Imagine Nightmare
One of the most popular of all John Lennin’s songs, Imagine
has endured because of it’s beautiful melody and wishful thinking. We all dream
of living in peace and harmony, usually in time of war which we are facing in
both Ukraine and Israel/Gaza.
There is a saying, “Be careful what you wish (dream), for.
You just might get it.”
Let’s take to the logical conclusion what these words say
and mean.
1. Imagine there’s no heaven
It’s easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us, only sky
Imagine all the people
Livin’ for today
Ah…
I don’t have to imagine if there’s no heaven or hell. It’s
call atheism or agnosticism. The concept of Livin’ for today, is the
philosophy of “Life’s tough and then you die.” The philosophy of “The one with
most of the toys before they die wins.” All criminals are “Livin’ for today.”
Can you spell N-a-r-c-i-s-s-i-s-m.
God or no god what’s needed to live in harmony and the “Golden
Rule,” is empathy.
The most important ingredient in love is to care
about someone as much or more than yourself. You can love your neighbor as
yourself whether you love of God or not. It’s a way of life not just “Livin’
for today.”
2. Imagine there’s no countries
It isn’t hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion, too
Imagine all the people
Livin’ life in peace
You…
This isn’t a dream, it’s a nightmare. It ignores the entire
experience of human beings on this planet. From hunter/gatherers, to herding to
farming and creating civilizations those who don’t have will kill or steal to
get what others do have.
Someone or deliberative body always has to make laws or you have
blood feuds like the Montagues and Capulets from Romeo and Juliet where
the prince steps in to lay down the law for the peace of the city.
Nothing it kill or die for… Imagine all the people living
in peace? Infantile wishful thinking. Without laws you have anarchy. This
appeals to nihilists who want to burn everything down just to glory in the
glow. Kind of reminds you of our current congress. Isn’t this the worst nightmare
for our democracy.
3. Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world
You…
No possessions, I don’t have to imagine that. I see it on
our streets everyday as the homeless beg for money so they can eat. They have
possessions, but they’re in shopping carts or scattered around where they camp.
Sharing the world?
How well did Communism work out for the Soviet Union and
even today in China? That’s the philosophy of share and share alike. It wasn’t
a good dream then or even today.
Chorus:
You may say I’m a dreamer
But I’m not the only one
I hope someday you’ll join us
And the world will be as one
I’m sorry all you fans of this song; this would not be a
world I would want to live in as it would resemble more Mad Max than paradise
on Earth.
Imagine Lyrics
Songwriter(s): John Lennon, Yoko Ono
Producer(s): John Lennon, Yoko Ono, Phil Spector
Released :11 October 1971 (US)
4 comments:
I've never actually heard this song, but it sounds a bit like "Brave New World." Of course, John Lennon was probably under the influence of something when he wrote it. I bet it sounds better when someone is in, shall we say, an altered state of mind.
But I dunno, I never even liked The Beatles, so I guess I'm not the target audience for his work. :|
I listened to Herman's Hermits, Gary Lewis and the Playboys, Beach Boys. Didn't like the Beatles. This came out after the band broke up.
Still a nice song of a yearning for peace.
I'll give you that. Just remember as Sun Tzu said, "The object of war is peace."
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