Twenty Years Later

So today it has been 20 years. So much has changed and sadly, so much still remains the same. He lived before the internet, before 9/11, before the mindless oil grab in Iraq, before the financial meltdown, before the Arab Spring, before the election of Barak Obama, before the war on terror became a war on privacy, before the rise of smartphones and social media. He lived in a world that not longer exists.

Despite all this, the fundamentals of life have remained unchanged. Paraphrasing Michael Stipe, everybody still hurts. Drug abuse, heart break, domestic violence, family neglect, marital strife, bullying, poverty, social alienation, unemployment and mental illness are still as prevalent today as they were back then. People from different walks of life are still being victimized by the same demons. Maybe this is why so many of the younger generation are still looking for a modicum of solace in his music, journals, and lyrics. No wonder his face has been immortalized in vintage t-shirts everywhere.

Perhaps also for this reason, many will remember the anniversary of his untimely death in their own personal ways. Pearl Jam and REM once recorded a song, Neil Young an entire album. I have written about my reaction to his death and outlined the lasting impact that he had on my life. There is really nothing more I can add to that. May God have mercy on his soul and allow him to finally rest in peace.

Kurt Cobain 1967 – 1994