When I was reading the Tao of Pooh, I found myself getting somewhat defensive. Although I never would have guessed that I would identify myself so strongly with such a group, I felt under attack by the criticisms of scholars and scientists and et cetera. What's so wrong with knowledge? I know that the claim is that there are things that human beings will never fully understand, so why try? But still, I can't help feeling that not trying and not questing after new knowledge goes against human nature. And to go against human nature would be to go against the Tao, wouldn't it?
This idea of human nature, or inner nature, and the concept of trying not to go against it is another idea with which I took issue. Just like what I just said about trying to find the answers being a part of human nature, what if it is one's nature to be depressed? Or envious, jealous, greedy or any other negative trait? Piglet is indecisive and panicky, so wouldn't trying to not be so go against what he naturally is? I just don't quite understand how to fully separate what is natural from what is unnatural.
Another seemingly contradictory bit that I couldn't quite understand is the philosophy regarding helping others. There is a brief mention of how caring for others makes you courageous and allows you to, in critical situations, to act without necessarily having to think about acting. However, just a little bit before that section, there's a brief little bit that I found somewhat disturbing. When the narrator is talking to Pooh about getting information about the outside world, he flips on the radio for a second to hear a news report about a calamitous plane crash, and then immediately flips it off again. I can't really fault this action, because I'm sure we've all been in a situation where we just don't want to hear/see/read about something really horrible, but to me, the lesson he was trying to impart in all this is that you shouldn't care, because there's nothing you can do about it and you're just going to get bummed. If you ask me, this is fucked. Sure, maybe there's nothing Pooh and the narrator could have done about the plane crashes, but this attitude seems like a very poor one to have if you're also going to espouse the benefits of caring for others later on. After all, what if all the times that Pooh or Piglet came running to Christopher Robin for help because Roo was adrift in a river or Owl's house had tipped over, Christopher Robbin just thought "Oof, that's a shame, but I don't want to hear it because I don't want it to spoil my day." Good! Let your day be spoiled if it means helping someone else. I may be making too big of a deal over a tiny little section, but I feel like the Taoist philosophy of not meddling with things and allowing things to take their course is flawed for this reason. I say, meddle. Meddle like crazy. Answer questions, cure diseases, land on other planets.
One last thing and then I'll stop complaining. My last issue with this book and with Taoism in general is the idea that I can be happy if I so choose and that there is nothing preventing me from loving life. Easier said than done, my friends.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Worldly Success and Liberation
Heads up because there's foul language in a lot of these songs.
Worldly Success:
1.) Zimmer's Hole, "We Rule The Fucking Land," Metal, 2008
2.) Fear Factory, "Fear Campaign," Metal, 2010
3.) Celtic Frost, "Ain Elohim," Metal, 2006
4.) Iron Maiden, "Powerslave," Metal, 1984
5.) Devin Townsend, "Planet Smasher," Metal/Progressive, 2007
Liberation:
1.) Devin Townsend, "Soul Driven," Metal/Prog, 1998
2.) Black Sabbath, "A National Acrobat," Rock/Metal, 1973
3.) KISS, "We Are One," Rock, 1998
4.) Fear Factory, "Resurrection," Metal, 1998
5.) Sigh, "Scarlet Dream," Metal, 2001
I wound up using primarily metal songs for this post because in truth that's primarily what I listen to. Because metal tends to be darker (and sillier) in its lyrical nature than other genres, the metal definition of worldly success doesn't include much in terms of material wealth, but rather focuses on having power over others. This is most easily demonstrated by the song I embedded, "We Rule The Fucking Land." Even if you didn't listen to it, the title tells you everything you need to know about the attitude of the song. Zimmer's Hole is kind of a tongue-in-cheek group, so their use of this title is an exaggeration of the attitude of a lot of other corny metal bands. A huge difference between the metal understanding of this aim is that these bands are expressing worldly success garnered decidedly without any help from any faith or religion, as demonstrated by Celtic Frost's "Ain Elohim," which means "Without God." On the flip side of this lust for power, there are several metal songs that critique such an aim. "Fear Campaign" criticizes the methods used to obtain and secure such power, while "Powerslave" and "Planet Smasher" both express an ideal in common with the Hindu understandings of this aim: that power is ultimately impermanent and fickle. Which brings us to the next aim.
