I never said that so please don't put words in my mouth. Here is what I said: "Ozzy was talented, innovative, crazy, hedonistic, a drug addict, an alcoholic and sometimes a madman, a husband and a father. But he was no Satanist, just a flawed human, like us all, barreling through life, trying to make sense of it all, looking for Salvation. I hope he's with God today."
Then you said, "You list the various ways individuals come to perdition. Why? A popular term in the venacular is “influencers”.
Sorry, you utterly ignored what my point was, even though I spelled it out precisely. Here is what I said: "Here's what I learned, first hand, about those "lost to the depths of neopagan, hedonistic decadence." And yeah, I've known a few of those folks: If it wasn't booze, it was endless women or men. If it wasn't women or men it was coke. If it wasn't coke, it was heroin. If it wasn't heroin it was pot, PCP, 'Ludes, uppers, downers - whatever it took for them to avoid themselves. And of all the wrecked and addicted folks I've run across through the years, it wasn't music that drove any of them towards the Abyss. It was themselves or their genes or their families or some horribly traumatic experience(s) or, most often, some combination of those things."
"Influencers" had nothing to do with it.
On the other hand, I do agree with you as far as the negative effect the broad culture, and those who shape and promote it, can have on the young goes. But let's face it - a society will only allow that which it finds acceptable to flood the public square. And, as far as young folks go, that "screening" is strictly up to parents and other adults.
My generation, and yours, failed young folks miserably by spoiling them and allowing them to do whatever they pleased. Collectively, we ply them with drugs like Adderall, Ritalin and antidepressants whenever they act up or show some spirit. When ghetto culture became chic in the '90s and kids were blasted with it non-stop as being "cool," we didn't stop that insidious, violence-worshipping, stupidity-worshipping, bling-worshipping, illiterate, misogynistic crap in its tracks. We, not some "influencer," allow our daughters to leave the house dressed like hookers and our sons to dress like prison thugs, slobs and clowns. We allow our kids to smoke dope, consume porn, stare at their phones all day, cover themselves in tatts, pierce themselves like pin cushions, we feed them antidepressants and help them avoid adulthood, So on and so forth. And that trend first kicked off when the "Greatest Generation," not wanting them to suffer as they had, spoiled their children terribly.
That being said, I laugh when some folks blame play-acting characters like Ozzy, who never called for violence or promoted leftist crap, for ruining the young.
Now, go listen to the Black Sabbath tune "War Pigs" and still tell me that Ozzy was a satanist.
We probably agree far more than we disagree. Yep it is incredibly difficult to raise children as they emerge from the cocoon of a loving family in modern day America. There no longer exists a common consensus of decently held values which they must navigate and develop. Our commitment to freedom allows all sorts of expression however good or base. Young people with various emotional needs, insights, guidance and intelligence are affected in different ways. We disagree about Mr. Osborne. You have an appreciation for art/music and easily get beyond his “satanic schick”. However I do not think many of those young people, vulnerable to celebrity worship, are quite as discerning. In my experience such identification with the satanic”schick” which includes public drunkeness and drug use may not be the defining factor in their degradation but it is a factor.
What I object is that celebrities like Osborne are routinely celebrated in the media and popular culture further validating their behavior. This is not likely to change but it does no harm on a reputable conservative site to express this opinion. Best wishes.