EPISODE #46: Music as a Medium (A Redo of Challenging our Biases)

Kitchen Table Conversations with Angela Geddes

Using music as a medium. Let’s take another listen to this episode, which originally aired as EPISODE #44: Challenging Our Biases Around People Who Don't 'Work', and the song recently released by Dean Brody called Broke. I think it warrants another listen with a little more explanation as to why this discussion should come home to your Kitchen Tables.

Here is a link to his song and I encourage you to have a listen. He refers to things that don’t work as “Broke”. The metaphor is brilliant and it’s no surprise coming from such a gifted songwriter, but how would you feel if you struggled with employment and no matter how hard you tried, you didn’t fit in, or it just didn’t work out as you had planned?

With all we say we are doing to reduce the stigma around mental health, I believe we can do better. I caution all to me mindful of intention, and to not be too judgemental. I’m not a fan of cancelling people we don’t agree with, and I realize that “we only know what we know.” I began these Kitchen Table Conversations to promote healthy and curious discussion with the hope to allow people to see things from “the other side of the tree” to quote one of my dear Canadian Veteran’s that I am supporting, who ironically was quite broke following his time spent in the Military.

Once again, I love Dean Brody and so many of his brilliant songs. I don’t know him personally but know many who do; all of which have nothing but great things to say about him. He has every right to express his opinion about working hard for ourselves and our family. I get it. But… I see people in my studio every single day, who would love to work and go to school, but experience significant and legitimate challenges in their efforts to be successful due to their hidden disabilities. We need to understand that if ‘laziness’ was the reason for people to not work, it would be an easy solution. Let’s re-think this please and do what we can to reduce the stigma for people experiencing complex mental health conditions.

Pink said it best when she said, "you wanna talk about hard work... building a bed out of a cardboard box is hard work..." From the song, Dear Mr. President.

There are other thoughts that sometimes perpetuate our negative biases and harsh judgements. Have a listen and take these chats back to your tables.