"Let's see how far we've come"

[Amie]

By Matchbox 20, this song is about imagining "the end" and what our report would look like -- how far we've come.

On one hand, I could see how this might be a positive song in view of belief in an end of the world because it's not about giving up on it all because it's useless anyhow.

On the other hand, this seems to use fear as the motivator, once again.

I'm interested in your thoughts.

Here's the song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiYKq64G2m0

If you don't like Pop-rock, here are the lyrics anyhow :)


Waking up at the start of the end of the world,
But its feeling just like every morning before,
Now I wonder what my life is going to mean if its gone,
The cars are moving like a half a mile an hour if that
I started staring at the passengers waving goodbye
Can you tell me what was ever really special about me all this time

[chorus]
But I believe the world is burning to the ground
Oh well I guess we're gonna find out
Let's see how far we've come
Let's see how far we've come

Well I, believe, its all, coming to an end
Oh well, I guess, we're gonna pretend,
Let's see how far we've come
Let's see how far we've come

I think its turning to a crock but I don't really know
I can't remember caring for an hour or so
Started crying and I couldn't stop myself
I started running but there was no where to run to
I sat down on the street and took a look at myself
Said where you going you know the world is heading for hell
Say your goodbyes if you've got someone you can say goodbye to

[chorus]
I believe the world is burning to the ground
Oh well I guess we're gonna find out
Let's see how far we've come
Let's see how far we've come

Well I, believe, its all, coming to an end
Oh well, I guess, we're gonna pretend,
Let's see how far we've come
Let's see how far we've come

Its gone gone baby its all gone
There is no one on the corner and there's no one at home
It was cool cool, it was just all cool
Now it's over for me and it's over for you
Well its gone gone baby its all gone
There is no one on the corner and there's no one at home
Well it was cool cool, it was just all cool
Now it's over for me and it's over for you

[chorus]
But I believe the world is burning to the ground
Oh well I guess we're gonna find out
Let's see how far we've come
Let's see how far we've come
Well I, believe, its all, coming to an end
Oh well, I guess, we're gonna pretend,
Let's see how far we've come
Let's see how far we've come
Let's see how far we've come
Let's see how far we've come
Let's see how far we've come
Let's see how far we've come
Let's see how far we've come
Let's see how far we've come
Let's see how far we've come

Amie

[Laren]

I watched the video, and I feel such sadness. It shakes my faith a little, in the sense of this is "God all in all".

[ozark]

What if you remade the video with the same music but with positive images, would it make us feel different? Even a troubled place like Iraq has more than enough feel good images to give the impression that it is a wonderful place. Its all in the spin.

[Amie]

Its all in the spin.

I agree.

(Laren too..)

We can do a hundred things that benefit the planet, yet the critical parent points out the two things wrong. It's a guilt trip meant to frighten people into action. When is that okay? (never)

It also brings on the thinking that we can't ever do anything right. Wasn't that the point when Jesus said that "none are good"? (Or am I ripping that out of context?)

We can believe, like Eve, that there is good in the fruit, but it is a deception -- the "deception of good". If we try and live up to an impossible law, it will only breed more inner contempt and need for self proof.

Amie

[Jotham]

I agree.

(Laren too..)

We can do a hundred things that benefit the planet, yet the critical parent points out the two things wrong. It's a guilt trip meant to frighten people into action. When is that okay? (never)...DITTO for me also. I do want to share in context that i'm not much of a tree hugger. We were given this planet to dominate. With that in mind i believe we are also here to manage and bless.

My family visited OMSI (http://www.omsi.edu/) in Portland, mostly to see the planetarium and laser-light show. We did browse the museum that has lots of "save the planet or else" kinda displays. I get really turned off with most of it. We can utilize and control/dominate the planet and still have a wonderful place for our great great grandchildren's great great grandchildren.

I don't see this place coming to an end anytime soon. It's sort of my view on "Faith", It's a choice God made not me. If God is ultimatly in control also of the universe, i just don't see how a few billion little ants (humans) on some blue planet, one of possibly millions with life, could hurt anything in a lasting sort of way.

OK, i'm getting down from the soapbox. grin.
Thom

[Me Again]

I do believe in stewardship, but see it in a different way than the "tree huggers." Unfortunately, most of the tree huggers are ill-informed about what is good and not good for the environment; e.g., burning trash. A certain political agenda is being served unwittingly by many people who genuinely think they are benefitting the planet. It has always been human ingenuity that creates the best "environment" for our children and us. Cleaner air is not created by fiat law - it is created by creative minds working to make a cleaner world.

I am currently reading a book called Rethinking Green from The Independent Institute. I highly recommend it for those who are interested in environmentalism and free markets. They answer a lot of the questions that you might have in regards to these issues. And don't think that there is no disagreement in the book - there is; and from free market scholars to boot!

We are learning more and more (thanks to postmodernism) that there are a lot of gray areas. IOW, "there is more than one way to skin a cat." Creativity and free markets will win the day - every time. I believe that the more freedom we possess as individuals economically (and politically and theologically) the better our society will be.

I highly recommend that book, as well as The Bottomless Well (BW), to learn more about environmentalism and free markets (and in the case of BW, energy).

ed

[Amie]

What if you remade the video with the same music but with positive images, would it make us feel different? Even a troubled place like Iraq has more than enough feel good images to give the impression that it is a wonderful place. Its all in the spin.

I had another thought about your comment. You had similar pictures in your video, with positive words. That too inspired a different feeling.. one of outreach (for me) rather than shame.


We can utilize and control/dominate the planet and still have a wonderful place for our great great grandchildren's great great grandchildren.



It has always been human ingenuity that creates the best "environment" for our children and us. Cleaner air is not created by fiat law - it is created by creative minds working to make a cleaner world.

Amen to both.

Amie

[Amie]

My son shared his (15 year old) opinion that kids should be able to vote at 16. My thought was that assigning them the label "minor" was an important move in protecting them from adults taking advantage of their impressionableness (<--Is that a word? lol!).

Anyhow, that made me think about labor laws also and how far the world has come in listening and responding to our children.

Did you know that in Rome it was common for a father to have sexual relations with his son for what the Romans believed to be educational purposes?

I realize that there are parts of the world where children still need protection - and rights. The world notices though, and it isn't normalized. And, it isn't the entire world any more.

I dunno, this is just one thought that I had today about "How far we've come".

Amie