Waking Dream

I'd like to preface this by saying I realize how often I talk about Trent Reznor, I realize he's all over my blog, and I'm quite aware of the image I portray by doing such things.

That being said, I'd like to talk about this political side of Trent Reznor I'm always referring to. I've posted his lyrics a couple of times and while they certainly speak for themselves I think it may take a bit of persuading to make my point.

" Turn it up/listen to the shit they pump into your head/filling you with apathy" (Great Destroyer, Year Zero)

Clarice pointed out that this song may be representative of the media. Just like Chomsky talks about, the media has control over us and the government has control over them. Robert Greenwald illustrates this in his documentary Out Foxed. Trent Reznor has complimented this realization musically. Literature, film, and music- beautiful!

Watching MSNBC today made me realize the far reach of the conservative capitalists like Rupert Murdoch. They were basically endorsing McCain and dragging Obama through the mud. The news is the education of the people. From it we learn what goes on in the world around us, who is making the important decisions, and how these decisions may or may not affect us. When the source of our education becomes biased we too become biased and unrealistic. I made this point earlier in my essay regarding the media. There's really no need to restate my point here.

"Hypnotic sound of siren/echoing through the street/The cocking of the rifles/the marching of the feet/You see your world on fire/don't try to act surprised/We did just what you told us/
Lost our faith along the way and found ourselves believing your lies/I got my propaganda I got revisionism/I got my violence I got ultra-realism/I'm a part of this great nation/I got my fist I got my plan I got survivalism. " (Survivalism, Year Zero)

This revolution, this gesture, in all of its outspoken poetic-ness, serves as a reminder that I am not alone. When I feel like giving up, when I feel that I don't feel like I can bear the burden of knowledge any longer, I listen to this song. It rejuvenates my passion for change. And not really Obama-style change but some real change. He's good enough though. I do find myself searching for such a leader, a revolutionary, someone tangible, reachable. Celebrity has come between my idols and myself: Chomsky, Greenwald, Hoffman (well with him it's death but still), and now Reznor. Disappointing as it may be these dudes have left quite an impression on me, one that I don't think can ever be change or taken away. Once your eyes are open they're open. And as with politics my eyes have been opened to Nine Inch Nails. I always had the misconception that he was super angry or unnecessarily hostile but that's only because I never really paid any attention to his lyrics. Now that I have I can't stop listening to him.

" Just how deep do you believe/Will you bite the hand that feeds/Will you chew until it bleeds/Can you get up off your knees/Are you brave enough to see/Do you want to change it?" (Hand That Feeds, With Teeth)

This is a beautiful, powerful statement. Through and through it's quite obvious to me what he is saying.

The reason I'm giving these examples is not to sell NIN to you. It is to talk about the people who listen to NIN. Not people like me or Clarice. Scary people. Like Sarah Palin.

I'm going to cut out a lot of the bullshit even though I feel it's all important. I posted this:

Let’s ask our friends in countries outside of the United States how they, their friends, families, neighbors, and government view the United States. Stupid is probably one of the words you hear the most.

This was posted in response... by a teacher:

"First, I don't particularly care if other countries think we're stupid."

Do I even really need to say anything?! Are you serious? This guy goes onto say that he does care about our diplomatic relations with other countries but I fail to see how the intelligence of our leader doesn't affect that.

I've saved the best for last. Posted by a 33 year old "Alpha Female" from Chicago:

"I am not worries about Palin setting back women. Women are setting themselves back with or without her by the bad decisions they make in their lives already that will affect their economic welfare of their lives and their children...Studies show that single, unwed mothers are the poorest women of all in American society. And chicks still crapping out babies out their holes without getting married. Lots of women. Seems like many ain't carring about birth control nor abortion. Sounds like many women Democrats are pro-Palin to me, because if you don't use it....you lose it."

I'm quoting this shit as it was posted. Swear to the universe itself.

Here is the point of this post. How can these ignorant individuals listen to the music made by the same man who wrote the lyrics I posted above? I can post even more because basically all of the songs by Mr. Reznor are political in nature. I'm serious, all of his albums are 99% political. Sometimes I think he sings about love but really who knows with that crap, I certainly don't shit. Go to nin.com and download Y34RZ3R0R3M1X3D. Trust me, you will not be disappointed. This album is a remix of Year Zero. My god in heaven I wonder as I sit here if it is in fact one of the best albums I've ever heard and with confidence I can conclude that yes it is.

These people are lunatics. Conservative republican Christians all over this thing while Trent is singing about the fact that "Your god is dead and no one cares." There was someone who posted something saying that they actually like John McCain. This is after Reznor posted his views on the front page of the site, facetious tone and all.

I don't have the naive expectation that everyone in the world or United States is a liberal like me. But I do assume that people are at least a bit liberal in their views when they start rocking out to Great Destroyer or Capital G or whatever.

This is the kind of reality we live in. One where absolutely nothing makes sense. A waking dream.

I'll end with this, words from the mouth of the man himself:

"One step closer to the end of the world. The one-two combo of corporate greed and organized religion apparently proved to be too much for reason, sanity and compassion."