I don't feel real confident expressing myself except when I'm writing. I feel kind of scatterbrained. I can see everything from both sides and that makes it hard to reach conclusions. Writing enables me to clarify things. Conor Oberst More Quotes by Conor Oberst More Quotes From Conor Oberst Popular music is all about traveling at the speed of you and elevating the individual as the highest thing in the world. Conor Oberst individual speed world Each Desaparecidos's song has a seed that it came from. We're trying to take that and broaden it out and make it resonate with people. Conor Oberst song trying people In a way, to have whatever people talk about as "crossover success," I think it means you start making bad music. I mean, when I'm flipping through the channels and see the VMAs or something, I don't really see any music there. Conor Oberst mean people thinking I've given up trying to understand what people think about me. Conor Oberst trying people thinking If there's ever a kid out there that can't afford to buy the music, I still want them to hear it, and hopefully they'll go to the show, or buy a T-shirt from the band. That's the idea. Conor Oberst band kids ideas It's in vogue to have a cause and give money in charity. But to actually speak up and say something like, I'm pissed about this" - that doesn't seem to be very popular unless you're writing a blog or tweeting. Conor Oberst charity writing giving I've been part of running a label since I was a kid, so I understand how it works. But the more and more I learn about it, the less and less interested I am in it. Conor Oberst labels running kids It's hard to get people to focus on one idea. Conor Oberst focus people ideas Rastafarianism and reggae music have always kind of resonated with me. Those ideas of redemption, liberation and overcoming oppression through music, weed and community. Fighting evil through love and music, I think it's just a really powerful idea. Conor Oberst weed powerful fighting Much of appreciating art or music is really the interpretation of the listener. To a certain extent it's projection - it's what people need or lack in themselves that they then put upon these people that they admire. Conor Oberst appreciate people art I think different musical collaborators bring out different qualities in my songs and I like that. Conor Oberst musical song thinking Maybe there's a different story when it comes to hip-hop or different genres, but as far as rock music goes, I think there is a sort of fear of saying things people might be apt to criticize. Our band is the opposite of that. Conor Oberst rocks opposites thinking We, the Desaparecidos, are perfectly prepared for people to hate what we're saying or not like what we're saying. Conor Oberst prepared hate people My feeling is that I think writers in general tend to be self-conscious and it takes a bit of a leap of faith or just not giving a sh-t to write something you know people are going to criticize. Conor Oberst self writing thinking Desaparecidos try to be the opposite of apathetic. There are so many young people in America that are apathetic. Conor Oberst opposites america people We're going to sing about things that matter to us. The balancing act is to present these ideas but also make the music exciting and sort of fun enough that even if you're not paying attention to the lyrics, you might still like the songs anyway. That's the idea. Conor Oberst song fun ideas I think that hip-hop is more of an individual effort. That means you're an artist from the streets, they expect you to rap about the streets, because that's what happens there. Conor Oberst rap mean thinking I believe that vinyl will outlast CDs. There's no reason for it, but it stays around because there are still people that want them. Conor Oberst cds believe people I'll never understand how destroying families through deportation benefits our society. How we treat the undocumented says a great deal about us as a people and whether or not we'll continue to fulfill the fundamental American promise of equality and opportunity for all. Conor Oberst equality society opportunity people Movement has been one of the few constants in my life, and I always feel a great sense of optimism when I set off to a new place. Conor Oberst my-life feel great life