Aim #2: Success (Warning: Explicit Lyrics)
1. Beyonce --> Hollywood, R&B, 2007
2. Rick Ross ft. P. Diddy --> Another one , Hip Hop, 2010
3. Ne yo --> Champayne Life , R&B, 2010
4. Mary mary --> God in Me , Gospel , 2008
5. Mase, Notorious B.I.G., and Puff --> I been around the world , Hip Hop,
Aim #4: Liberation
1. Lauryn Hill --> I gotta find peace of mind , R&B, 2007
2. India Arie ft. Akon --> I am not my hair , R&B,
3. Lauryn Hill --> Zion , R&B, 1998
4. Pink --> F**kin Perfect , Pop, 2010
5. Christina Aguilera --> Beautiful , Pop, 2003
Of the two aims, Success was more prevalent. As for why, there are many reasons for that. Success is, and has been, the ultimate goal for most people in life. It starts as a child, your parents encourage you to do things that will help promote your success in the future world. This success can mean education, money, a career, a status, etc. depending on how the individual percieves the success they wish to acquire. Music and Media help to influence individuals perception on success by providing them with pictures and stories about the success of others, which can have negative or positive effects on the rationality of how individual's think successful people decide to use resources. I noticed that I had to analyze the lyrics of the songs that i chose to use for liberation. I aimed for those songs which revealed some self discovery. The western view of these aims are different from that of Hinduism because the understanding of success and liberation are deeper, therefore meaning more the individual than the materialistic success constantly displayed here. The success aimed by Hinduism includes wealth, fame and power, and achievements are considered to be temporary conditions. This is almost opposite of here because just being wealthy is a sign of success whether you have the power and fame or not. Also, achievements are usually crucial to the development of an individual's success and often used to tell one's legacy, so they are definitely not thought of as temporary. The conception of Liberation in Hinduism means infinite being, infinite awareness, and infinite joy which is why i chose songs that aimed for self discovery.
You prove a good point in terms of how your parents encourage you to become successful starting at a young age. We all strive in life to live successful lives, and that's why I think it was easier for you and I to find songs having to do with success. I also had to look up the lyrics to the songs I chose for liberation. I like your choice of music on liberation. Lauryn Hill has a good selection of music, and Christina Aguilera's "Beautiful" was a great pick too :)
ReplyDeleteYou made a good point about how your parents encourages you to strive for success and I here success is interpreted differently by different people but usually the main goal is to obtain wealth, where as in Hinduism that is not the ultimate goal.Especially in American pop music images of success are put into the minds of the youth that its so easy to obtain happiness, wealth and success through music, and the difference of how this aim in America and in Hindu continues to widen
ReplyDeleteI'm glad that you aimed for songs about self-discovery. I feel that is the closet American music gets to the Hinduism ideas on liberation. Because other American music focuses on escaping a world that doesn't agree with them making it a selfish freedom. Self-discovery is more about shaking off your jiva to find your atman but it still lacks the promise of infinite happiness that moksha possesses.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree. Our society does strive for success, but not as a temporary thing. I also like your song choice of liberation songs that represent self-discovery.
ReplyDeleteThat is so true! For some reason in American culture there is almost an inherent need to be successful. And your right again that it starts from childhood. I guess its just that people want that sense of stability for the future. p.s. LOVE Lauryn Hill, great song choice!
ReplyDeleteWealth does not guarantee happiness, hardly do you find a poor person (someone who cannot afford the basic needs of life) happy. How much wealth is too much or too small.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that success is a goal for all humans and has been for a long time. I think your Beyonce song is tight! I like how you called out the Western desire for materialistic things compared to the Hindu view on success. I think it's cool how you compared the western views with the eastern views on success and liberation. You used actual information about the Hindu culture for better clarification.
ReplyDelete