I believe hattonthegreat has made an interesting point - but I wish rog27 would post a link or other reference to the interview, as I'm not having any luck searching for it. I like to examine the most authorative sources without intervening interpretations.
Having learned a bit about Matt Berringer's politics, I don't doubt hatton's interpretation as to what points the song is trying to make. It is a great song BTW in my opinion, and the live performance is extremely powerful.
As to the "evil Mr. Trump" I would like to contribute my favorite saying on that topic: "No evil is done in the name of evil." In case you are thinking that I'm agreeing with hatton, I am not. On the other side of the street, you look much the same to us. Strangely, the song is just as compelling from my viewpoint as it appears to be from yours.
So tell me brother, if we continue to call each other "evil" are we headed to a good place? Or are we headed to different sides of a war? My suggestion is that we start by admitting our own side is not all good and the opposing side is not all evil. Otherwise there is no point in trying to communicate with each other.
As to the song, I think the National has written a powerful piece that just might get things moving in the right direction, if not exactly the direction they may have intended. Sometimes miracles happen that way.
@soundingboard are you still out there? Yes, of course if we continue to call each other "evil" (and assuming you're also an American) we are headed to different sides of a war. And war is hell, but sometimes it's necessary (although more often, it isn't, even while it's happening). But I now ask you this: If a global evil came into the world, how would you recognize it? Would it show itself by breaking down barriers between all people, or by dividing them? Would it enrich the wealthiest of us, or those who have the least and suffer because of...
@soundingboard are you still out there? Yes, of course if we continue to call each other "evil" (and assuming you're also an American) we are headed to different sides of a war. And war is hell, but sometimes it's necessary (although more often, it isn't, even while it's happening). But I now ask you this: If a global evil came into the world, how would you recognize it? Would it show itself by breaking down barriers between all people, or by dividing them? Would it enrich the wealthiest of us, or those who have the least and suffer because of it? Would it build up the parts of our society that focus on the differences between peoples, or those that focus on the commonalities? And would it foster a proliferation of thought, or accept only those who themselves accept a sanctioned "truth"?
You likely know how I would answer these. If we can't agree on most of the answers to these questions, then we are absolutely, inevitably, headed for a second civil war, fought on largely the same tortured societal territory as the first. Perhaps this will be our legacy; a nation perpetually moving toward yet another spasm of violence, if not living through one.
I believe hattonthegreat has made an interesting point - but I wish rog27 would post a link or other reference to the interview, as I'm not having any luck searching for it. I like to examine the most authorative sources without intervening interpretations.
Having learned a bit about Matt Berringer's politics, I don't doubt hatton's interpretation as to what points the song is trying to make. It is a great song BTW in my opinion, and the live performance is extremely powerful.
As to the "evil Mr. Trump" I would like to contribute my favorite saying on that topic: "No evil is done in the name of evil." In case you are thinking that I'm agreeing with hatton, I am not. On the other side of the street, you look much the same to us. Strangely, the song is just as compelling from my viewpoint as it appears to be from yours.
So tell me brother, if we continue to call each other "evil" are we headed to a good place? Or are we headed to different sides of a war? My suggestion is that we start by admitting our own side is not all good and the opposing side is not all evil. Otherwise there is no point in trying to communicate with each other.
As to the song, I think the National has written a powerful piece that just might get things moving in the right direction, if not exactly the direction they may have intended. Sometimes miracles happen that way.
@soundingboard are you still out there? Yes, of course if we continue to call each other "evil" (and assuming you're also an American) we are headed to different sides of a war. And war is hell, but sometimes it's necessary (although more often, it isn't, even while it's happening). But I now ask you this: If a global evil came into the world, how would you recognize it? Would it show itself by breaking down barriers between all people, or by dividing them? Would it enrich the wealthiest of us, or those who have the least and suffer because of...
@soundingboard are you still out there? Yes, of course if we continue to call each other "evil" (and assuming you're also an American) we are headed to different sides of a war. And war is hell, but sometimes it's necessary (although more often, it isn't, even while it's happening). But I now ask you this: If a global evil came into the world, how would you recognize it? Would it show itself by breaking down barriers between all people, or by dividing them? Would it enrich the wealthiest of us, or those who have the least and suffer because of it? Would it build up the parts of our society that focus on the differences between peoples, or those that focus on the commonalities? And would it foster a proliferation of thought, or accept only those who themselves accept a sanctioned "truth"?
You likely know how I would answer these. If we can't agree on most of the answers to these questions, then we are absolutely, inevitably, headed for a second civil war, fought on largely the same tortured societal territory as the first. Perhaps this will be our legacy; a nation perpetually moving toward yet another spasm of violence, if not living through one.