John Lennon's - Imagine is probably the most grossly naive and hypocritical song ever written. I love the melody, but gag on the lyrics. This post is inspired by a discussion with the fervent John Lennon defender Mike Monson. Take it away Johnny:
Imagine there's no Heaven (just "heaven" on earth?)
It's easy if you try
No hell below us (aka no consequences for my narcissistic self indulgence)
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today (like me "whiskey bottles" and children I leave out of my will)
Imagine there's no countries (just anarchic destruction? or a one world utopian collective?)
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for (unless we need to force you to agree in the name of our ideal)
And no religion too (I'm not bitter or immature, but seriously religion does NOTHING good)
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace (in this heaven, oh sorry that's a forbidden idea, this utopia on earth)
You may say that I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one (yeah that's the problem)
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one (one pool of human mediocrity)
Imagine no possessions (hah! Says the multimillionaire)
I wonder if you can (nope impossible)
No need for greed or hunger (food = a possession: no possessions = hunger; IMPLOSION OF LOGIC)
A brotherhood of man (apparently genetically altered to not need food)
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world
You may say that I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one
Special note: The 20th century's death toll is the result primarily of the human pursuit of utopia on earth. Take a note from religion: utopia deferred is a utopia preferred.
4 comments:
oblivion of faith.. a perception of hope thats beyond most comprehension
Granted, I don't necessarily love the choices John Lennon made (most of the ones revolving around how he left his first son, and the whiskey bottle comment), but I do think that the "throw the baby out with the bath water metaphor is incommensurate. By all means then, leave the baby in the cold dirty water. He lived in a time when sure, it was a little cliche to say the things he said. But I really think that he did have good intentions. The concept of forgetting ones biases in order to better understand other people is a beautiful idea. After all "all things common" is totally Satan's plan. :P
lol... oblivion of faith. that is total hypocrisy. lennon had faith that said "oblivion" would result in a utopian brotherhood of man. That ideal is naive, ignorant, and hypocritical, albeit probably well-intentioned.
That being said, it can be argued that by imagining a world without the things that divide humanity we can gain perspective and live in peace. I believe that was the message lennon was attempting to convey to his mainstream audience regardless of his personal beliefs.
Obviously, JL had an anti religious agenda. Which, assuming that JL’s lifestyle was a “rock and roll” life style; the question would become, who wouldn’t be opposed to religion? It would be quintessential antithesis of what you stood for.
However, when I read the lyrics to the song, I see a description of a world filled with people who don’t know good, nor evil. A world of unaccountable people free of judgment and expectation. Sort of an Adam and Eve scenario, if you will.
Ultimately I agree with you Caleb. It just seems your rant was a bit….Rexish. Fervent, passionate and unwavering in your believe that JL was at min an immature, naïve, narcissistic, [censored] piece of [censored]. But it lacked the eloquence, and subtle refined jabs, and ad homonyms that I’ve grown so fond of reading.
Come back to us Caleb…. COME BACK!!!
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