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If a band writes a song about love or fast cars they
are making a political statement. Especially if the
artist avoids all songs of an overtly political
nature, then by implication they are saying that
everything is as it should be and the status quo
should be accepted without question.
Many intellectuals feel themselves to be above
expressing such sentiments in popular music,
claiming that music expressing political dissent
is naive, unsophisticated, or pretentious.
But those who have known hunger, who have
known the desperation of hopelessness, these
people recognize the intellectual as incapable
of comprehending anything beyond the security
of their own experience.
The essence of the argument is that entertainment in
our society is designed to be a mindless diversion
intended to placate the population and keep their
minds off of political and social issues so that they
may be more easily exploited by the power base.
But there is no conspiracy. There is no single hand
manipulating the game. Only groups of individuals who
struggle to accumulate wealth for their own self
interest. As each one pulls in their own direction the
system is created, with nothing more than a
complacent, unspoken agreement not to upset the status
quo.
The corporate boards, the world bankers, the
political parties, the religious organizations; all
want us to sing that love song, to play another one
about the fast car, the sexy girl, the fun party. The
question is 'what do you think we should do?'
1994 - Caeser Pink
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