When worldly success and the other earthly aims leave one unfulfilled, the last remaining aim is that of liberation. Since the lyrics of many metal bands are either secular or downright blasphemous, this aim is not really expressed in explicit religious terms, but it is still expressed in some form or another. For example, the Kiss song up there was most likely written to express a connection with the band's many fans, the lyrics are vague enough in their discussion of oneness and letting one's spirit fly that they can readily be interpreted as encouraging liberation and an escape from samsura. Other songs, such as "A National Acrobat," are sung from the point of view of some sort of entity that perhaps has already experienced liberation, expressing a knowledge of unknowable information ("I am the world that hides/the universal secret of all time"). Even though these songs differ from the Hindu tradition in that they are more secular, what they share in common with that tradition is the desire for knowledge over ignorance. "Scarlet Dream" and "Soul Driven" both show the speaker searching for answers that the apparent world cannot give.
Worldly Success:
1.) Zimmer's Hole, "We Rule The Fucking Land," Metal, 2008
2.) Fear Factory, "Fear Campaign," Metal, 2010
3.) Celtic Frost, "Ain Elohim," Metal, 2006
4.) Iron Maiden, "Powerslave," Metal, 1984
5.) Devin Townsend, "Planet Smasher," Metal/Progressive, 2007
Liberation:
1.) Devin Townsend, "Soul Driven," Metal/Prog, 1998
2.) Black Sabbath, "A National Acrobat," Rock/Metal, 1973
3.) KISS, "We Are One," Rock, 1998
4.) Fear Factory, "Resurrection," Metal, 1998
5.) Sigh, "Scarlet Dream," Metal, 2001
I wound up using primarily metal songs for this post because in truth that's primarily what I listen to. Because metal tends to be darker (and sillier) in its lyrical nature than other genres, the metal definition of worldly success doesn't include much in terms of material wealth, but rather focuses on having power over others. This is most easily demonstrated by the song I embedded, "We Rule The Fucking Land." Even if you didn't listen to it, the title tells you everything you need to know about the attitude of the song. Zimmer's Hole is kind of a tongue-in-cheek group, so their use of this title is an exaggeration of the attitude of a lot of other corny metal bands. A huge difference between the metal understanding of this aim is that these bands are expressing worldly success garnered decidedly without any help from any faith or religion, as demonstrated by Celtic Frost's "Ain Elohim," which means "Without God." On the flip side of this lust for power, there are several metal songs that critique such an aim. "Fear Campaign" criticizes the methods used to obtain and secure such power, while "Powerslave" and "Planet Smasher" both express an ideal in common with the Hindu understandings of this aim: that power is ultimately impermanent and fickle. Which brings us to the next aim.
When worldly success and the other earthly aims leave one unfulfilled, the last remaining aim is that of liberation. Since the lyrics of many metal bands are either secular or downright blasphemous, this aim is not really expressed in explicit religious terms, but it is still expressed in some form or another. For example, the Kiss song up there was most likely written to express a connection with the band's many fans, the lyrics are vague enough in their discussion of oneness and letting one's spirit fly that they can readily be interpreted as encouraging liberation and an escape from samsura. Other songs, such as "A National Acrobat," are sung from the point of view of some sort of entity that perhaps has already experienced liberation, expressing a knowledge of unknowable information ("I am the world that hides/the universal secret of all time"). Even though these songs differ from the Hindu tradition in that they are more secular, what they share in common with that tradition is the desire for knowledge over ignorance. "Scarlet Dream" and "Soul Driven" both show the speaker searching for answers that the apparent world cannot give.
Friday, February 4, 2011
The Aims of Pleasure and Community Service
Pleasure:
1. Bad Religion, "Billy," Punk Rock, 1989
2. Bad Religion, "Where The Fun Is," Rock, 2010
3. Bad Religion, "Can't Stop It," Punk Rock, 2002
4. Bad Religion, "I Love My Computer," Rock, 2000
5. Bad Religion, "Get Off," Punk Rock, 1990
Community Service:
1. Bad Religion, "I Want To Conquer The World," Punk Rock, 1989
2. Bad Religion, "Modern Day Catastrophists," Punk Rock, 1993
3. Bad Religion, "It's A Long Way To The Promise Land," Rock, 2000
4. Bad Religion, "Parallel," Punk Rock, 1996
5. Bad Religion, "Too Much To Ask," 1992
First of all, I know we didn't have to only choose songs by one artist, but I thought it would be fun, so I did it. Second of all, I picked Bad Religion because they have a big catalog to choose from and I liked the thought of using a band called Bad Religion for a religion class. Plus, it's interesting to see how Hindu beliefs represent themselves in decidedly secular music.
