I have been listening to Child Cudi’s Pursuit of Happiness on repeat for fairly a while. Really, its been one among my favourite songs to blast within the automotive on a sunny day and I at all times 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 music by my teenage son, I are inclined to gravitate in direction of his playlists. Enjoying 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 goals
Folks instructed me to sluggish my roll
I am screaming out, fuck that
I at all times felt a way of empowerment, singing “fuck that” as I drove with the wind in my hair, quantity further 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 music for the primary few dozen occasions reassured me I might get there quickly if I continued to stay my life, my means.
The opposite day, it occurred to me that this music is admittedly unhappy, regardless of its catchy beats.
Every little thing that shines ain’t at all times 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 music that he’s fallacious. Equally, many people are inclined to gravitate in direction of something sparkly -often occasions our pursuit of happiness turns to materialism to fill a void.
I do not count on happiness from issues. Carrying designer garments would not make me happier, it simply makes me really feel prettier. Nevertheless, I do are inclined to get lured by shiny individuals – particularly those that dangle expressions of affection towards me; I suppose it is the Leo in me who falls for this lure. Or perhaps I are inclined to mission as a result of once I inform somebody I like them, I really 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 at all times gonna be gold, hey.
There are roughly 15 million Jews on the earth and 1.8 billion Muslims. In accordance with 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 stuffed with vile hatred in direction of Jews or anybody who stands with Israel. Jews want the voices of our gentile buddies, who declare to like us, to assist us come near matching the a whole lot of thousands and thousands of voices which can 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 buddies however as an individual who takes satisfaction in having many “buddies” and understanding 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 shield Israel. The vast majority of the non-Jews I do know have despatched a sort textual content or two. They imply properly however they do not actually perceive what it’s like to observe rallies calling for the destruction of your individuals in response to probably the most brutal massacres in opposition to Jews because the Holocaust, they do not perceive the choices we now have needed to make as mother and father as our youngsters apply to schools the place nearly none really feel secure for Jewish college students proper now, they do not grasp the excruciating ache that comes with their silence whereas Jews worry every 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 at all times 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 fallacious with wanting terrorists lifeless? Apparently, when you’re Jewish, you possibly can’t want dying upon terrorists or you’ll have the Professional-Palestinian/Anti-Zionist/antisemetic physique have you ever fired. The place are our non-Jewish buddies serving to Professor Strauss get his job again? There are simply too few Jews in comparison with the rapidly rising Nazis of 2023 to struggle these injustices on their very own.
Inform me what you understand about dreamin’ dreamin’
You do not actually find out about nothin’, nothin’
Inform me what you understand 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 few ten-month-old child being held hostage by Hamas terrorists and a four-year-old little woman held captive for 50 days after witnessing each her mother and father being murdered. I too can not sleep today. My goals are additionally shattered.
Jewish owned companies in america and Europe are being vandalized regularly, the President of AIPAC’s residence was visited by protestors who used smoke bombs on his property, a trainer in New York Metropolis was nearly 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 “gasoline the Jews”, Armenia’s solely synagogue was burnt down, an Austrian synagogue was vandalized, Jewish faculty college students have been threatened on nearly 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 little thing that shine ain’t at all times gonna be gold, hey
I will be superb 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 properly know the sort of assist Jews want is not coming. Cudi and I are each in seek for that “factor” that may make our issues go away. Whereas he sings about being self-destructive and feeling empty, turning to medication and alcohol to fill his void, I too really feel empty and am desperately looking for that “factor” to make me really feel complete once more. There was a nagging sense of vacancy because the massacres of October seventh that I am unable to shake off.
We do not want “I like you’s”. What Jews want from their non-Jewish buddies is to rally with us, to jot down their congressmen and senators voicing assist for Israel, signing the a whole lot of related petitions which can 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 struggle with us, our inhabitants is simply tiny in comparison with our enemy’s; for those who take a look at the numbers you will rapidly perceive that is an unimaginable 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 faculties that my son has utilized to and rebuke them for failing Jewish college students that I danger his possibilities of acceptances.
Trying forward no turning again
Know I liked 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 superb as soon as I get it, yeah, I will be good
