"Is This obsession Healthy"

[Schmeg]

I would be watching mindless TV myself if it weren't for U2 and especially this board. I think it's healthier to read and write stuff here rather than have the TV tell you what to think.

It's funny...I was wondering the other day about my little obsession and subsequent Interference addiction. Real life has gotten in the way lately, but I found U2 songs helped me through it (it was some really crappy real life). Have you ever listened to Walk On for almost an hour straight because Bono KNOWS it aches and your heart it breaks and you STILL have to drive to work?

So I may freak out my family and my coworkers make fun of the amount of U2 CD's in my collection. The music helps me through the bad days and highlights the good ones. Bono has opened my mind to the world outside my door, at a time when I really needed a kick in my self-centered ass. There are far worse things to be obsessed with.

 

[IWasBored]

i've listened to walk on for over an hour straight

 

[Kariann]

Have you ever listened to Walk On for almost an hour straight because Bono KNOWS it aches and your heart it breaks and you STILL have to drive to work?

Just this week as a matter of fact after a crap day at work...cd was in the car, turned up the volume and belted out that baby right along with Bono.

 

[LarryMullen's POPAngel]

I don't want to think about life without music, period, but especially without U2's. They've gotten me through a lot of things, things that other songs/artist's never really could get to the heart of like they can. Plus, so many great things have come out of my love for this band. I met my oldest friend because we both loved them (I saw her wearing an Achtung Baby t-shirt the day we met), I met my first real love because we both loved them, etc.

I think it's just like following a sports team, etc. It boils down to it being a hobby, something we do because we're passionate over it. Some people may take that too far, but overall I think we're a pretty sane group of fans.

 

[DebbieSG]

My love for U2 goes further than just appreciating their music. I follow thier concerts, I read into thier lyrics deeply and I go to these boards on a daily basis. Is this healthy for us? I know a lot of the readers here are the same way... many are much worse. What would you guys be doing with your "U2 time" if there was no U2? Would you be a different person? Would you have been the person to cure AIDS if you didn't devote so much time into worshiping U2? What would your life be like good or bad?

are you kidding? i wouldn't KNOW about AIDS if it weren't for Bono and U2 tours...

i wouldn't know the ABBREVIATIONS for song titles, the likes of which i could never MYSELF remember...

i would see the world as just a boring ROSE GARDEN, filled with the bouquet of natural perfumes...

i would barely get any jokes about LEMONS, for that matter...

i would be simply a fly on wet sandpaper, i think...

 

[IWasBored]

but if you weren't a u2 fan, would you care about jokes about lemons? abbreviations also wouldn't be necessary. if you simply didn't care about hold me thrill me kiss me kill me, you wouldn't care about knowing what HMTMKMKM stands for, now would you?

as for not knowing about aids...that's like people who had no idea what the word 'sandinista' meant before the clash titled their album that. you SHOULD have found out about these things without the music, but...

 

[popsadie]

Why Should I have known what Sandanista was before the clash....I can't know everything...can't learn everything...and in all honesty, I never would have thought that information was worth taking the time to know before I was made aware of it....

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

I think my "obsession" with U2 is really opening my eyes to things.

For instance, I mean, AIDS and poverty and everything along that line-I cared about those issues and was concerned about them and everything before I really got into U2, but after getting into U2 and after hearing Bono talk about how incredibly serious the problem is in Africa in particular, I've really started paying more attention (like I said, I paid attention before...I just had no idea exactly how serious the problem really is). And thanks to Bono's take action attitude about this whole situation, I'm more inclined to do something-Bono's my motivational speaker. .

And it's really nice for me, because here's a band whose music can have spiritual tones at times...but it's not preachy music. And coming from a town where church is a big part of practically everyone else's lives except for mine, it's nice to find a band I can listen to whose beliefs are more in tune with mine. I like that.

And I think U2 has made me more creative and ponder more interesting things. I mean, I hear their music, and their lyrics are very deep and profound, and that makes me think about many things-perhaps what that song I heard was about, or about a topic similar to something mentioned in a song.

Then I see their videos and I see clips from their whole ZooTV thing and the Achtung Baby things and all that...and it inspires me artistically, or it inspires me to write something creative.

I don't know how my life would be without U2 now that I'm a fan of them-if I woke up one day and everything U2 related was completely gone, it'd be weird-I wouldn't know what to do.

Plus, I've come here, and gotten to meet a lot of really neat people (I'm glad I stumbled into PLEBA one day and decided to check it out, for instance-that place is absolute fun).

Not to mention, where else can I find a board that actually has little smileys of the band members of one of my favorite bands? Not even the Tom Petty boards I went to had those!

Yeah, U2's in my mind every day at some point and time...but I'm trying to control my obsession some so that it's not the only focus in my life, that I focus on other things, too. But U2 is a part of my life, and I'm glad they are.

Angela

 

[DebbieSG]

I think my "obsession" with U2 is really opening my eyes to things.

For instance, I mean, AIDS and poverty and everything along that line-I cared about those issues and was concerned about them and everything before I really got into U2, but after getting into U2 and after hearing Bono talk about how incredibly serious the problem is in Africa in particular, I've really started paying more attention (like I said, I paid attention before...I just had no idea exactly how serious the problem really is). And thanks to Bono's take action attitude about this whole situation, I'm more inclined to do something-Bono's my motivational speaker. .

And it's really nice for me, because here's a band whose music can have spiritual tones at times...but it's not preachy music. And coming from a town where church is a big part of practically everyone else's lives except for mine, it's nice to find a band I can listen to whose beliefs are more in tune with mine. I like that.

