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The Culture War - Springsteen, Brooks and The American People
Veins bulging on his neck, a greying bard has created an anthem for the times, the likes of which we have not heard in decades.
Bruce Springsteen's song, apparently recorded in his home studio, unveils the soul of a pop star beyond his intermittent statements reported in the press. The video portrays an older, lined and bespeckled man, a far cry from the pop star image embraced by his core fanbase and promoted in press releases or music reviews. Veins bulging on his neck, a greying bard singing with a fiery soul has, in a moment of unadulterated outrage, created an anthem for the times, the likes of which we have not heard in decades.
Complete with a harmonica bridge and the unifying, almost soothing background tones of an organ—an unmistakable nod to Dylan's Highway 61—Springsteen's fury is encapsulated in his words.
A masterfully produced music video, the images of him singing those evocative lyrics are intermittently interrupted with black and white scenes from the snowy, frozen streets of Minneapolis. Poignantly using a group of voices to deliver the chorus lines—"Oh our Minneapolis I hear your voice, singing through the bloody mist"—he draws attention to the outrage felt by many, and left unspoken, if you're not outraged, you're not paying attention. And uses that chorus of voices to emphasize the people's demand of "Ice Out Now."
David Brooks' column is the continuation of a call to duty—echoing the ideals once declared by JFK in his inauguration address calling for individuals to participate in creating the direction for a country on the brink of a decade of discovery, not only of the unknown but of the nation itself. The article is expressively introduced by a simple photograph of party balloons lying next to an empty couch—the message too clear... the party's over.
Addressing the misplacement of priorities, he views the meaning of life as something more than self-aggrandizement, recalling the loss of culture, and a perspective on history with a view for the big picture that too often has fallen out of favor and focus. The values of a liberal arts education are no longer relevant in a world grasping for even more wealth, power and influence.
President Obama's 2008 message of 'Hope' and 'Yes We Can' seem like anachronisms from the distant past. Now distorted through a lens of lies, faith in the collective good has alarmingly faded into the sepia toned pages of history, prematurely faded and brittle with age.
The passage of time imparts wisdom onto those who are both aware of our present shortcomings and strive for something better, who are always looking for an opportunity to make a difference. Springsteen has done that as has David Brooks. Now is the time to ask yourself, "Who's next?"
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