This morning, Sally asked us to reflect on our beef with the educational system. We spent some time this week ranting and thinking about possible solutions. And then Sally asked us--did we want an evolution or a revolution of the system? She asked us to think about the potential of each in the world of school. We imagined the possibilities and trying to figure out what these things would look like in the school.
And the whole time, this was all I could think:
"Revolution" by The Beatles
You say you want a revolution
Well, you know
We all want to change the world
You tell me that it's evolution
Well, you know
We all want to change the world
But when you talk about destruction
Don't you know that you can count me out
Don't you know it's gonna be all right
all right, all right
You say you got a real solution
Well, you know
We'd all love to see the plan
You ask me for a contribution
Well, you know
We're doing what we can
But when you want money
for people with minds that hate
All I can tell is brother you have to wait
Don't you know it's gonna be all right
all right, all right
You say you'll change the constitution
Well, you know
We all want to change your head
You tell me it's the institution
Well, you know
You better free your mind instead
But if you go carrying pictures of chairman Mao
You ain't going to make it with anyone anyhow
Don't you know it's gonna be all right?
Jim Sturgess singing "Revolution" in Across the Universe
Carrie, I am reading this over and over. Thanks for posting... Okay, thinking about "It's gonna be all right" refrained throughout all the examples of material ways to revolt... Pretty depressing... want to know your take.
ReplyDeleteI agree, Lacy. It just seems so defeatist. "Well you know, we all wanna change the world"--but every effort to do that seem to be shot down. The fact that we are told "brother, you have to wait" seems to simply hope for an evolution, but not pushing for it, just waiting for it to happen. It seems passive and accepting of whatever's going on.
ReplyDeleteIs it going to be alright Really?
"We all want to change your head
You tell me it's the institution
Well, you know
You better free your mind instead"
This sounds as if you can free your mind, but you can never change the institution. It's stuck. So might as well give up on it and transform yourself?
We *SAY* we want a revolution, but do we? Or are we too passive? Do we have what it takes? Are we willing to make the moves? Are we willing to take the risks?
We say we want a revolution, but do we really?
This reminds me of a song I heard on the way to work one day when we were first asked to come up with a demo idea. The song "Talkin' Bout A Revolution" by Tracy Chapman came on and I thought, "Aha!" this goes with my social action interest.
ReplyDeleteTalkin' Bout A Revolution by Tracy Chapman
Don't you know you're talking about a revolution
It sounds like a whisper
Don't you know they're talking about a revolution
It sounds like a whisper
While they're standing in the welfare lines
Crying at the doorsteps of those armies of salvation
Wasting time in unemployment lines
Sitting around waiting for a promotion
Don't you know you're talking about a revolution
It sounds like a whisper
Poor people are gonna rise up
And get their share
Poor people are gonna rise up
And take what's theirs
Don't you know you better run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run
Oh I said you better run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run
Finally the tables are starting to turn
Talking about a revolution
Finally the tables are starting to turn
Talking about a revolution oh no
Talking about a revolution oh no
While they're standing in the welfare lines
Crying at the doorsteps of those armies of salvation
Wasting time in unemployment lines
Sitting around waiting for a promotion
Don't you know you're talking about a revolution
It sounds like a whisper
And finally the tables are starting to turn
Talking about a revolution
Finally the tables are starting to turn
Talking about a revolution oh no
Talking about a revolution oh no
Talking about a revolution oh no
Isn't that what we have been talking about all week? Starting a revolution?
Melissa and Carrie,
ReplyDeleteOkay so first back to Beatles then Tracy Chapman...
Yeah, I think defeatist is the right word... it's kind of a stunted materialist twist on post-modernism. All you do is change your head. That doesn't actually change the world though. Changing your head won't DO anything, but it all you got. Sheesh.
So let's see what is Tracy Chapman adding here? To me the important thing here is that she is naming the people that have to be the doers here... the proletariate, the workers. So, okay, maybe the Beatles take is mixed up in the ideals of saving others (after all they are middle-class, white males) ... which yeah is going to go nowhere, and Tracy Chapman is onto the thing, not empowerment, but uprising--- it's about people not ideas floating in the air... Wow I'm rambling now. Hitting post anyways :)
My contribution...
ReplyDeletehttp://www.thenation.com/blog/160822/bob-dylans-top-ten-protest-songs
Check out "A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall" and "The TImes They are a Changin"