Tuesday, July 19, 2016

What Do You Think?


I am borrowing a thought provoking subject from the Optimistic Existentialist. You can see his post on the subject as well as the many thoughtful comments by clicking on the link.

I was a teenager and a young (very young) woman in the 1960's. It was a time of turmoil in the United States. We were embroiled in the Viet Nam War. We were experiencing "make love not war" with the Hippies. Drugs were becoming a popular pastime.

The world had experienced wars before. Many of the wars were not popular with many people. Viet Nam was no exception. The difference was that our soldiers and sailors were not treated with the dignity they were due when they finally came home.

A lot of citizens disrespected the government. They destroyed symbols of the United States.

It was the first war fought on television. We saw some of the awful conditions our soldiers were in as they trudged through jungles and swamps. We were horrified and wanted it stopped.

There were demonstrations and sometimes riots. Some people disapproved and some participated. After too many service-people were killed or maimed the war finally ended with no real outcome.

Hippies were referred to as Flower Children. They said they preferred love of mankind and the colors of flowers to the evils of society. Free Love was the cry of the Hippie. "If you can't be with the one you love, honey, love the one you're with" to quote The song Love The One You're With written and performed by Stephen Stills (and the Isley Brothers).

Some were anti everything establishment. Some simply wanted what they considered to be a more beautiful world. They paid little attention to anything else.

The use of drugs became a leisure activity. Several of the drugs that are illegal today were legal then. LSD is one of them. Even after they became illegal they were still used.

Timothy Leary was an assistant clinical professor of medical psychology. He advocated the use of psychedelic drugs in controlled situations for therapeutic reasons. He coined the phrase "turn on, tune in, drop out" to encourage drug use.

We had presidential elections. Important people were assassinated. It was a confusing time.

There were births. There were marriages. There was (in my mind) some of the greatest music ever.

I mention that time because that is when I became most aware of the world farther away from my own little community. Decades that came after the 60's were more of the same. Specifics were different but there were good and bad occurrences.

The Optimistic Existentialist posed this question: Is the world really worse off than it has ever been?

I found two songs that I think represent the opposite sides of the 60's. I think they fit today too. How would you answer the question above and which song most conveys your feelings about the world today?



I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing Lyrics.


I'd like to build the world a home
And furnish it with love
Grow apple trees and honey bees
And snow white turtle doves

I'd like to teach the world to sing
In perfect harmony
I'd like to hold it in my arms
And keep it company

I'd like to see the world for once
All standing hand in hand
And hear them echo through the hills
For peace through out the land
(That's the song I hear)

I'd like to teach the world to sing
In perfect harmony
I'd like to teach the world to sing
In perfect harmony
I'd like to build the world a home
And furnish it with love
Grow apple trees and honey bees
And snow white turtle doves

I'd like to teach the world to sing
In perfect harmony
I'd like to hold it in my arms
And keep it company

I'd like to see the world for once
All standing hand in hand
And hear them echo through the hills
For peace through out the land
(That's the song I hear)

I'd like to teach the world to sing
In perfect harmony
I'd like to teach the world to sing
In perfect harmony
I'd like to teach the world to sing
In perfect harmony, that's the song I hear

Written by Bill Backer, Roger Cook, Roger Greenaway, and Roquel Davis
Sung by The New Seekers

For What It's Worth

There's something happening here
What it is ain't exactly clear
There's a man with a gun over there
Telling me I got to beware

I think it's time we stop, children, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down

There's battle lines being drawn
Nobody's right if everybody's wrong
Young people speaking their minds
Getting so much resistance from behind

I think it's time we stop, hey, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down

What a field-day for the heat
A thousand people in the street
Singing songs and carrying signs
Mostly say, hooray for our side

It's time we stop, hey, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down

Paranoia strikes deep
Into your life it will creep
It starts when you're always afraid
You step out of line, the man come and take you away

We better stop, hey, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
Stop, hey, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
Stop, now, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
Stop, children, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down

Written by Stephen Stills
Sung by Buffalo Springfield
 

12 comments:

  1. The world will never sing in perfect harmony. It has a world of room to improve and perhaps will. In the meantime, be aware.

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    Replies
    1. It is a beautiful sentiment though. You made a good point.

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  2. I believe in Yin and Yang, Emma, in one word: change. Rough times, good times. I will write later more - am in a hurry.

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    Replies
    1. I also believe in Yin and Yang. I too believe in the basic good of most people.

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  3. I think the environment is worse off and terrorism as a threat makes it more difficult to know who the enemy is. More children are being educated than ever before but there are more refugees than after WW2. As Joanne said, in our own lives, be aware.

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    Replies
    1. We should always be aware. However terrorists feed from our fear. While being aware we must also live our lives as free from fear as possible.

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  4. The second song I liked best.Where have wars stopped and what did they solve? Thinking about Palmers Candy today. Have you ever been to their store in Sioux City? Taverns and candy, that sounds heart wise. LOL mmmmm

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Are you kidding? How can you live near Sioux City and not shop at Palmer's? I have to be careful though. Too much of a good thing would cost me a fortune. For What It's Worth has long been a favorite of mine. But so has I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing. I like the optimism of one and the power of the other.

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  5. Hello Emma,

    America could have won the Vietnam war but many Americans were against the war. Democracy works in this way. America could have solved many problems in this world with their wealth and power but they failed. America wants to be the leading nation in the world but many of their foreign policies were misguided.

    Wars will not stop. Wars were there right from the beginning of civilization and will continue to be there. This cannot be helped. One nation cannot try to subdue another nation. Every nation has a pride.

    The main problem in this world at present is terrorism. There are nations promoting terrorism and this has to be stopped. Nations should come together and put a stop to terrorism if people want to live in peace.

    Many marriages fail because two people cannot get along. You can understand the magnitude of the problems between nations. So we should understand there will always be war. All nations want to build a nuclear stock pile because they want to protect themselves.

    The first song represents what we yearn for but the second song is more real.

    Best wishes

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. A very insightful answer. Viet Nam was a huge failure to my way of thinking. Too many lives were lost (including my brother). Too many more were irreparably damaged. I agree that no nation should try to subdue another nation. Unfortunately in the war on terrorism some nations are being ruled by terrorists. In order to stop terrorists everyone involved has so many considerations. If the rulers (not necessarily the government) need to be done away with how will it be done? What about collateral damage like ordinary citizens, buildings, livestock, etc? War is a difficult game played by the ones who are at the top of parties. The sad thing is that the pieces used in the playing of the game are the ones who pay. Your final sentence is dynamic. Well said.

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  6. Hi!
    For sure, the best music comes from the 60's and 70's. No doubt about it! A time of many changes, radical changes and a lot of pain... and flowers in the hair. Sometimes I think that we are living now similar times... but without the compensation of good music.

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    Replies
    1. Wow. I did not think of that. I will admit there is a lot of good music today. But it cannot hold a candle to the music of the 60's and 70's. You are so astute.

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