| David Bowie – The Man Who Sold the World Lyrics | 2 months ago |
| This song depicts the struggle of a man going down the rabbit hole of becoming a nihilist. What would a complete loss of meaning, of all things, of space and time, other people, even your own subjectivity mean? notice the contradiction here. if you're becoming a nihilist, even this state of affairs can't mean anything. But a snake that eats its own tail appears to be depicted when the speaker, whilst in progress of losing meaning and value, has not yet lost sense of subjectivity (i think therefore i am). At this late stage, he can only meet face to face with himself. the meeting can't take place in any specific place, as orientation has been thrown out the window. so it must only take place "in between" locations, hence the stairs. Of course, the fading subject is now trying to converse with himself, baffled at his presence. His own ego then replies - don't confuse my nihilism with death. I merely sold the world (= let go of meaning). But the paradox of becoming a nihilist can never be resolved. Our protagonist can't find home, form, land, or even sense of time. All he can do is stare a gazely stare, and anachronistically see his own death. | |
| Roxy Music – More Than This Lyrics | 10 years ago |
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to understand this song, one should read the 17th century Dutch philosopher -Baruch Spinoza. In essence, Spinoza, lthough being a religious Jew, was in effect one of the first heralds of secular (dis-)believes in modern times. Nature is god, said Spinoza, and there is no transcendental one. More then this - there is nothing. Determinism governs the world and free will is an illusion. But our limited mind, of course, it "feels" like we are free, but that's just out epidemiological limit. So, how can we know where leaves falling in the night are blowing? there is no way of knowing. Our lives appear to us an an unfolding, open ended movie. like a dream in the night, we can never know where we are going. Still, deep within us, we ask the question of the determinism we see around us - why the sea on the tide can has no way of turning (e.g, choose is way). We feel we are free, but we see determinism surrounding us. We want the comfort of certainty and absolute knowledge, but also fear it since its consequence will surly mean we are no more then sophisticated automatons. The solution for this dilemma is written in the second stanza: accept the uncertainty and re-joy in it (no care in the world). the official video of the song, appear to support this thesis. It has religious icons and setting (cross, and hell-like environment), Bryan is sitting in a cinema, watching himself play in a scene. |
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