil category of people. And also, having black friends or partaking in black culture doesn't free you from the cycle of racism. I'm not even sure what the context of this response was, but the one of steps toward combating racism is recognizing in all forms (small and large and within a one's ownself) and not feeling so damn uncomfortable about it! 

Can we stop using a racist as if it's one category and a noun? People can be racist without being "a racist" I've had loved ones... people I've trusted... friends.... be racist. And I am a black woman. It doesn't mean I automatically see them as a confederate flag waving bigots, but they have been racist and said/done racist things, and it can't be ignored and has to be called out. People think you have to have racist intentions to be racist. No. Even good people with good intentions can perpetuate racism and they must learn from those moments. It's not just overt hate that exists within the realm of racism we experience. You can be racist without being "a racist." And thus Lana absolutely can say something racist. It's called ignorance and it's still no excuse. Let's please stop acting like it only applies to one evil category of people. And also, having black friends or partaking in black culture doesn't free you from the cycle of racism. I'm not even sure what the context of this response was, but the one of steps toward combating racism is recognizing in all forms (small and large and within a one's ownself) and not feeling so damn uncomfortable about it! 

Can we stop using a racist as if it's one category and a noun? People can be racist without being "a racist" I've had loved ones... people I've trusted... friends.... be racist. And I am a black woman. It doesn't mean I automatically see them as a confederate flag waving bigots, but they have been racist and said/done racist things, and it can't be ignored and has to be called out. People think you have to have racist intentions to be racist. No. Even good people with good intentions can perpetuate racism and they must learn from those moments. It's not just overt hate that exists within the realm of racism we experience. You can be racist without being "a racist." And thus Lana absolutely can say something racist. It's called ignorance and it's still no excuse. Let's please stop acting like it only applies to one evil category of people. And also, having black friends or partaking in black culture doesn't free you from the cycle of racism. I'm not even sure what the context of this response was, but the one of steps toward combating racism is recognizing in all forms (small and large and within a one's ownself) and not feeling so damn uncomfortable about it! 

As a black woman in America who has experiences racism in all different forms since I was in the kindergarten, I will type up however much I want about racism and how easy it is to go unnoticed. Again, you don't have be a racist to be say something racist. Not saying Lana is A racist. Just that what she failed to look at these women and their careers with a non privileged lens. What she said reeks of ignorance because all of them have had hardships of their own from the media and public, with a lot of it being related to race.