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Beware of sweeping generalizations.

Here’s my story here: Our company recently was spun off from a parent and IPO’d and all the works. Yesterday were the celebration lunches. So, they have a CD player playing “Inspirational music” Songs like It’s a Beautiful Day, You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet, and assorted stuff that people from the HR department (who have clearly lost touch with reality) decided would make us all happy. Well, on comes Cheeseburger in Paradise (We were outside). Needless to say, I was happy…for like 5 seconds. Then it all stopped...

Background:
Our operation is a mix of office and production. The production dept is a union shop and is hard core blue collar. We also have a large minority contingent (Sweeping generalization alert).

The CD player was at a table with a group of people who hail from Jamaica or somewhere down island. I know this from the abundance of dreadlocks and Rasta accents. They heard the start of Cheeseburger and immediately shut off the CD player, announcing “We don’t listen to that kind of music”.

Uproar ensued as people tried to explain that management said that we HAD to listen to the CD. (Nothing like imposing rules on an otherwise fun activity). They relented, only if Jimmy would be skipped.

Now, I tell you all this so I can ask this:
What’s the deal with that? Me, late 20’s white boy (AKA the MAN (and yes, those of us in the office are accused of keeping the people in the back down)) was happy to hear Jimmy. The large minority contingent at work here was disgusted to hear him.

Is this common? Are Parrotheads a racially diverse group? I have no idea. That’s why I ask.

I’m not trying to start a race riot; I just found it very curious how viciously certain people reacted to Jimmy’s music. Anyone else seen this in the past?

Based on what I've seen at live shows, I would assume that the demographic of the average fan is 18 to 65 yo caucasion middle class to upper middle class.

There are always exceptions of course but...

Lee...you are caucasion???? I have seen your dread locks!!

Remember the song Jamaica Mistaka...

I started this thread long, long ago.
http://www.buffettnews.com/forum/viewto ... highlight=
Got a few interesting responses...

Interesting responses indeed. It's inetresting....and worth observing.

I've also noticed that it seems to be a more upper-middle class group. Of course, that could be more of a reflection of where I'm from (Central/NW NJ). I'm one of the whitest dudes on the planet. Never ask me to dance. elaine from Seinfeld's got mad moves next to me.

I got no problem with anything. Like him if you do, don't if you don't. I just found the near-violent reaction to him interesting.

I've also noticed that people seem to be one way or another when it comes to Buffett. A lot of people hate the music. A lot of us love it. there ain't a whole bunch in the middle. Funny, how something that we all see as so mellow and fun is really not liked by many.

A lot of people that I've talked to about Buffett that didn't like him said it was mostly because of the FANS! I just don't get it. Parrotheads are the nicest people that you'll ever run into. I wouldn't quite call us "mellow" per se, but we're definitely laid back. Some people just don't get it I guess.

Just a parakeet wrote:Beware of sweeping generalizations.


The CD player was at a table with a group of people who hail from Jamaica or somewhere down island. I know this from the abundance of dreadlocks and Rasta accents. They heard the start of Cheeseburger and immediately shut off the CD player, announcing “We don’t listen to that kind of music”.

Maybe they are vegitarians?

Just a parakeet wrote:Interesting responses indeed...
A lot of people hate the music. A lot of us love it. there ain't a whole bunch in the middle. Funny, how something that we all see as so mellow and fun is really not liked by many.

I guess it's kind of like rap or opera... I don't "get" either one,
although I can enjoy certain smidgens of both, but there are legions of
afficionados who would be shocked at anyone not loving "their" music.
(Is rap really music??? It all sounds just the same to me, but with
different combinations of the same offensive "lyrics". Kinda like Taco Bell food. )

Talon wrote: Parrotheads are the nicest people that you'll ever run into. I wouldn't quite call us "mellow" per se, but we're definitely laid back. Some people just don't get it I guess.

This is exactly the reason I hang out with ParrotHeads! I can listen to
Bubba on my own, but the people who enjoy his music are never
confrontational or mean, at least when the music is going. Even falling
down drunk, they don't get belligerent. Pleasant drunks en masse are
hard to find elsewhere.

BTW, the "Frantic" poster in that other thread only hung around long
enough to thoroughly offend people in that and one other thread.
I guess nice people can scare off the baddies sometimes.

Interesting topic, and I must say that while at the Pittsburgh concert I noticed how white the crowd was and it just jumped out at me....although the chick tailgating next to me was a cute little Norweigian...does that count as a minority?

Seriously, I have found that there seem to be two groups of people...those that understand my fascination with JB, and those that humor me when I tell them I am a Parrothead.

Bottom line...I think that we are just freaks.....

Well consider if you were someone who only knew JB is the guy who did Cheeseburger and Margaritaville... and you knew that he had LEGIONS of uber-diehard fans.

I'd probably think it was stupid too.

thats all i need, more people trying to get tickets, glad they dont like him Do love Jamaica, Negril to be exact, and the reggae music they plat there in open bars Maybe cux Jimmy cant grow dreads?

I have wondered this for a while. Since I assumed Jimmy played a very laid back style of music, everybody must like his music.

Last year when I attended my first concert (Nissan Pavilion) I expected to see people of all races. My reaction, almost instantly, was wow everybody here is white. The only minority I saw, and I am not trying to be funny, was one in handcuffs. He was with a white guy being escorted to a cop car.

All year I thought this was me rememering things poorly. We took a friend to the concert who had not been to one before. Almost instantly she asked, "How come there are only white people here?"

Yes, I'd also agree that the phans are middle-class whites.

I totally understand that some people don't LOVE Jimmy as we do, but I what I can never get is such a strong negative reaction that they refuse to listen. For example, even if you don't love rap or opera, you probably wouldn't INSIST that it be turned off at a party. You could tolerate it.

The only thing I can offer as an explanation is that maybe they resent Buffett - a lot of islanders are pretty resentful of the white tourists that go down there (especially in Jamaica) and I think Buffett represents that type of lifestyle. But who knows ...

Let's face it raceism= narrow mind no getting over it, when I was growing
up I had issues, but spent 1/2 a year in Hawaii where I was a minority.
Found out we are all who we are not What we are. If you are a @#***ing
jerk I don't care if you are purple you are still hard to deal with.
If you are laid back and less intollerant and demanding again,
from Mars ok by me. I'll listen to your music,eat your food ,hang out with
you because if you are this type you will be the same as I am
IE. listen to my music , and hang out with me we can all share and have
a better time for it

Hmmm, as this is the 25th year of having Jimmy in my life I have found that you are either really into Jimmy's music/lifestyle or way out of it. I have friends that make fun of my fascination, and others who are believers also. Color, Creed, Religion are no matter. All are represented and accepted.

While living on Island time I have found the majority of parrotheads to be laid back middle class white folks with the taste for adventure. Jimmy's life told through song helps us relate. We live our lives vicariously through his music albeit for just a short time. Then we go back to our drudgery and less than Buffett type lives. I don't think any of us would pass on changing lives with Jimmy. Who wouldn't want "The Best Summer Job on Earth"??? The moneys good, The Honeys are good, Sun, Fun and more sun! Just think, someday you could run into a chum with a bottle of rum and end drinking all night.

PD

And that wouldn't be a bad thing!!

That is, the drinking all night thing!

What's really wierd is ... there's more Margaritaville stores per capita in Jamaica that ANY other location...

Hmmmm...

SwissArmyKnife wrote:What's really wierd is ... there's more Margaritaville stores per capita in Jamaica that ANY other location...

Hmmmm...

Hey, SAK, think that might be the problem?
"Familiarity breeds contempt"?