What is freedom, according to Pharrell. Does music still talk?
Pharrell's really using text-book words, isn't he? Like he's singing about freedom, about being happy, best friends, girls, angels, babies, a little bit of belief here, a bit of swagger there.
So this song's we got for you isn't available to buy or pre-order anywhere, but it's brought to us by BBC Music At Glastonbury. It's a little concert Pharrell attended in England.
At first glance, this song would be about freedom, right? It's there, in the title. Does it actually say something about freedom?
"Self-discipline is a form of freedom" Harvey Dorfman
"A human being is part of a whole, called by us the ‘Universe’ —a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts, and feelings, as something separated from the rest—a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest us" Albert Einstein
"Our highest endeavor must be to develop free human beings who are able of themselves to impart purpose and direction to their lives. The need for imagination, a sense of truth, and a feeling of responsibility: these three forces are the very nerve of education" Rudolf Steiner
"Freedom is obedience to self-formulated rules" Aristotle
Kant wrote about freedom, Schopenhauer wrote about freedom, Karl Jaspers wrote about freedom. There is literally not one philosopher that hasn't in one way or another approached the idea of freedom. What is freedom in Pharrell's song? It's not how much you have in your bank account(thank you, Bob Marley, we appreciate that) plus a twisted James Brown yell. It's something human beings need(?!? what about animals? Don't they need some sort of freedom?) in order to break the chains! Children, drop your pencils! Grab some freedom! It's only 9.99! You don't need a bank account! No more homework! Freedom! People have told us what we can and cannot do for the longest of times! That fellow John Locke(which reminds me of another philosopher) from the TV show Lost knows that better than any of us!
What is freedom, Pharrell? "It's choosing to believe in where we're from". Ooooooh! Marvelous! It's not just believing in where you're from, it's CHOOSING to believe in where you're from. By the way, what is that? I chose to believe that I'm from America, and that makes me free? Or wait. What if I'm not from America? Can I still chose to believe that I'm from America? Or am I forced to chose to believe that I'm from France? I'm a bit confused. So I'm from somewhere, but that's not a sufficient statement. I have to chose to believe that I'm from there. Otherwise, freedom walks out the door! Ok, I think I got it!
Pharrell, what about woman's red flower? Where is that? In every dying thing? Or am I being feminist right now? So Free-Dom is a two named blimp on a electrified panel, right? You just read it, and yell it out in a bummed down James Brown voice, and there you go. I'm sorry, this isn't working for me. Now, when people have pushed freedom into corners where it doesn't apply to everyone?! Of course I'm referring to gay marriage! He kinda is too!
"Freedom is obedience to self-formulated rules" Aristotle
But that means that we, the people, formulate rules that apply to everyone. We've been through a highly immoral century (fifth century before Christ), when men and men stopped each other on the street, prospected each other like how dogs sniff each other under their tails, then hopped into the first bush and had sex. Freedom! We formulate rules that apply to everyone, not just minorities. DO NOT KILL. DO NOT STEAL. DO NOT INSULT. Since when has freedom become individual and not for the majority? You need rules in order to be free. Freedom is the gush that flows through coercive society's sponge. That's freedom. Not what Pharrell is singing about. Freedom is not individual.
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