Occupatio

If this were a blog about pet peeves, which it isn't, today's post would be the John Lennon song, "Imagine."

It's not a really dreadful song or anything (it's not a good song, but it's not dreadful), but I am so sick of every progressive group using it. And every corporation trying to sell you something using it. And every busker using it.

I am sorry to report that Amnesty International has a whole campaign based on this song. Now, I loves me some Amnesty, but why do they have to test me like this??

There's a kind of self-congratulatory lump-in-the-throatiness that typically attends a rendition of the song--a modern day version of affective piety: "oh, I'm so terribly committed to social change. Why, look how weepy I'm getting at this song." The unmistakably adolescent self-righteousness of the song itself solicits this response.

Blech.

And as for buskers, I have heard no fewer than THREE singing this in the past few weeks. I'd like to imagine there's no buskers. Imagine all the people, walking downtown in peace.

You may say I'm a dreamer.

If they really want to make hippies nostalgic and (more) self-satisfied, may I recommend "After the Gold Rush"? It's a much better song.

If this were a blog about pet peeves, which it isn't, this is what I'd write:

Hey, all you I'm-so-sad-that-I-sold-my-ideals-for-an-SUV (but they're such great family cars) but-at-least-I-still-dig-the-music Imaginers:

Getting all choked up over some gloopy song doesn't make you a good person. Doing good things makes you a good person. The song's just another fucking commodity. Get over it.