Bruce Springsteen's State of the Union | Music News | Rolling Stone

I'm finally reading Jon Stewart's Rolling Stone interview with Bruce Springsteen. I like how Bruce answers this question about how he could possibly understand the plight of the common man. It's because he was one, and we never fully lose our past selves. We bring them with us always.

Bruce Springsteen's State of the Union | Music News | Rolling Stone
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/bruce-springsteens-state-of-the-union-20120329

Jon: I think people would look at it and go, "Jeez, you have all the creature comforts, how do you understand that?"But it's clearly something that was imprinted on you genetically in your soul. It just doesn't matter.

Bruce: We talk, we write, we think, and even as late in the day as I am, we experience so much through the veil of the formative years of our life. That never goes away.

I have a metaphor. I say, "Look, you're in a car, your new selves can get in, but your old selves can't get out." You can bring new vision and guidance into your life, but you can't lose or forget who you've been or what you've seen. New people can get in, but nobody ever gets out: The child from 1950, he doesn't get out. The teenager, the adolescent boy, no one can get out. They are with you until the end of the ride, and you're going to pass a certain amount of them on.

(via Instapaper)