I D Rather Be Hated For Who I Am Not By Kurt Cobain

“I'd rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I am not” said by Kurt Cobain, lead singer, guitarist, and lyricist of grunge band, Nirvana, is a reconstructed idea believed to be taken from Marilyn Monroe. Monroe has similarly stated "it’s better to be hated for what you are than to be loved for what you’re not." Marilyn was known to have a great interest in humanity, morality, and sanity. Kurt had quite an opposite perspective; he wanted to shelter himself from all forms of fame and popularity. It is believed that Monroe most likely died from suicide, as Cobain did. It is ironic that Cobain detested the spotlight, while Monroe adored it, yet both celebrities ended up having drug related problems and committing murder upon themselves.
Although small factors of the song are converse, the entire idea of the song breaks a rational boundary. How are people supposed to accept the meaning of the lyrics, if they identify them with their personal sense? Cobain genuinely does not care what his audience gets from the song, as long as he is doing as he wants. Cobain is known to be unique in the sense that he does not write music for fame, but because it is his passion. Cobain starts off a verse with “Come doused in mud, soaked in bleach,” which was initially the slogan for a heroin campaign. Dirty and clean are opposites, which could be an emotional or physical contradiction. Emotionally, this line is reflecting on the way society views itself, whether we have a “clean” or “dirty” way of viewing life. “Clean” meaning following your heart and mind, and “dirty” representing following the hearts and minds of society. On the other hand, this line is literally illustrating the juxtaposition between mud and bleach. Additionally, the first album by Nirvana is titled “Bleach,” which some believe to be intentionally used in the preceding quote, while others find to be a coincidence. Furthermore, Cobain struggled with addiction and depression, which lead to his suicide in which he shot himself in the head. He repeated “No I don’t have a gun”(Cobain) as the bridge to the song, which is ironic. These lines are ironic because he killed himself with a heroin “gun” and also a handgun. Cobain wants his listeners to do what they want without the threat of being judged, which is what the gun is