Pop Song Philosophy--The Greatest Love

I am very serious about this. And maybe all those damn liberal institutions are right to study pop culture...BUT they should study it not as a kind of entertainment but rather as a diagnostic for prognoses; it should be studied in political and moral philosophy courses because, let's face it, there is not philosopher that rules our world nor even one that informs our world leaders (unless we count the vile Rand and the glorifiers of greed); it should be studied in abnormal psychology courses and early childhood education. Our world order is based on the consumption of toys and this includes the consumption of entertainments. All is infantile mania and it is very easy to sell toys to toddlers.

Imagine a time when our future elites (we call them leaders) were taught in schools where the curriculum was actually called Paideia and the students (not children, not kids, students) were taught Latin and Greek and read the philosophy of the ancients in the original languages. Yes, you can argue with me about elites, about Greek and Roman slavery, about any number of things...but I'm not arguing that students were taught how to recreate these societies--rather they were taught how to think about humanity, about the polis...not to manipulate and abuse them for greater wealth and power.

I have not studied this issue in the least and so really can only speak to my moment and dissect what is happening now in our states (you really need to be aware of what's happening in states like Wisconsin, Florida, Ohio, and Michigan--it seems worst in Michigan), particularly those with Republican governors.

First, my education--standard and I honestly remember little of it all the way until about sophomore year of college. I liked to read but that reading was limited to Stephen King and Dean Koontz and was centered in escape and emotion.

I'd like to take really just a brief look at Whitney Houston's The Greatest Love--lyrics and Youtubes follow. This track is off her debut album. Be sure I don't "blame" Houston for this song, nor the songwriter, this is the kind of ethos that was in the air; as I said "of the moment" in the same way that "Workin' for the Weekend" was. But these entertainments are pervasive and invasive...we sing them to ourselves and in the presence of our children--we were, thank you Journey, Raised on Radio, and radio, pop songs in the mainstream, invade our minds and become the under-song of our living. I believe that this is the strength of Limbaugh--he is a constant chant of resentment, hate, prejudice, racism, weakness...all posing as wisdom from a godly servant of righteousness.

So to the song (and the video is wonderfully self-referential as well--and more beautifully "performative" as her education seems to be "on the stage"). I don't really want to go through it line by line (and you probably don't want me to either!) but just think--this is the "paideia" of our popular mind.

What are we teaching the children that gave birth to this song in 1985? What are the lessons that inform our popular mind and lead us into our current moment?--Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, b. 1967.

Self-love WITHOUT commitment to community; without family love--it is even without the Xtian community--it is me alone with myself and that pretend Jesus who is everyone's personal savior (commentary of the times offered by Depeche Mode in 1990?)--and I am RIGHT and Justified in my love of self. But can't you tell this is the resentment of the meek? "I'll show you when I finally get to the point where I can show you!" This is the ethos that leads to self-justified rapacious destruction.

It's a conflicted ethos--We teach the children, we teach "them" to "lead the way", but to what?

The Greatest Love
I believe the children are our are future
Teach them well and let them lead the way
Show them all the beauty they possess inside
Give them a sense of pride to make it easier
Let the children's laughter remind us how we used to be
Everybody searching for a hero
People need someone to look up to
I never found anyone to fulfill my needs
A lonely place to be
So I learned to depend on me

[Chorus:]
I decided long ago, never to walk in anyone's shadows
If I fail, if I succeed
At least I live as I believe
No matter what they take from me
They can't take away my dignity
Because the greatest love of all
Is happening to me
I found the greatest love of all
Inside of me
The greatest love of all
Is easy to achieve
Learning to love yourself
It is the greatest love of all

I believe the children are our future
Teach them well and let them lead the way
Show them all the beauty they possess inside
Give them a sense of pride to make it easier
Let the children's laughter remind us how we used to be

[Chorus]

And if by chance, that special place
That you've been dreaming of
Leads you to a lonely place
Find your strength in love

Hate Walks With Me, and Hate Talks With Me...

PFC Manning was forced to strip naked in his cell again last night. As with the previous evening, Quantico Brig guards required him to surrender all of his clothing. PFC Manning then walked back to his bed, and spent the next seven hours in humiliation.

