They Laughed Me Out Of Class, Out Of Town And...

Um, it was high school. Not such an easy time to get through. Most people are still trying to figure out who they are/where to go? Peer pressure makes it all the harder to figure out. You seem to be blaming Janis.

So she was an outcast. Was it all her fault? Or was some of the fault due to most people (in Port Arthur, Texas) believing racism was cool, and Janis had the guts to say: Fuck this shit. I'm out of here. I dig Lead Belly and Bessie Smith. I like the blues, not Pat Boone. No white girl in that town had dared to speak the truth before. She was honest. That's why they hated her so.

P.S. This is in response to RooRshack's last post...

 

Reading this post spurred a binge-reading about Janis Joplin episode. Sounds like the high school reunion was an unpleasant experience for her, after all. All the fame in the world can't stop assholes from being assholes, I'm sure her classmates found reasons to scorn her, ignore her, or make her feel like that outcast 15 year old, once again. Sometimes the past is best left in the past. I can understand why she went, though.

I sort of love her. Her passion for life was so great, but she didn't know how to direct it. Couldn't control it. I read an article, once, comparing her passion to what it might look like manifested on opposite side of the spectrum, in Mother Theresa. It went on to describe Princess Diana as a person with the same type of lust for life, but as someone with the ability to moderate it. Here is the article, if you're interested: http://www.beliefnet.com/Wellness/2000/04/The-Holy-Longing.aspx (has some unfortunate religious overtones, but oh well).

 

What do you think I'm blaming her for?

This thread seems to be about you not understanding her knowing who she was and being strong about it.

I don't know anything about the events in question, but you seem to be the one blaming her, or not understanding her taking the reasonable and stronger course of action - what would you prefer she did, hide from people who called her nasty names before she became rich and influential?

 

Right. So do the research, then we can have an intelligent debate

 

Thank you! Mother Teresa is somebody I admire as much as Janis Joplin: Both believed in defending outcasts. Only Janis did it the American way, while Mother Teresa did it as best she could in India. You're the first person I've encountered to make such a connection. Today is a very special day

 

I don't need to, and there's nothing to debate....

You said, texas wasn't kind to her, why would she go back.

Well, for the reasons I said. No need to debate, it's pretty simple.

Once I got violently robbed for my pot in college, why would I go back, as texas college was obviously not kind to me? Well because college was great and texas is great, even if not everybody is great. And even if it wasn't, to rub my success in my enemy's faces.

 

She wanted her family's approval. Period. And since her family was so hopelessly traditional, she tried to go home again (which can't ever be done) and make a town without pity love her so her family might love her too. In Myra Friedman's book about Janis (Buried Alive) Joplin's mother told Janis she wished she'd never been born. This was less than two months before Janis died. Hell, I wonder why Janis was so fucked up when she left Texas?

Yet she still managed to record most of Pearl. And "Me and Bobby McGee" became a classic. That's how Janis showed Tex-Ass that she was the real deal. And Texas was just the oyster she finally got away from.

 

it's not what you know, it's who you know.

 

Damn it, don't take know for an answer

 

Am I the only one that liked high school?

There were lots of good people, lots of whom I still keep in touch with. Good times were had by all.

 

I had a good time in high school, i bullied a bit and got a bit bullied. Hey we were all clueless kids I don't really see it as MY high school though and also doubt if i would go to a reunion. Certainly not if i would be famous (aint got no time fo that!)

 

i enjoyed it for the most part. i don't think i had implied otherwise.

 

I went to one. It was mildly amusing, with a few surprises. I don't feel the need to do it more than once. I've moved on.

My high school was in a town that was mostly traditional, conservative assholes, but there were a few cool people who were into classic rock.

There's a lot of that going on with my HS class too.

That was a common approach in the sixties and seventies. My sister was very much like that.

It would be damn tempting to rub their noses in it. :devil:

Having a good life is the best revenge on your enemies.

 

I did not like high school at all, but loved college.

I lived in Texas for 4 loooong years....God forsaken place. lol

 

I had fun in high school. Lots of friends, male & female. Started a hot rod club called the Commoners. When a school dance was called off once because of some slight the administration took personally, (hey--a firecracker in the study hall was not THAT serious. Promoted levitation, so I heard,) we just had our own dance in a building ACROSS FROM THE HIGH SCHOOL, and hundreds came. my friends sister owned the building and we had the friendly cop come and chaperone, so there was nothing school authorities could do.

I heard that there was some studying going on somewhere around there---never did find out where!

 

college was fun

kept up straight A's and 40's.....

i was always more about studying than partying....

 

5 days of studying, 2 days of partying.

 

yep, i had mostly A's and drank a lot of 40s too.

college is dumbed down so much at this point that actually spending time studying would be basically pointless anyway.

 

While you may have downed few 40s in college, did you follow tradition by pouring some on the ground for your dead homies?

BTW: I think she meant 4.0s.


Hotwater

 

Thank you, Hotwater.....4.0....yes.........i never excelled in typing, though, and i am glad it was never a class i took....

IIMU may have drank those 40's though.....lol