Angry men!
That could sum up the
White Working Class during the 2016 election cycle.
And the
Harvard Business Review has an excellent article about this constituency that felt disenfranchised for years:
* What So Many People Don’t Get About the U.S. Working Class (November 10, 2016)
And in the spirit of the age, some have felt drawn to this popular song from the musical,
Les Miserables (2012).
A song of angry men
Based on the
Victor Hugo novel, the setting for the musical is during troubling times in France.
1789–1832
The novel spanned the French Revolution, the Reign of Terror, the rise and fall of Napoleon, the Bourbon Restoration, to the July Monarchy.
[ reference: France in the Long Nineteenth Century ]
And during the July Monarchy, the workers revolted against their abysmal conditions. The scene in the video clip above reflects this protest.
Then in...
2016
This theme was picked up by some Trump supporters. Especially, after half of his supporters were described as a
basket of deplorables:
Les Deplorables (September 16, 2016)
America has known turbulent times. Just look back to the last century ...
The 1960s
The unpopular Vietnam War sparked many protests and riots. The decade witnessed the assassination of many leaders: President John F Kennedy (1963), civil rights leader the Reverend Martin Luther King (1968), presidential candidate Senator Robert F Kennedy (1968).
[ reference: America's Best Timeline (1960 - 1969 ) ]
Angry men...angry peoples... Even a call for....
Revolution?
And the
Beatles, one of the icons of the era, had their take on the
angry men of the time. It was even called
Revolution (1968) .
They put out this song answering the question about the Vietnam War. All the protests. All the riots. And their response in the lyrics is a surprising call for reason.
Let's take a closer look at them.
The entire lyrics can be found here:
Beatles - Revolution Lyrics | MetroLyrics
Here's my comments on some of the meanings of the words.
* Point 1
You say you want a revolution
...
You tell me that it's evolution
...
We all want to change the world
Revolution and evolution can be a good thing.
(Something we've heard a lot about in the past few election cycles.)
Hope and Change
Good intentions, right?
Change the world for the better
* Counter Point 1
But when you talk about destruction
Don't you know that you can count me out
....
Violent protests, riots, vandalism, looting?
Allegedly sparked by grievances, real or imagined.
Especially when a group doesn't get their way ...
Like an election?
Destruction?
Count me out!
* Point 2
You say you got a real solution
...
We'd all love to see the plan
You ask me for a contribution
...
We're doing what we can
Of course, we want solutions to our vexing problems.
Social, economic, judicial, educational,...you name it.
What's the plan?
How do we fix it?
Of course it will take effort, time, and money.
We'll do what we can.
* Counter Point 2
But if you want money for people with minds that hate
All I can tell is brother you have to wait
...
Hate is not the answer.
So often those who protest against hate
seem to be the most hateful, don't you think?
It's calling out all the poverty pimps, fakers, charlatans
shaking us down for money
Those who came to do good
and did very well (for themselves) indeed.
* Point 3
You say you'll change the constitution
...
We all want to change your head
Yes, there's been a call to change the rules.
For example, abolishing the Electoral College,
requiring an amendment to our Constitution.
And changing minds in the body politic.
* Counter Point 3
You tell me it's the institution
...
You better free you mind instead
Some claim our institutions are broken
Infected with white privilege.
The opposition is labeled as
racist, homo-phobic, sexist...
yada, yada, yada
Those preaching tolerance
lecture those who disagree
Consider freeing your mind instead.
Like being truly open minded yourself.
But if you go carrying pictures of Chairman Mao
You ain't going to make it with anyone anyhow
Chairman Mao was China's dictator in the 1960s.
He brought about the Cultural Revolution
as well as the deaths millions of his own people.
[ reference: Mao Tse-Tung ]
Oppression, suppression, death...
No, not this.
* Conclusion
Don't you know it's gonna be
All right...
In spite of all the turmoil, heated rhetoric, protests...
There's an optimism in these lyrics.
Even a faith expressed in a Higher Power.
After this election and the comings years...
It's Gonna Be All Right.
Yes,
It's Gonna Be All Right!
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