Define core values. I don't mean that as a question for this context, but what do core values relate to in your life, because generally, I can't think of any values that are succinct and focused enough in anyone's life that haven't changed over time, and the ones that are broader are too broad such that if I make an action that violates that value, my human mind will cleanly warp that action to be in line with that value, and honestly believe it. It's simply what humans do.

More importantly, for all the hubskiers over the age of, say, 20, think of something you considered a core value you had when you were 16. Now think if that has changed since then, even a little; core values aren't supposed to change at all, so minor shifts are really glacial movements--an inch or two, but the movement of a continent is noteworthy.

I don't think it's possible to not change, and I'm glad for that. Consistency of believes means complacency, means entrenchment, means stagnation, means death-- of learning, of understanding, of opening to new ideas. A question like this that always comes up in my circle as an experiment of this:

Would you make bad music intentionally to make money or fame?

Who's going to answer 'yes' to that question that is passionate about music? But then, who that isn't passionate about music would say yes to that? Therefore, many times in the past, people passionate about music have said yes to that. We all agree it's bad, that selling yourself to a corporation and making disingenuous pieces degrades the value of something beautiful and creates a commodification of art that shouldn't be in place in that form (i.e. supporting an entity for money instead of an artist for sustenance.) But that fails to evaluate a lot of situations and reeks of western, upper-class privilege. No poor person on the street is going to turn down billions of dollars because they 'care about music'. And why not attempt to make something better of the industry, by having that avenue and attempting to create something good out of something you oppose? Like that glacial shift I mentioned above: at one point when this first came up when I was 16, I hated pop music. That's mostly because of top 40 radio, which I still despise every bit of, but over time I found things that fit that genre and made something great out of it. Bjork's work is pure sound art, through and through, and Sufjan Stevens Age of Adz created a veritable symphony by mixing modern and old techniques that's a hallmark of music of this century, no doubt. By definition, does that mean I violated, or at the very least, Sufjan violated his core values by taking something so foul and making good of it?

Perhaps that's moral relativism, but fuck if I know of a better form of advancement of man. There's always been speculation that Lincoln was a racist and there was documented fact that Wilson was sexist, but they freed the slaves and gave women the right to vote because, while they opposed it and didn't agree with it, they were able to recognize that it didn't matter, that they were wrong, or that there was more good to come from going against their core values. Those are grand people that should be praised, cynicism and doubts and values be damned. There are greater things to be done.