The Critical Condition is a cultural contradiction. I’m trying to create a casual space for serious critical thinking–a space that feels relaxed and welcoming, yet also thoughtful.

I’m trying to do that because in this country, thought is often derided as the enemy to friendliness. We’ve all seen movies that celebrate ignorance as a virtue (Forrest Gump, for example), and we’ve all see seen muscleheaded heroes triumph over evil geniuses

Many politicians also insist that you can’t trust someone with too much education. As Kristi Keck wrote for CNN.com:

Republicans for years have successfully labeled Democratic presidential candidates as the liberal elite. Portraying their rivals as latte-sipping, sushi-eating insiders, Republicans have connected with some voters by arguing that they understand the values important to the everyday person.

And if these elite-baiting politicians do go to good schools, they spin it as a positive if they don’t do very well, like when George W. Bush told a class of Yale undergrads that C students can still become president.

But I don’t buy it. We can all engage in deep thinking, and it won’t make us jerks. Thoughtfulness isn’t just the province of a special group, but the birthright of all people. It’s even one of the democratic qualities that America was founded to nurture.

Therefore, I want The Critical Condition to flaunt the supposed gulf between criticism and fun. I want to have debates in slang and funny accents. I want the community on this site to embody the fact that thinking isn’t elitist.

And when I want to remind myself of that, I listen to these songs.

Crank That Hit! after the jump…

(1) “Love Lockdown” by Kanye West — I wrote about this song a few days ago, but now that I’ve listened to it several times, I like it even more. For one thing, I love how aggressively weird it is–how Kanye’s voice is distorted and emotionless, even though he’s singing about heartbreak; how the drum beat pops up like an accident and disappears again; and how snatches of piano glide across the track like unfinished thoughts.

Really, it’s like the center of “Love Lockdown” is empty space, and the other elements–the vocals, the drums, the piano–are just asteroid fragments floating through the void. I’m listening to the song as I write this, and the emptiness is what I hear first. Does that make sense? All the sounds are like accessories.

Maybe that’s the point. Maybe Kanye is saying heartbreak, first and foremost, feels like a black hole.

But whatever he means, this song contradicts not only Kanye’s earlier work, but also the standard notion of how a pop song is supposed to work. Good for him for mixing it up to such a crazy degree.

(2) “No Children” by The Mountain Goats – For those following along at home, this song is number three on my iTunes top forty. I love The Mountain Goats, and I especially love this song, about a husband who hates his marriage so much that he hopes he and his wife both die.

But the weird thing? The song is upbeat, with a rollicking tempo and sing-along chorus. The energy makes the anger kind of funny, and the same goes for the lyrics, which are so over-the-top they’re ridiculous. “I hope I cut myself shaving tomorrow,” sings songwriter John Darnielle, “I hope it bleeds all day long.”

I get it, you know? Sometimes you get so angry that you want to throw a tantrum.

Note: The link up there has tinny sound quality, but it’s the only studio version of “No Children” I can find on YouTube.

(3) Your Turn! Normally, I’d do five of these, but I’ve got a big story to work on. So… what are songs that you think embrace contradictions?