Would you admit that you listen to stoner bands?

One of my favorite bands is the Grateful Dead, which definitely gets a reputation as being a stoner & druggie band. I listen to them a lot during work, and I feel awkward when people see them on my spotify. Last summer, I told my coworkers that I was going to a Dead concert, and one of them replied "I didn't think that you smoked."

I don't care if people think I do drugs (full disclosure, I don't smoke/do drugs). I'm more worried that people would think that I'd be less competent or able to perform at work. Because of the stereotypes associated with listening to these kinds of bands, would you tell your coworkers that you listen to stoner bands?

 
Best Response

I'm a huge Deadhead/jam band guy myself. Of course there is a somewhat "negative" stigma associated with that scene, insofar as the jam band scene represents the antithesis to what Wall Street typically represents. I've had these conversations many times myself so I know where you are coming from and I know how awkward it can be.

My usual response is that I can enjoy the music without partaking in what usually goes along with it. Just like you can enjoy EDM without being someone who loves rolling face, you can enjoy the jam scene without being a total burnout hippie. I also follow up with points about how diverse the fan base of the jam scene is: plenty of middle aged mom's and dad's with kids and regular jobs at these shows that definitely aren't ripping grav bongs in their spare time.

Another note, if your coworkers are judging you that seriously on the music you listen to, is that really a culture you want to be a part of long term?

 

When I saw them last summer, John Mayer really blended in well. I think he was born to sing Casey Jones. For sure going to see them at least once this summer.

"He was an idiot! He was a bouncer who got his Series 7" - Josh Brown
 

I talk about music all the time. I listen to metal, classic rock, jam, country, blues and classical. If you are performing well no one is going to care if you are listening to talk radio, dismember or the Grateful Dead.

Only two sources I trust, Glenn Beck and singing woodland creatures.
 

That's an interesting point, in my own hypocritical perception, people that listen to death metal are the weird ones. I need to work on that. I like the misfits, but that's more hardcore punk.

"He was an idiot! He was a bouncer who got his Series 7" - Josh Brown
 

I can be a bit of an outlier in terms of societal norms. Also, I am definitely more thrash vs death in terms of metal. I guess with my metal buds, who i have unfortunately not seen in some time, I was sort of like mike from slc punk. We would hang out and the general consensus was "who the fuck is this guy." However, we saw eye to eye on a lot of shit and I could throw down on a guitar.

Only two sources I trust, Glenn Beck and singing woodland creatures.
 

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