My Thoughts On YOLO

 

Now she want a photo
You already know though
You only live once: that’s the motto nigga YOLO
We bout it every day, every day, every day
Like we sittin’ on the bench, nigga we don’t really play
Every day, every day, fuck what anybody say
Can’t see 'em 'cause the money in the way
Real nigga what's up?


Above are the lyrics that triggered one of the biggest worldwide crazes in the last year or so. First of all, "You Only Live Once" is a motto that goes as far back as the 18th century so please don't get gassed and try tell me that the most rinsed out phrase this year was conceived from the great mind of Aubrey Graham because it bloody well wasn't.

What I will say is that the phrase which has been abbreviated to the much more memorable YOLO was made famous by the Young Money rapper/singer and he has helped transform it into a worldwide mantra that even Hindus and Felines embrace.

I have mixed views on it and in this post I will write about my thoughts on this half inspirational/half absurd expression.

I'll start of with the positives.

1. Firstly it is a helpful reminder that you do indeed only live once so you should use the time you have on Earth to have fun, be the best you can be, live life to the fullest etc. An unsettling high number of people live life either attempting to or successfully fitting in to what society wants with many looking back on their life regretting how they spent it. How many people have we seen working in a job that they had no aspirations of doing as a child? How many people do we see living a life that's far from their Plan A in life? So based on that discouraging observation, YOLO can be a good method of reminding yourself that you should live YOUR LIFE the best you can. Fair enough, I feel that.

2. YOLO could also give you the motivation you need to take chances you may not have taken otherwise. eg:- A man might see a woman he's attracted to but normally he wouldn't approach her because he isn't very confident but then YOLO pops into his head and that gives him the boost he needs to pursue his interest in the female. We all need a source of inspiration and if YOLO works for you then by all means use it.

Now here are my other thoughts.


1. I really didn't need Drake or anyone else to tell me that.

2. Some people are gassed and will simply use this as an excuse to do dumbness. Let's not forget that there is a fine line between being carefree and careless (virtue ethics people, get the balance right!). Living the YOLO lifestyle is not an excuse to walk through Brixton with an 'I hate Jamaicans' T-shirt or through Peckham with an 'I hate Nigerians' T-shirt. You will get f'd up and I will laugh at you.


Some chick even used YOLO as an excuse to get gangbanged. I'm being serious. This woman of ill repute should be living by YOHO instead of YOLO. As in Yo Ho (You Only Have One) so don't mess your tings up. 


For all the people who use YOLO to do these kind of things. Drake already said it, "Don't do it, please don't do it".


3. What annoys me is that I rarely heard anyone use the phrase 'You Only Live Once' but ever since Drake said it, it's now everyone wants to use it and live by it. WHY NOW?! Is this just further evidence that people won't do something until a famous person does it? Is this just proof that the world is full of followers and won't say or do something until it's popular? Is this proof that people will do anything just to fit in? Quite possibly. I'm amazed by Drake's cult-like following and how some of them, like lobotomised zealots (think of them peeps you gotta murk in Resident Evil 4), will live by the game of 'Drake says'. If a chick ever asks me to tattoo her name on me so she knows it's real, we're gonna have 'words'.

4. If Drake is all about the YOLO lifestyle why the hell does he make songs bitterly reminiscing over past love affairs? Everyone's different but if I was living by YOLO, I can't imagine me doing the things he did in the video below, I'd focus on things that would make me happy but as I already said everyone's different.

5. I don't blame Drake for the stupidity YOLO has caused. I can only blame the people, after all everyone is responsible for their own actions. He may have said YOLO but I don't remember him saying use it to do all types of BS and even if he did, it doesn't mean you have to listen.



Instead of living by YOLO why not live by something that makes more sense and would cause less regret like 'Carpe Diem' (seize the day in Latin). Then again YOLO has been a good way for me to see where someone's head is. I now have a better knowledge of certain people. If a person uses YOLO to do something that improves their life or as an excuse to do something stupid that's entirely down to the individual.

What do you think? Any interesting YOLO-related stories you'd like to share? 

Feel free to comment but please keep it civilised.

Peace Out!