Sometimes, you can't help but feel discouraged with the world. Open up a magazine, and you see glossy pictures of men who spend their lives obsessively bench-pressing and women who spend theirs obsessively starving. Open up a newspaper, and you see people squabble, bully, and push each other for an obnoxious moment to declare their big-worded ideas. Walk to school, and you're confronted by a system that classifies your intelligence with a letter and your likeability on your clothes and friends. Look around, and you may find that people are preoccupied with the most shallow things: looks, power, and reputation.

You may be one of the few who acknowledges the superficial ways of the world, but you're just one person. How are you supposed to stand against these trends and not get swept away by them? Simple. Keep a good hold on your closest friends and family, and keep yourself grounded with good music that reminds you of what is actually important in life. allkpop has a couple of selections in mind to help get you started!

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PART 1: LOL, Life

Sunny Hill's "Is the White Horse Coming?": In a dismal world such as this, it's best to stay positive, brush off the shallow judgments that come your way, and even humor yourself by laughing at the standards of society. While upbeat tunes such as Big Bang's "Dirty Cash" and Super Junior's "Oops" mock the materialistic, vain, and arrogant, Sunny Hill, with their funky style and sound, similarly point out the flawed ways by which people categorize each other, and consider that as long as we know that their groundless opinions don't mean anything, we don't have to follow along.

First Verse:
Don't judge [me] based on my face and don't inquire after my education and
don't check out my body, come on!
Stop [asking] what kind of car I have, [what kind of neighborhood] I live in,
what my father does [for a living], come on!

Chorus:
Who dissed you? What did they dare to diss [you about]?
I mean, there's a person who loves you right here.
[So] who dissed you? A heart-scarring diss?
It's just words [they're saying] without [actually] knowing you.
Throw those kind of people away.

Recommended by backstageparade on tumblr.

Additional Recommendations:

Big Bang - "Dirty Cash"



Super Junior ft. f(x) - "Oops"



PART 2: The Rebellion


Fame-J's "Pride": When it's not enough to simply ignore what people think of you, that's when you declare war and stand up for yourself. From Brown Eyed Girls' argument against censorship in the music industry, to B.A.P's call for the weak to rise against the strong, nearly everyone has something to fight for. Fame-J's own battle anthem is especially empowering, as featured artists Block B's Zico, Okasian, New Champ, San. E, and Jo Hyuna each share their personal stories that justify their interest in an unpopular genre, hip hop, and impart the wisdom of sticking to your passions no matter what anyone says.

Hook:
The fact that I do hip hop may be funny to you, but (hip hop)
this is my damned pride, my obstinacy, my stupid pride (hip hop).

Okasian's first couple of lines:
When I started [it was a] hobby, now it's my career.
It just turned out like this, but I will never
get tired of this path because I feel happy,
and even up ahead I don't see a sign [that I will ever get tired of it].
My feet are already stuck deeply [on this path].
When I look around, there are so many hearts that easily change.
Right now this feeling is [something] I'm feeling by myself,
there's no one that can cut me, or listen to my wishes, so?
Keep it movin' that's all playa.
Don't rest, right now is the time. The darkness is [now a part of] yesterday.

Recommended by sammyje on tumblr.

Additional Recommendations:

Brown Eyed Girls - "Sixth Sense"



B.A.P - "Power"



Recommended by rosarubicundiorliliocandidior, yhkoac, and gsmileys on tumblr.

PART 3: The Retreat


Clazziquai's "Take a Walk": It gets tough having to defend yourself all the time. At some point you may feel misunderstood, misjudged, and very much alone. But rather than letting the haters eventually get to you, consider taking a moment to be quiet and simply listen to a comforting melody. Clazziquai's song, with its soothing piano-playing and angelic vocals, will particularly wash over and ease your troubled mind, as it directs your attention to the beauty that still survives in this otherwise flawed world.

Chorus:
Do you feel lost in your place?
No one seems to understand your mind.
Does anyone care to know what is it
that troubles you inside?
Do you feel lonely in your heart
though everything seems to be right?
Take a walk with me,
away from everything that makes you to cry.

Additional Recommendations:

Epik High ft. Clazziquai - "Even Alone"



Nell - "Beautiful Day"



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With that, we conclude our social critique-themed playlist! We hope that this varied selection of songs can be a source of encouragement to those who feel like they're struggling against the ways of the world. Don't forget to comment below with your own suggestions, and follow us on allkpop tumblr to contribute to our next compilation for Music Therapy!