Hippie-sama brings you a message of Peace

[firewood_senju]

[ Up on the board, in rather large letters, are the words: ]

THIS DAY IN HISTORY

JOHN LENNON

WAS BORN

"GIVE PEACE A CHANCE"

I'm not sure how many of you have listened to any song by The Beatles, or if there is anyone here who hasn't even heard of them. [ Points to board. ] This man, John Lennon, idolized by many, hated by just as much, was one of the

Comments

[inkdicks]

...

[Oh! Beatles- he had heard of them! He did not know the names of its members though, nor this song in particular. Nevertheless, he picks up the lyrics sheet, reading them over]

... [Immediately his hand goes up]

Sensei, what is Bagism? And Shagism? [And Dragism? Madism?]

[firewood_senju]

[ Taking Sai's question into consideration, he nods, going straight to one of the books on the shelves behind his students and comes back, pointing to a passage on a page that read: ]

Bagism is a term which was created by John Lennon and Yoko Ono as part of their extensive peace campaign in the late 1960s. The intent of bagism was to satirize prejudice and stereotyping. Bagism involved literally wearing a bag over one's entire body. According to John and Yoko, by living in a bag, a person could not be judged by others on the basis of skin color, gender, hair length, attire, age, or any other such attributes. It was presented as a form of total communication. Instead of focusing on outward appearance, the listener would hear only the bagist's message.

[ He places the book wordlessly on Sai's desk and smiles at him ] Good question. Answers... [ Points to the books and computers again ] Research. Ask me anything you don't understand from the research (:

[inkdicks]

...Understood, Sensei.

[Alright, so he has the definition of Bagism. Now for the next one- shagism? He opens up the book again.]

.. [He cannot find that word but he finds the definition of "shag", meaning sex.He knows what "Dragism" is meant to represent. very confusing.]

Sensei. From that single line I have cross dressers who wish to live inside bags as they shag. I don't understand.

[firewood_senju]

[ He can't help a little chuckle here and nods. ] You're not too far from the truth~

Well, you might get the answer to that question in the next few lines of the verse. Think about labeling people, stereotypes, judgement, and discrimination. At the time, what groups of individuals were discriminated against? Why?

Basically, what he's trying to say is that, if you took outside appearances away, it would remove the veil of bias that leads us to perceive things differently.

[blood_n_sand]

[..........]

This is bullshit.

[Re-reads lyrics. Starts laughing in that rusty way of his.]

[firewood_senju]

Then write why you think it is so~ [ No getting away without writing, Gaara~ ]

[blood_n_sand]

[Alright fine. He'll write the paper.

He tears a page out of his textbook, then in black marker writes 'Peace will never happen.'

He packs up his books and gets ready to leave, leaving his 'essay' there.]

Paper is written.

[firewood_senju]

[ Sits him right back down~ ] Paper is incomplete.

Why will it never happen? [ Stern faic >8| ] Finish. Then leave.

[cagedbydestiny]

Pardon me... Hashirama-sensei, is it?

As... interesting as a topic this is, I find this song quite... conflicting. No offense to John Lennon and his... musical genius, but I cannot help but wonder if he himself truly knew exactly what the Hare Krishna mantra meant. According to Gaudiya Vaishnava theology, one's original consciousness and goal of life is pure love of God, or Krishna, as those of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and his International Society for Krishna Consciousness have come to refer to him as. Eventually they simply became known as Hare Krishnas after their mantra.

In the late 1960's and early 1970's, the Hare Krishnas became confused with the hippie subculture. This was an erroneous association, as the ideals of these groups are quite different. Although Prabhupada was open to anyone becoming a member of the Hare Krishnas, they had to follow the four regulative principles, one of which is strict abstention from intoxicants, including marijuana. Elevation and joy were to be derived from chanting God's holy

[firewood_senju]

[ Not going to be able to put in words how absolutely elated he is just listening to Neji talk :D ]

You are forgiven, Neji. Thank you for pointing it out. True, in this sense, they were hypocritical. And the Hippies.. well, yes, ultimately they did adopt and conform to societal rules.

But in other things, does he address other issues at the time in the song? How so, and to what effect?

[cagedbydestiny]

Hmm... He does briefly mention Bob Dylan. [ thinks for a moment before speaking ]The anti-war movement became both more powerful and, at the same time, less cohesive between 1969 and 1973. Most Americans pragmatically opposed escalating the U.S. role in Vietnam, believing the economic cost too high; in November of 1969 a second march on Washington drew an estimated 500,000 participants. At the same time, most disapproved of the counterculture that had arisen alongside the antiwar movement. The clean-cut, well-dressed SDS members, who had tied their hopes to McCarthy in 1968, were being subordinated as movement leaders. Their replacements deservedly gained less public respect, were tagged with the label "hippie," and faced much mainstream opposition from middle-class Americans uncomfortable with the youth culture of the period--long hair, casual drug use, promiscuity. Protest music, typified by Joan Baez and Bob Dylan, contributed to the gulf between young and old. Cultural and political protest had become inextricably intertwined

show off |:

[firewood_senju]

:DDDD

Excellent.

And, in your opinion, is World Peace a realistic goal? How far did it work with the Hippies~?

[imwithteme]

's my birthday tomorrow--

[The thought, from the moment Hashirama mentions that it's some guy's birthday today is that-- and all he can think about from that moment on is how excited he is about it.

It isn't until about half-way through the man's speech that he realises he was supposed to be paying attention, and suddenly, sat up straight in his chair he's staring at the front of the room, and then-- music. Oh crap. Not again.

Frowning, he picks up the sheet of lyrics-- wait, none of this makes sense.]

[firewood_senju]

[ Notices the facial expression that makes it so damn clear he doesn't understand jack sh**. Hashirama is going to just lean against his desk, supporting himself back on his arms, watching Naruto with an amused expression and waiting till he asks him a question, which is inevitable, he figures ♥ ]

[imwithteme]

[Really! It's not his fault! There are so many distractions in his little life, and well-- Hashirama's arrival at his desk in just another one of those.

His eyes widen and he sets down the sheet, opening his book and starting to write-- the date, and the title...]

[murasaki_sabaku]

[Ew, old people music.]

If you turn that shit off, I promise I'll put some effort into the analysis. It's making my ears bleed.

[firewood_senju]

[ Also picking his ear~ ]

[ Grins and turns the music down so low you can barely hear it. ] Good?

[murasaki_sabaku]

Technically, it's not off.

[firewood_senju]

[ Song ends in a few seconds ]

Same difference.