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).