1. Joshua Radin, "You Got What I Need," Acoustic/Indie, 2010
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgaksJ7bezQ
2. Zac Brown Band, "Toes," Country, 2009
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lB8Nkn3Xjes
3. Dave Matthews Band, "Crash Into Me," Alternative Rock/Jazz, 1997
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7in-9E3ImQ
4. Iration, "Falling," Reggae, 2008.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HkJDF94_B7U
5. Merril Bainbridge, "Mouth," Pop, 1994
Community Service Songs:
1. John Lennon, "Imagine," Classic Rock, 1971
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNKhIJfB510
2. Bright Eyes, "Bowl of Oranges," Indie, 2002
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmiRWwAXexY
3. Michael Jackson, "Heal the World," Pop, 1991
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UGTISl1Gts
4. Jack Johnson, "The Sharing Song," Acoustic, 2006
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfSpsnLyo18
5. Ben Harper, "With My Own Two Hands," Rock/Folk, 2003
It was clear while scrolling through my Itunes that songs about pleasure were more prevalent over community service songs, as I had assumed. This is for the simple reason that Americans are obsessed with pleasure- sex, materialistic objects, love, drugs, etc. While not everyone shares the same pleasures, we all thrive off of them. Artists make songs to please people, so they sing about pleasing things. Songs regarding community service were not as prevalent, but were still fairly easy to find. The IDEA of community service has become glamorous in America- like "going green" for example. More people prefer the idea of "going green" because it's a trend, but how many people are actually doing their part? The sad reality is that in general, most Americans don’t care about community service. This is how the Hindu's understanding of the four aims differ from ours. Community Service was not just a trend among the Hindus; it was their way of getting good karma and eventually reaching liberation. American’s on the other hand don’t have the same determination to perform community service. Some may to it for popularity reasons and others may because they believe it will send them to Heaven, but generally it’s not a big part of our culture. It comes nowhere close to the exaggeration of pleasure in our society. The Hindu's idea of pleasure is more natural and simple. Imagine being at the bottom of the Hindu caste system- there probably wasn’t much that Americans today could find pleasurable. Therefore I assume they had more appreciation for the simple pleasures in life than Americans do now.
I think the point you make about the idea of community service being glamorized in America is right on, and one of the most insightful (if not the most) points made in any of the blogs I have read. With celebrities like Bono and Angelina Jolie adopting and donating, despite still living a lifestyle that less than 1% of the world could afford is a wild juxtaposition. I think you make the least offensive, simplest and best argument for the nobility of Hindu ideals.
ReplyDeleteI was doing the same thing through my Itunes with looking for something dealing with the Community, but most of the songs I have as well deal mostly with Pleasure. People do glamorize things, reason being it's the mob mentality of if everyone's doing it I should too. But "Going Green" is true and we all should slowly transition into that, But before we do that like Mike Rowe said, "Before you go green, You have to go brown" meaning getting dirty. Getting back to the Hindu Ideals, these are time tested practices and have helped people through whatever it may be especially Apu from the Simpsons.
ReplyDeleteYour point about "going green" being the trend is spot on. And the idea behind it is ultimately a positive environmental change, but this trend was also marketable. A profit could be made, both monetarily and karmically, and in our society the profitable would be deemed more important. It could be argued that there is a correlation, though, because while we do it for money, Hindus use liberation in the same manner we use profit potential. The design is the same, motivation to do the right thing. The tools are very different.
ReplyDeleteI had such a difficult time finding community service songs as well.You are completely right about the fact that even though we may not have the same pleasures as others we tend to thrive off of what is being highlighted in the songs we do listen to. Great points.
ReplyDeleteI do agree with your idea that a number of Americans that participate in community service activities because they are a "trend" however I think that idea needs to be examined a little further. I think the influence of capitalism has disguised parts of community service to look like a "trend" because ultimately, trends are profitable--thus, making community service profitable. Making community service profitable undermines the very meaning of service which calls ethics and morals into question as well. Ultimately, the Hindu approach to community service does not have these doubts because its values go beyond the confines of American capitalism.
ReplyDelete