BACKGROUND
Rock Wisdom's author has over 15 years of professional work experience as a management and engineering consultant. Areas of specialty and experience include: systems engineering and analysis; systems design and integration; quality improvement/cost reduction analysis; process improvement analysis; human factors engineering; industrial psychology; operations management; business marketing/promotion; work force management; organizational/leadership theory; strategic planning; task/project management; and technical/scientific research and analysis. Education wise, the author has a Bachelors of Science in Engineering, and a Masters in Business and Administration (MBA).
The author does not work for, does not represent, and is not affiliated with any political group, grass-roots organization, think tank, special interest group, lobbyist, social cause, etc. The author is a 8 to 5-er, just like everyone else, except one of his interests is Rock and Roll trivia. The author does regularly vote, and encourages everyone to exercise their right and privilege by voting regularly. In addition, the author encourages all people to get involved in the political process.
On a personal side, the author has over 5 years experience as a volunteer tutor to inner city homeless children and as a volunteer community basketball coach to teenagers. Other interests include: swing and salsa dancing; playing sports and participating in athletic endeavors; creative writing; classical and modern art; volunteering in the community; and Rock and Roll trivia.
Although at one time the author was a lead singer in a "garage" band, he acknowledges that he has little musical talent. Even though he does not have musical talent, he does believe that he has a knack for identifying musical talent and potential talent. In addition, he has a gift for almost photographic memory of Rock and Roll trivia.
Rock and Roll is the authors favorite type of music because he grew up on it. However, at the same time, he also likes and appreciates almost all other types of music. With regards to personal tastes, Elvis and the Beatles are his absolute favorite artists. However, he has many other favorites, including numerous modern day acts.
ABOUT THE ESSAY AND COMMENTARIES
Regarding the essay and commentaries, it needs to be recognized that literally thousands of books have been written glorifying the entertainment industry and media. However, few really criticize or challenge them. Is the entertainment industry and media above reproach and criticism just because of mass idolization and millions/billions of dollars of money they make?
If anything, because the entertainment industry and media are constantly surrounded by mass idolization and money, they are the ones that need to be analyzed and challenged. In addition, if they are to be analyzed and challenged, then should not we the people who give the entertainment and media their power and money be challenged as well?
THE EVOLUTION OF THIS BOOK
One of the problems facing the author during the evolution of this particular book (note: there are numerous similar derivative works on the author's shelf), was how to challenge the entertainment and media and yet make an interesting and valuable reference source.
Originally, the book just consisted of thousand of "great song quotes." Commentaries and criticisms were limited only to a short essay in the front of the book. However, after professional legal review over copyright concerns, it was conservatively advised to expand the commentaries to each chapter/category.
This posed new challenges and discomforts with the author. New challenges emerged over what topics to write about and that the book would become too multi-functional such that there would not be a single theme/target audience. Would readers really want or be able to understand an ambitious book that tries to do everything (i.e., like a Swiss army knife)? And would it be effective at meeting any its objectives (if at all)?
Also, new discomfort emerged from the possibility of generating self-righteous and judgmental opinions. The author is fully aware that he is far from perfect and has his own personal failures. Then, "How dare he speak out in judgment and criticize anybody?" How is he no different from all the other self-righteous hypocrites that speak out in society???
So that was the position the author was placed in and the construction materials that he was given to build with. As it would turn out, half-way through the four year period of writing and researching the book and trying to get it published (i.e., finding an agent), the author experienced some personal events that provided guidance and eased the discomfort he was experiencing over these dilemmas.
During that time period, the author's dearly beloved grandmother passed away. The author was blessed and deeply enriched by knowing such a caring, loving, thoughtful, and joyous person. A person of extremely high moral quality and deep conviction.
Like many of her generation, she came from a large poor immigrant family at the turn of the century, where they started with nothing and nothing in life was taken for granted. During her 80 plus years she lived through two world wars, a great depression, flawed economic theories, numerous smaller wars/police actions, race riots/civil rights marches; anti-war riots/protests, drug/sex orgy cultures, starvation and disease on a global scale, political and social unrest/corruption, epidemics of divorce/single parent homes, scientific euphoria/abuse, etc.
Although there was so much turbulence and turmoil surrounding her life, her unconditional love for others, joy of life, and high ideals were always constant and never bending. In addition, she was a person of compassion, conscience, reserve, self-discipline, class, pride, strength, and inspiration. She was a product from an era where the word "lady" carried dignity and class and was an aspiration to learn, earn, and attain.
Besides raising several wonderful and successful children, she was an elementary school teacher for almost 30 years and specialized in working with children with learning disabilities. In addition to her love for teaching children, she was a devoted wife of 60 plus years to a husband, who also was an educator in the community for 40 plus years. 25 years after both of their retirements, their names and the positive impact on the lives of others still resonate with respect, admiration, and appreciation in the community.
Over the last 30 years, particularly the last 10 years, people like the author's grandparents have become a target of attack by the entertainment industry, media, and other segments within society. Their old ways seem "primitive, archaic, repressive, ridiculous, and out-dated." In addition, as the buying power shifted to the younger generations, the older generations became less powerful to the eventual point of being voiceless. With the lead from the all-knowing entertainment industry and media, the younger generations slowly and recklessly destroyed much of what the older generations worked so hard to try and build, which was only to try and build a better place/world for their children.
Not only did the younger generations question or take for granted the older generations ways and ideals, but they mocked, ridiculed, despised, and hated the ways of the older generations, while never taking responsibility or an honest hard look at the path of destruction and failure from their own new ways (or at least pausing humbly long enough to even consider any possible negative consequences from any of their actions). In effect, the younger generations have put the older generations (including the author's grandparents) on public trial without giving them a voice in self-defense or trying to understand the reasons and traditions behind their old primitive idealistic ways.
Though the author himself may not be worthy of judgment and taking such grand stances of righteousness because of his own personal failures, he does not feel any discomfort and will not hesitate to defend the older generation's ways and high ideals.
With this in mind, the essay and commentaries are dedicated "unapologetically" to the loving memory of his grandmother and all the good she represents. The author would like to thank her and her generation for setting higher standards to aspire to in life, and for their unrelenting heroic "24 hour a day effort" toward trying to make the world a better place, and believing that human beings have higher potential to aspire towards than settling for and celebrating human underachievement and absence of purpose.
THE AUTHOR WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK
Other people the author would like to thank (names have been abbreviated to protect the innocent): Carol T., Jim T., James A., Jon K., John C., Ian R., Pablo B., Terri E., Steve C., Susan A., Reese A., Diana C., Kathy P., Steve S., Barbara W., Pete W., Kevin G., Tom V., Laura Y., Kevin C., Nate K., Angela R., Marc M., Dave A., Mitch K., Jack C., Barry S., Eric L.
Also, would like to thank Mr. Clif McCann and Mr. John McGlynn and the rest of the professional legal staff at the law firm of Venable, Baetjer, Howard, and Civiletti. In addition, he would like to thank the professional legal staff at Lane, Aitken, & McCann. Furthermore, he would like to thank the entire professional staff at the United States Copyright Office. Finally, would like to thank those people who's web sites the author linked to (particularly all of the lyric web sites) as well as all of the web sites visited while performing research.