Good Monsters
I have been thinking a lot lately about entropy, brokenness, deterioration, and mortality, etc. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that we're studying the OT and looking at sort of a humanity-on-a-large-scale picture. Also, we studied Ecclesiastes, which is heavily related to this subject. We should talk about depression more. Everybody feels it to some degree -- when you're sitting all alone at night in your room, when you're studying, or even walking to class or something. I think everyone thinks it is weird to be depressed since no one ever talks about it. We go around trying to put on happy faces so nobody thinks we're weird or something. Stuff is broken. "Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, / Vanity of vanities, all is vanity." Go read Ecclesiastes. Look at Romans 8:18-30. The way we are going about things now (i.e. life on Earth) is vanity, futility, or whatever word you want to use there. The things we do are meaningless. Should it be so surprising that we get depressed? Maybe we just realize the futility that we're currently immersed in. However, don't stop there. There is hope for believers, as the second half of the Romans passage spells out.
Anyway, the newest Jars of Clay album ("Good Monsters") seems to have a lot of lyrics on this subject. Lyrically, it is some of their best work. The music is a bit of a departure from some of their earlier work, but it is still really good. Here are a couple of my favorite chunks:
I don't have a lot of prospects
That can give some kind of peace
There is nothing left to cling to
That can bring me sweet release
I have no fear of drowning
It's the breathing
That's taking all this work
Do you know
What I mean
When I say
"I don't wanna be alone"
-From "Work"
Sometimes I can not forgive and these days mercy cuts so deep,
If the world was how it should be, maybe I could get some sleep.
While I lay, I'd dream we're better, scales were gone and faces lighter,
When we wake we hate our brother, we still move to hurt each other,
Sometimes I can close my eyes and all the fear the keeps me silent,
Falls below my heavy breathing, what makes me so badly bent?
We all have a chance to murder, we all have the need for wonder.
We still want to be reminded that the pain is worth the plunder.
Sometimes when I lose my grip, I wonder what to make of heaven,
All the times I thought to reach up, all the times I had to give up.
Babies underneath their beds, in hospitals that cannot treat them.
All the wounds that money causes, all the comforts of cathedrals,
All the cries of thirsty children, this is our inheritance,
All the rage of watching mothers, this is our greatest offense
Oh my God, Oh my God, Oh my God.
-From "Oh My God"
Anyway, there are several really good songs on it. I would highly recommend it.
Anyway, the newest Jars of Clay album ("Good Monsters") seems to have a lot of lyrics on this subject. Lyrically, it is some of their best work. The music is a bit of a departure from some of their earlier work, but it is still really good. Here are a couple of my favorite chunks:
I don't have a lot of prospects
That can give some kind of peace
There is nothing left to cling to
That can bring me sweet release
I have no fear of drowning
It's the breathing
That's taking all this work
Do you know
What I mean
When I say
"I don't wanna be alone"
-From "Work"
Sometimes I can not forgive and these days mercy cuts so deep,
If the world was how it should be, maybe I could get some sleep.
While I lay, I'd dream we're better, scales were gone and faces lighter,
When we wake we hate our brother, we still move to hurt each other,
Sometimes I can close my eyes and all the fear the keeps me silent,
Falls below my heavy breathing, what makes me so badly bent?
We all have a chance to murder, we all have the need for wonder.
We still want to be reminded that the pain is worth the plunder.
Sometimes when I lose my grip, I wonder what to make of heaven,
All the times I thought to reach up, all the times I had to give up.
Babies underneath their beds, in hospitals that cannot treat them.
All the wounds that money causes, all the comforts of cathedrals,
All the cries of thirsty children, this is our inheritance,
All the rage of watching mothers, this is our greatest offense
Oh my God, Oh my God, Oh my God.
-From "Oh My God"
Anyway, there are several really good songs on it. I would highly recommend it.
posted by Abe at 2:52 PM
12 Comments:
I was thinking about this stuff recently, too. Weird. Well, not really because it's us. But anyway, I agree that it's odd how we don't talk about it much, but I think a lot of it is pride. If we admitted we get depressed, we'd be vulnerable and people would know we were imperfect.
Worse yet, we might be labeled as "Melancholy" and of course that is a fate worse than death. (At least according to the Sanguines. That's why Melancholy-Sanguines are the most tortured of all.)
I think I've fully shifted to Choleric-Melancholy...
Jill, your nominalism slays me. If you call me apathetic anytime in the near future (and it's been a while, I know, this is a pre-emptive "stop whining"), at least add a percentage or something.
But I thought I should comment, since I have a good worldly excuse for depression at the moment. Stranger still to me is how much more energizing it is to break free from depressing thoughts once you've trudged through the mire of hopelessness and found someone else in there with you, even if you know you'll get sad again. Compared to a linear input, I'd rather oscillate, so I know what I'm missing. It's as if you're required to get down to get high, and maybe to meet someone down there. Affirming, I guess, is the word I'm looking for, thanks for the affirmation.
ps - my dad would probably agree he's living proof that it ain't easy to breathe.
I think I switched my concepts here. Jill, your realism slays me, nominalism being its polar opposite. ouch. Yet another swift blow to the pride of an illiterate philistine. At least I caught it before I had a chance to really embarrass myself.
ellipses are good in moderation...
Well hell. So much for sass. Now I appear to have deteriorated into geezer-like rambling. Maybe I should research my snap comments a little more deeply than just "wikipedia-ing" them and scanning the first paragraph of the article. What an entrance to the world of blogs, eh? Now it becomes clear why Adam does not blog (aside from the lack of commitment).
Well, I hope it's been entertaining, at least...
I am so confused! And at first, i was like "who the crap is this Adam person getting attitude with me?!" because the Adam *i* know pretends not to read blogs! But anyway, i certainly would not call you apathetic any more, but you are still dang Phlegmatic and that's the truth. Love ya, mean it!
And Abe, i am so proud of you for being able to admit you are part Melancholy. Now if only certain other members of SCUM leadership could be as honest... Heh...
I've scored 100% melancholy on every one of those tests i've ever taken. I wasn't aware that Melancholy was the bad personality.
it's not, but it is tough to deal with sometimes I think, since it's not really "cool" in america to admit that you're vulnerable and not perfect and don't have it all together. that's exactly what I'm saying though, is that we should talk more about this sort of thing and admit to each other that we stink and need Jesus and stuff...
Abe, are you saying Melancholies are the ones who don't have it together, or are you referring back to actual depression? Because there is a BIG difference! And for the record, Melancholies are the most organized and responsible of the humors.
Rachel, we're not bad at all. We just have the strongest strengths AND weakest weaknesses. Melancholies are intense, and Sanguines can't handle it so they say there is something wrong with us. I say, Shut up, Sanguines.
OK, good. I was like since when are melancholies vulnerable and imperfect? Speak for yourself, kid. I happen to be impenetrable AND perfect. ;)
P.S. Abe, you are Choleric-Melancholy? Are you sure?
I'm not saying melancholies have it together less than anyone else, but they tend to feel like they do. and yes, I'm sure. I'm definitely primarily choleric. I'm not phlegmatic, and I'm not really that sanguine either, even though it might look like it from the outside sometimes.
*yawn*
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