My brother and I, despite a five-year age gap, get along on many things. We both like the same Star Wars trilogy (sequels, damn the prequels), and we both enjoyed reading Timothy Zahn's Thrawn trilogy plus the succeeding duology. In fact we like Star Wars so much that, one time, while having the car tuned up, we got into a full blown argument over the Force, whether it functions as a religion in the SW Universe, and if that's a good or bad thing.
We like other stuff the same way too. Like this 90's Civil War movie, Glory. We both enjoy quoting from The West Wing, and we have annual viewings of the whole series, usually over greasy pan pizzas. We both grew up reading The Chronicles of Narnia, and took turns sharing our one copy of The Lord Of The Rings.
Even if he is younger, I try to get his opinion on a lot of stuff ranging from hair product and politics. We see church in the same way (a waste of precious weekend downtime), and I can ask him if my tie matches my suit. We both like eating except he works it all off while I... play poker and run NBA fantasy leagues.
Anyway, we both think of each other as fairly rational, level-headed people. We have mutual respect for how the other thinks, arrives at his conclusion, and expresses his opinion.
But, I cannot, for the life of me, understand his choice in music. And the confusion is mutual. He likes Justin Timberlake, Jason Mraz and Maroon 5. I like Arcade Fire, Broken Social Scene and The Magnetic Fields. He says he loves pop and is proud of it. I say he loves pop and I hold his choice in contempt. I say I like my independently-produced alt/folk/electronic/shoegazer/displaced era music, and he calls it obscure and hipster. He likes the craftsmanship and production value of his music, I like the raw authenticity of mine. Hell is other music.
The only possible common ground is some OPM. Most of the time, it's relatively peaceful. Until we're in one car with one iPod hook-up. Then there can only be one.
We like other stuff the same way too. Like this 90's Civil War movie, Glory. We both enjoy quoting from The West Wing, and we have annual viewings of the whole series, usually over greasy pan pizzas. We both grew up reading The Chronicles of Narnia, and took turns sharing our one copy of The Lord Of The Rings.
Even if he is younger, I try to get his opinion on a lot of stuff ranging from hair product and politics. We see church in the same way (a waste of precious weekend downtime), and I can ask him if my tie matches my suit. We both like eating except he works it all off while I... play poker and run NBA fantasy leagues.
Anyway, we both think of each other as fairly rational, level-headed people. We have mutual respect for how the other thinks, arrives at his conclusion, and expresses his opinion.
But, I cannot, for the life of me, understand his choice in music. And the confusion is mutual. He likes Justin Timberlake, Jason Mraz and Maroon 5. I like Arcade Fire, Broken Social Scene and The Magnetic Fields. He says he loves pop and is proud of it. I say he loves pop and I hold his choice in contempt. I say I like my independently-produced alt/folk/electronic/shoegazer/displaced era music, and he calls it obscure and hipster. He likes the craftsmanship and production value of his music, I like the raw authenticity of mine. Hell is other music.
The only possible common ground is some OPM. Most of the time, it's relatively peaceful. Until we're in one car with one iPod hook-up. Then there can only be one.
