I don’t know if the angst-filled 16-year-old in me will ever go away. Maybe we all carry some version of that restless, disillusioned kid with us. I do know that if I had read Catcher in the Rye when I was 16, I probably would’ve “done myself in.”
It’s a theme that keeps surfacing in the media I love, Submarine, The Dirties, and now Bindlestiffs. Each of these stories captures the raw, unfiltered messiness of youth. The rebellion, the loneliness, and a desperate search for meaning in a world that feels indifferent.
Are we all just trying to soothe the young boy filled with all that inner turbulence? Maybe some people figure it out much quicker than others, while some will always feel like the catcher in the rye, standing at the edge of the cliff, trying to hold onto something slipping away.
Life, at its core, is a journey of self-exploration, stumbling through experiences, making stupid decisions, and hoping to come out the other side with some understanding of who we are. Bindlestiffs is chaotic, capturing that reckless energy of youth in a way that feels both absurd and deeply familiar. It’s definitely not for everyone, but for those who connect with it, it’s a reminder that we’re not alone in our turmoil.
