Photo via lookbook
You might remember the time I told u
abt how my little brother was turning alt [link]
Well it's official
The little mother fucker is 'way more alt' than me
Don't get me wrong
I'm a pretty alt bro myself
but this has gone 2 far
My little brother
is officially the alt-est dude at his suburban high school
I know it's not saying much
but you should see his hair
the clothes in his closet
his iTunes library
his Google Chrome bookmarks start page filled with alt blogs
his stack of college applications to relevant alt programs
his 'snarky beyond his years' attitude
He srsly reads more blogs than me
Downloads more music than me
Starting introducing me to a few bands that I actually like
Is probably going to get to go to my dream design/art/architecture school
Don't get me wrong
I'm happy for him
...but maybe I just see what is in his future
The drugs, the partying, the loss of mainstream innocence
I've gone down the alt road
And dare I say...
I want him to have a better life than I did
Here I am, a worthless 20something
Standing, watching my little brother
abt to go down the same road that I went down
x 100000000
'balls 2 the wall' alt
I want to have an intervention,
tell my parents abt the downfalls of being alt
Warn them
Make him go to a local state school and major in business/engineering
But it's his life
Who am I to intervene?
He's a good kid, doing well in school, tons of extracurriculars
but I know exactly what's gonna happen...
I don't want him to get hurt
I have gone 2 the edge of alt
and what do I have 2 show 4 it
A worthless degree, a dead-end job that is not in my creative field
and crushed dreams, a crushed soul
I'm not gonna tell u how 2 live ur life
I'm not gonna tell u what 2 do
I'm not gonna tell u what's authentic, what's not
I'm not gonna tell u 2 cut ur Flock of Seagulls alt haircut
Be ur own self
Be alt, u'll have fun
But just know
Ur personal brand is evolving
I want u 2 be who u want 2 b
I want u 2 be happy
But whatever u do
Don't end up like me, lil bro
Be alt...but be cautious
Some of the best moments of my life happened because I was alt...
But maybe...
just maybe...
I'd have more long term happiness
if I decided 2 be a mainstreamer.
I love u
Forever here 4 u,
Your formerly alt bro
PREVIOUSLY
My little brother is turning alt. Should I stage an intervention?
Do u have a sibling who is 'too alt' at a young age?
Are they 'authentic'?
Are the headed for a world of pain + disappointment + disillusionment?
Or are they going to live a fulfilling alt life, starting a relevant buzzband/blog/webzine?
Or will the 'fall hard', harder than the current crop of failed-alt 20somethings?