The decision to require him to be stripped of all clothing was made by the Brig commander, Chief Warrant Officer-2 Denise Barnes ["Barnes said she plans to take things to another level within her new unit."] According to First Lieutenant Brian Villard, a Marine spokesman, the decision was "not punitive" and done in accordance with Brig rules. There can be no conceivable justification for requiring a soldier to surrender all his clothing, remain naked in his cell for seven hours, and then stand at attention the subsequent morning. This treatment is even more degrading considering that PFC Manning is being monitored -- both by direct observation and by video -- at all times. The defense was informed by Brig officials that the decision to strip PFC Manning of all his clothing was made without consulting any of the Brig's mental health providers.

This is common, or SOP, for "military intelligence". From a 2004 piece about Abu Ghraib: "Detainees were paraded naked past other prisoners and guards; some were ordered to do jumping jacks and sing "The Star-Spangled Banner" in the nude, according to a several witnesses. Also, a father and his grown son were stripped, then forced to stand and stare at each other. The International Committee of the Red Cross, visiting in October, found prisoners left naked in their cells for days, modestly trying to shield themselves behind cardboard from meals-ready-to-eat boxes."

Remember...this is approved of by your Democratic President (if not, it would not be happening). Of course, this president has gone farther than the reviled GWB in that he has claimed the right to murder anyone in the world anywhere regardless of citizenship.

We are in a nation oozing systemic rot. These are not "insurgent" "bad actors" or mercenaries for hire who murder families while at weddings in foreign lands. This is your land, this is my land..."made for you and me" brothers and sisters. We are all in the brig with Bradley Manning. Manning is but one very clear example to you. Get with the program; Be "one of us". Or else. But that is really, the least of our worries.

Wisconsin's Governor is showing us the more of this same mindset--bullying and holding hostage the citizens of his state--defunding care for women; Ohio has already passed legislation to allow its labor force to be steamrolled into a third world existence; Arizona leads the nation in enacting hate legislation; systemic rot pervades our nation. We are lost. Were we ever the idyllic land our mythology proclaims? We are showing our true colors...the bully is in the ascendancy. He is your governor, your police chief, your president. He has the courts at his back. The bully is conservative; the bully says "my way".

I'm wondering when people are going to recognize that not only is the Tea Party socially conservative and uhm ... racially uncomfortable, their antipathy to taxes and government actually stems from those attitudes. It's not a coincidence or even a sympathetic constellation of various positions on the issues. They don't like government because they believe that government should not protect and support people they don't like. [bold emphasis added]

Please read that part in bold again. This is the animus--no government, small government, less government...means keep out of my business. I don't want to treat all people equally. I want to hate my neighbor if he's not like me--I want to hang him from a tree after I drag him behind my truck for a few miles. Having this kind of politician "in charge" will lead to laws that ALLOW this kind of hate-filled abusive behavior and call it "freedom". In this way your only real liberty will be your death.

I'm finished with my own polite response to this kind of inherent bigotry. I believe it is systemic in our white Christian nation. Poll the haters...poll the tea partiers...poll the Klan...poll the neo-Nazis...Do you believe in God, ask them...do you believe in Jesus as your savior, ask them.

I do not fetishize atheism (hate needs no religion or god) but I do not believe any good can come of a religion where the divinity walks with you while you carry your uzi and your flag and your noose.

You cannot disassociate the "ease" of coming to hate from within this religious system. Faith in Hate!

Do some comparative reading to discover which religions are the most warring, aggressive and hate-filled. If you belong to one of these, you really should be asking yourself why. Then take a gander at the tolerance inherent in Hindu religious traditions.

Politics Becoming Religious

I'm sure this is no surprise to you. I'm fairly convinced that though nearly 400 years have passed since the real founding of America (not the United States thereof) we have really not come very far from our "origins".

In any event, a kind of placeholder thought from Soren K. in his Journals:

Even now, in 1848, it certainly looks as though politics were everything; but it will be seen that the catastrophe (the Revolution) corresponds to us and is the obverse of the Reformation: then everything pointed to a religious movement and proved to be political, now everything points to a political movement, but will become religious.