What Would Kurt Cobain Say About Social Media and Modern Fame?

I hated fame, man. I really did. The attention felt suffocating—like being trapped in a fishbowl while everyone tapped on the glass. Now I look at social media and it's like the fishbowl got infinitely bigger and everyone's voluntarily jumping in. People are performing their lives constantly, curating this impossible version of themselves for strangers. It's exhausting just thinking about it.

The thing is, I never wanted to be famous. I wanted to play music that felt true, music that connected with people who felt like outsiders too. But the industry chewed that up and spat it out as a brand, a product, a lifestyle. Now with social media, everyone's doing it to themselves. They're their own marketing departments.

What troubles me most is that authenticity—real vulnerability—gets commodified instantly. You share something genuine and suddenly it's content. It gets likes and comments and becomes currency. That corrupts the whole thing. When I wrote, I wasn't thinking about an audience judging me in real-time. I was trying to exorcise something from my soul.

But here's what I think could work: if you're going to participate in these platforms, use them to actually connect with people, not to perform. Share your real struggles, not your highlight reel. Make something that matters to you, not something designed to go viral. Protect the sacred parts of yourself—the parts that aren't for public consumption. And for God's sake, don't let it define your worth.

The loneliness I felt despite being surrounded by millions of fans—I wouldn't wish that on anyone. But I think a lot of young people are experiencing that same paradox now. Surrounded by followers but feeling completely isolated. That's the real danger of it all. You can have a thousand connections and still feel completely alone.