A Revolution (Part 1)
For many years I’ve been thinking that it is time for a revolution. The world seems in such bad shape, things so stuck in their ways. Only a big change could save the planet and made it a better place.
One might wonder where the protest movement is nowadays. It seems like we all bought into how things are. Nobody asks questions any more. The need for money, success and fame has been running the world for quite some time and it is what most of us concentrate on.
Don’t you know
They’re talking about a revolution
It sounds like a whisper.
(Tracy Chapman “Talkin’ Bout A Revolution” Lyrics)
There was the “Flower Power” hippy movement of the 60’s and 70’s, an anti war movement. There were the punks in the 80’s an anti-society, anti-nuclear movement. There was also an anti-apartheid movement during that time period. But there was no protest movement in the 90’s and where is it today?
What does this mean? Have we just all given up on the possibility of change?
How would a revolution look like? Change the system? Do things completely different? A revolution is a lot of work. Could we be sure that things would be better afterwards? What would really change?
In my experience nothing changes. People are always creating a certain hierarchy between themselves. They might do yoga, meditation or practice selfless giving. But there is always someone who is more flexible, can sit longer and more often or gives more then someone else.
Then there is the worst-case scenario, a violent revolution. Here is Bono’s (U2) take on the revolution in his native Ireland recorded in 1988 for the movie “Rattle and Hum”:
“Now lemme tell you somethin'. I've had enough of Irish Americans who haven't been back to their country in twenty or thirty years come up to me and talk about the resistence, the revolution back home. And the glory of the revolution, and the glory of dyin' for the revolution. Fuck the revolution! They don't talk about the glory of killing for the revolution. What's the glory in takin' a man from his bed and gunnin' him down in front of his wife and his children? Where's the glory in that? Where's the glory in bombing a Rememberance Day parade of old-aged pensioners, their medals taken out and polished up for the day. Where's the glory in that? To leave them dyin', or crippled for life, or dead, under the rubble of a revolution that the majority of the people of my country don't want. Sing no more!”
There has never been anything glorious about a violent revolution. It sounds good in history books but it is not a pleasant experience being part of it on either side.
What happened to the hippies? Most of them cut their hair off and turned back to live a socially accepted lifestyle with one partner, a house a lawn and a nice car. What happened to all the punks? You could find them in Germany on every street corner during the 80’s? Where did they all go? They went back to live a life they used to despite.
Does it make sense that we all bought into how things are? Is a revolution even possible? Why not accept things how they are?
"A Revolution" Williamsburg/Brooklyn/Che Guevara spray painted onto a truck 07-13-08 at 01:39 PM
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