The Trouble With Normal
Navigating the Perils of Normalcy: Bruce Cockburn's Sociopolitical Anthem
Lyrics
Strikes across the frontier and strikes for higher wage
Strikes occur at the borderlines for increased wages.
Planet lurches to the right as ideologies engage
The world shifts politically rightward as conflicting ideologies clash.
Suddenly it's repression, moratorium on rights
Suddenly, there's suppression and a halt on fundamental rights.
What did they think the politics of panic would invite?
What were the expectations when panic-driven politics were adopted?
Person in the street shrugs "Security comes first"
Common people prioritize security despite consequences.
But the trouble with normal is it always gets worse
The issue with conformity to the norm is that it consistently deteriorates.
The trouble with normal is it always gets worse
-Callous men in business costume speak computerese
Insensitive corporate individuals communicate in technical jargon.
Play pinball with the Third World trying to keep it on its knees
Global powers exploit developing nations, maintaining control.
Their single crop starvation plans put sugar in your tea
Efforts to address hunger lead to dependency on a single crop like sugar.
And the local Third World's kept on reservations you don't see
Undeveloped areas are marginalized and hidden from view.
"It'll all go back to normal if we put our nation first"
The belief that prioritizing one's nation will restore normalcy.
But the trouble with normal is it always gets worse
Despite intentions, conformity to the norm tends to worsen situations.
The trouble with normal is it always gets worse
-Fashionable fascism dominates the scene
A trend of appealing fascism becomes dominant.
When the ends don't meet it's easier to justify the means
When goals aren't met, justifying extreme methods becomes simpler.
Tenants get the dregs and the landlords get the cream
Tenants receive the least desirable while landlords profit the most.
As the grinding devolution of the democratic dream
The decline of the democratic ideal leads to a worsening situation.
Brings us men in gas masks dancing while the shells burst
People in authority remain unaffected amidst chaos and conflict.
The trouble with normal is it always gets worse
Conformity to the norm consistently results in deteriorating conditions.
The trouble with normal is it always gets worse
-The trouble with normal is it always gets worse
-The trouble with normal is it always gets worse
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