“So I’ve been watching you the entire night, and, um, some things that I’ve noticed – I’ve noticed that I’m not just seeing people nodding their head to the music politely. I’m seeing people, like, thrashing around and dancing so wildly, as if absolutely no one is watching you. Like no one’s around – you’re just, like, in your bedroom jamming. Um, I’m also not just seeing people mouth the lyrics – I’m hearing people screaming every single word so loudly. And let me tell you why that makes me so happy, because that kind of behaviour is free, and uninhibited, and warm – the way you treat us is open and welcoming. And, you know, these days there are millions of ways for people to tell you how to be, how to act in public, what’s cool, what’s not cool, what’s beautiful, what’s not. And it’s really easy to become completely preoccupied by the idea of trying to be cool. You have a lot of people who will try and make you feel like being cool is being unaffected, and unexcited, and cynical, and chill. But do you know what I think is being cool? It’s being happy. And you seem really happy tonight, Sydney! You know, when somebody criticises you, or says something behind your back – those words that they said about you, it’s like you feel like those words are written all over your face, all over you. And… and then, those words start to become echoes in your own mind. And then, there’s a real risk that those words could become a part of how you see yourself. The moment that you realise that you are not the opinion of somebody who doesn’t know you or care about you – that moment, when you realise that, it’s like you’re clean.”
