I have been listening to Child Cudi’s Pursuit of Happiness on repeat for fairly a while. Truly, its been certainly one of my favourite songs to blast within the automobile on a sunny day and I all the time take heed to it whereas understanding. Initially, I linked to the upbeat rhythm and the journey towards happiness that we’re all on. Lately, nonetheless, the lyrics started sounding extra grim to me.
I used to be first launched to this tune by my teenage son, I are likely to gravitate in the direction of his playlists. Taking part in this monitor made me really feel nearer to him as I think about the magnitude of Cudi’s phrases in a seventeen-year-old’s thoughts:
Dwelling my life, getting our desires
Individuals instructed me to sluggish my roll
I am screaming out, fuck that
I all the time felt a way of empowerment, singing “fuck that” as I drove with the wind in my hair, quantity additional excessive, pumped to proceed dwelling my life and by no means slowing my roll it doesn’t matter what others consider me. I, too, am within the pursuit of happiness, and listening to this tune for the primary few dozen occasions reassured me I might get there quickly if I continued to reside my life, my means.
The opposite day, it occurred to me that this tune is absolutely unhappy, regardless of its catchy beats.
Every thing that shines ain’t all the time gonna be gold, hey
Actually, little is what it appears to be on the floor. Cudi wrongly assumes {that a} glamorous life ridden with extreme alcohol and drug utilization would discover him happiness, however he later admits within the tune that he’s improper. Equally, many people are likely to gravitate in the direction of something sparkly -often occasions our pursuit of happiness turns to materialism to fill a void.
I do not anticipate happiness from issues. Carrying designer garments does not make me happier, it simply makes me really feel prettier. Nevertheless, I do are likely to get lured by shiny individuals – particularly those that dangle expressions of affection towards me; I assume it is the Leo in me who falls for this entice. Or possibly I are likely to mission as a result of once I inform somebody I like them, I truly actually do love them so the belief is that others are as real as I’m. I dare tweak Cudi’s lyrics to:
Everybody that shines ain’t all the time gonna be gold, hey.
There are roughly 15 million Jews on the earth and 1.8 billion Muslims. In response to Brigitte Gabriel, a Christian Lebanese girl whose life was turned the other way up by Islamic radicals, 20% of the Muslim inhabitants is radicalized. That is a load of militant Muslims crammed with vile hatred in the direction of Jews or anybody who stands with Israel. Jews want the voices of our gentile mates, who declare to like us, to assist us come near matching the tons of of tens of millions of voices which might be protesting for the eradication of our land and our individuals. “I like you”. Do you? If I’m surrounded by a lot love, why do I really feel so alone? I’ve a handful of extraordinarily supportive non-Jewish mates however as an individual who takes satisfaction in having many “mates” and realizing many individuals, a handful versus the numerous I do know is equal to the huge distinction in inhabitants of Jews versus Muslims on this planet. I really feel extraordinarily alone regardless of there being 2.4 billion Christians on the earth whom the Bible teaches to relentlessly defend Israel. Nearly all of the non-Jews I do know have despatched a sort textual content or two. They imply nicely however they do not really perceive what it’s like to look at rallies calling for the destruction of your individuals in response to essentially the most brutal massacres towards Jews for the reason that Holocaust, they do not perceive the choices we’ve needed to make as dad and mom as our kids apply to schools the place virtually none really feel secure for Jewish college students proper now, they do not grasp the excruciating ache that comes with their silence whereas Jews concern each day that we’re on the verge of a second Holocaust. So, as an alternative, with the most effective intentions, they inform you they love you and shine their pearly whites in an tried smile to console you.
Everybody that shines ain’t all the time gonna be gold, hey.
USC professor John Strauss has been banned from campus after saying “Hamas are murderers. That’s all they’re. Everybody must be killed, and I hope all of them are killed.” Is there one thing improper with wanting terrorists useless? Apparently, when you find yourself Jewish, you possibly can’t want demise upon terrorists or you’ll have the Professional-Palestinian/Anti-Zionist/antisemetic physique have you ever fired. The place are our non-Jewish mates serving to Professor Strauss get his job again? There are simply too few Jews in comparison with the rapidly rising Nazis of 2023 to combat these injustices on their very own.
Inform me what you recognize about dreamin’ dreamin’
You do not actually find out about nothin’, nothin’
Inform me what you recognize about them evening terrors each evening
5 AM chilly sweats, waking as much as the sky
Cudi suffers from evening sweats as his extreme alcohol and drug consumption depart his physique. I can relate to the nightmares and 5:00 am evening sweats, as I dream a couple of ten-month-old child being held hostage by Hamas terrorists and a four-year-old little lady held captive for 50 days after witnessing each her dad and mom being murdered. I too can not sleep today. My desires are additionally shattered.
Jewish owned companies in america and Europe are being vandalized frequently, the President of AIPAC’s dwelling was visited by protestors who used smoke bombs on his property, a trainer in New York Metropolis was virtually attacked by a mob of teenagers who discovered a put up on social media of her attending a pro-Israel rally, a Jewish man was killed by a violent Professional-Palestinian protestor in Los Angeles, 1000’s of protestors in Australia screamed “fuel the Jews”, Armenia’s solely synagogue was burnt down, an Austrian synagogue was vandalized, Jewish school college students have been threatened on virtually each campus … All this in lower than two months (and there are many different incidents that I don’t embody right here).
I am on the pursuit of happiness and I do know
Every thing that shine ain’t all the time gonna be gold, hey
I will be high quality as soon as I get it, yeah, I will be good
Like Cudi , I too am in denial believing that if Jews get extra assist my unhappiness will dissipate once I nicely know the sort of assist Jews want is not coming. Cudi and I are each in seek for that “factor” that can make our issues go away. Whereas he sings about being self-destructive and feeling empty, turning to medicine and alcohol to fill his void, I too really feel empty and am desperately looking for that “factor” to make me really feel entire once more. There was a nagging sense of vacancy for the reason that massacres of October seventh that I can not shake off.
We do not want “I like you’s”. What Jews want from their non-Jewish mates is to rally with us, to write down their congressmen and senators voicing assist for Israel, signing the tons of of related petitions which might be going round, calling universities and condemning them for failing their Jewish college students. That is what we want: motion, not phrases. We can not win this battle with out others leaping within the combat with us, our inhabitants is simply tiny in comparison with our enemy’s; in case you have a look at the numbers you will rapidly perceive that is an not possible battle to win with out robust allies.
Sadly, I do know that as I signal petitions, my identify turns into public and I grow to be a Jewish goal. I do know that being affiliated with many pro-Israel organizations make me a goal too. I additionally know that once I write schools that my son has utilized to and rebuke them for failing Jewish college students that I threat his probabilities of acceptances.
Wanting forward no turning again
Know I beloved it to the fullest
Know I lived and missed some bullets
As soon as upon a time I listened to Pursuit of Happiness and felt overtaken with pleasure and hope. These days I discover myself sobbing as I sing alongside.
I will be high quality as soon as I get it, yeah, I will be good