And I think U2 has made me more creative and ponder more interesting things. I mean, I hear their music, and their lyrics are very deep and profound, and that makes me think about many things-perhaps what that song I heard was about, or about a topic similar to something mentioned in a song.

Then I see their videos and I see clips from their whole ZooTV thing and the Achtung Baby things and all that...and it inspires me artistically, or it inspires me to write something creative.

I don't know how my life would be without U2 now that I'm a fan of them-if I woke up one day and everything U2 related was completely gone, it'd be weird-I wouldn't know what to do.

Plus, I've come here, and gotten to meet a lot of really neat people (I'm glad I stumbled into PLEBA one day and decided to check it out, for instance-that place is absolute fun).

Not to mention, where else can I find a board that actually has little smileys of the band members of one of my favorite bands? Not even the Tom Petty boards I went to had those!

Yeah, U2's in my mind every day at some point and time...but I'm trying to control my obsession some so that it's not the only focus in my life, that I focus on other things, too. But U2 is a part of my life, and I'm glad they are.

Angela

wow, that's just what i was thinking! only, you put it into words, and made it all sound rational and in good taste...i wish i were you, Angela, or someone who KNEW you! Maybe, at some future concert for wayward issue-avoiders, we can meet and discuss Bono's voice peculiarities and how many people can really dance and sing at the same time...though that may only happen in Miami...

 

[DebbieSG]

but if you weren't a u2 fan, would you care about jokes about lemons? abbreviations also wouldn't be necessary. if you simply didn't care about hold me thrill me kiss me kill me, you wouldn't care about knowing what HMTMKMKM stands for, now would you?

as for not knowing about aids...that's like people who had no idea what the word 'sandinista' meant before the clash titled their album that. you SHOULD have found out about these things without the music, but...

yes and no, because finding a good used car these days is often quite difficult.

i do care about HMTMKMKM, and the lyrics are even more important than the title, my .02!

also, i did not know about LA women until i heard the Door's song, so sometimes i think there is a need for rock stars to put their thoughts into words, though, of course, Bono does actually USE his words, rather than sing about the pain and anguish of neglected peoples on our planet...

but i get your point, IWasBored

 

[oktobergirl]

I try to control the obsession too.

I refuse to spend money on ebay, i'm not a collector so I don't need to have all the cd singles that come out. I used to "live " on here but I'm here less now.

I try to tell myself that U2 was my "research project" for a while. I've been into the bands music since I was 13 years old and a fairly informed fan. It was because of them that I heard about Amnesty and prisoners of war in high school. I joined and became the president of our high school Amnesty.
But like many, life gets in the way of anything that might turn into an obsession, and until March 2001 I can't say I knew THAT much about U2. I read Bill Flanagan's book, and I really wanted to know more about the band. It's been almost 2 years now and I'm back to the point where okay, i know a lot about this band, I know what their music means to me, but how is this helping me and the world?

there are other things I can do to help people. I credit U2's social attitudes and Bono as an inspiration for this. And I hope to continue being inspired.

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

wow, that's just what i was thinking! only, you put it into words, and made it all sound rational and in good taste...i wish i were you, Angela, or someone who KNEW you!

Wow, thank you. .

Originally posted by DebbieSG
Maybe, at some future concert for wayward issue-avoiders, we can meet and discuss Bono's voice peculiarities and how many people can really dance and sing at the same time...though that may only happen in Miami...

Maybe we could. That'd be cool.

Angela

 

[Kariann]

I think my "obsession" with U2 is really opening my eyes to things.

For instance, I mean, AIDS and poverty and everything along that line-I cared about those issues and was concerned about them and everything before I really got into U2, but after getting into U2 and after hearing Bono talk about how incredibly serious the problem is in Africa in particular, I've really started paying more attention (like I said, I paid attention before...I just had no idea exactly how serious the problem really is). And thanks to Bono's take action attitude about this whole situation, I'm more inclined to do something-Bono's my motivational speaker. .

And it's really nice for me, because here's a band whose music can have spiritual tones at times...but it's not preachy music. And coming from a town where church is a big part of practically everyone else's lives except for mine, it's nice to find a band I can listen to whose beliefs are more in tune with mine. I like that.

And I think U2 has made me more creative and ponder more interesting things. I mean, I hear their music, and their lyrics are very deep and profound, and that makes me think about many things-perhaps what that song I heard was about, or about a topic similar to something mentioned in a song.

Then I see their videos and I see clips from their whole ZooTV thing and the Achtung Baby things and all that...and it inspires me artistically, or it inspires me to write something creative.

I don't know how my life would be without U2 now that I'm a fan of them-if I woke up one day and everything U2 related was completely gone, it'd be weird-I wouldn't know what to do.

Plus, I've come here, and gotten to meet a lot of really neat people (I'm glad I stumbled into PLEBA one day and decided to check it out, for instance-that place is absolute fun).

Not to mention, where else can I find a board that actually has little smileys of the band members of one of my favorite bands? Not even the Tom Petty boards I went to had those!

Yeah, U2's in my mind every day at some point and time...but I'm trying to control my obsession some so that it's not the only focus in my life, that I focus on other things, too. But U2 is a part of my life, and I'm glad they are.

Angela

Angela-

Very well said...and couldnt have been done more perfectly!

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

Angela-

Very well said...and couldnt have been done more perfectly!

Thanks. .

Angela