In a lot of punk rock, there are calls for changes to the status quo, and Bad Religion can usually be counted on to do so in a more positive and constructive tone than a lot of their peers. If a band is singing things like "The government is lame!" or "I hate you, dad," then to me, the aim of true community service isn't as clear as it is in something like "It's a long way to the promise land/if we work we might find it here." And though the title of "I Want to Conquer the World" suggests that it would better represent the Worldly Success aim, the chorus lyrics illustrate what the singer would do to help the world if he had that kind of complete control.
The songs about pleasure differ from the Hindu view of the aim (that pleasure is an acceptable pursuit if followed responsibly) in that pleasure seems more like an unwelcome temptation that distracts from the community service aim. Both "Get Off" and "Can't Stop It" seem to be about the singer's inability to control his urges, try as he might. And even the lyrics of "I Love My Computer," which offer little hint of shame for the singer's pleasure-seeking, are set over a slow, slightly dark piece of music. Thus, the line "I've never been quite so happy" is hard to hear as anything but sarcastic. "Billy" is the clearest example of pleasure-seeking being viewed as something wasteful, as the titular boy "squandered the hours of his day."
I think the fact that the songs about pleasure are viewed through this filter of community service stems from the fact that punk rock bands from the Eighties were generally started with social and political ideas already in their minds (as evident even by Bad Religion's band name). Growing up with that aim as a focus, it would have been silly to then turn around and write a song about rocking and rolling all night and partying every day. And on the flip side, artists that start off singing about how great pleasure is always sound ridiculous if they try to get serious later on (like Van Halen did. Sammy Hagar is a turd with a goatee).
1. Bad Religion, "Billy," Punk Rock, 1989
2. Bad Religion, "Where The Fun Is," Rock, 2010
3. Bad Religion, "Can't Stop It," Punk Rock, 2002
4. Bad Religion, "I Love My Computer," Rock, 2000
5. Bad Religion, "Get Off," Punk Rock, 1990
Community Service:
1. Bad Religion, "I Want To Conquer The World," Punk Rock, 1989
2. Bad Religion, "Modern Day Catastrophists," Punk Rock, 1993
3. Bad Religion, "It's A Long Way To The Promise Land," Rock, 2000
4. Bad Religion, "Parallel," Punk Rock, 1996
5. Bad Religion, "Too Much To Ask," 1992
First of all, I know we didn't have to only choose songs by one artist, but I thought it would be fun, so I did it. Second of all, I picked Bad Religion because they have a big catalog to choose from and I liked the thought of using a band called Bad Religion for a religion class. Plus, it's interesting to see how Hindu beliefs represent themselves in decidedly secular music.
In a lot of punk rock, there are calls for changes to the status quo, and Bad Religion can usually be counted on to do so in a more positive and constructive tone than a lot of their peers. If a band is singing things like "The government is lame!" or "I hate you, dad," then to me, the aim of true community service isn't as clear as it is in something like "It's a long way to the promise land/if we work we might find it here." And though the title of "I Want to Conquer the World" suggests that it would better represent the Worldly Success aim, the chorus lyrics illustrate what the singer would do to help the world if he had that kind of complete control.
The songs about pleasure differ from the Hindu view of the aim (that pleasure is an acceptable pursuit if followed responsibly) in that pleasure seems more like an unwelcome temptation that distracts from the community service aim. Both "Get Off" and "Can't Stop It" seem to be about the singer's inability to control his urges, try as he might. And even the lyrics of "I Love My Computer," which offer little hint of shame for the singer's pleasure-seeking, are set over a slow, slightly dark piece of music. Thus, the line "I've never been quite so happy" is hard to hear as anything but sarcastic. "Billy" is the clearest example of pleasure-seeking being viewed as something wasteful, as the titular boy "squandered the hours of his day."
I think the fact that the songs about pleasure are viewed through this filter of community service stems from the fact that punk rock bands from the Eighties were generally started with social and political ideas already in their minds (as evident even by Bad Religion's band name). Growing up with that aim as a focus, it would have been silly to then turn around and write a song about rocking and rolling all night and partying every day. And on the flip side, artists that start off singing about how great pleasure is always sound ridiculous if they try to get serious later on (like Van Halen did. Sammy Hagar is a turd with a goatee).
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