Pop Culture Tao - Imagine

When this song first came out so long ago, a lot of people thought it represented a large degree of naivety. The very thought of a world in which people embraced love and peace was...well...kinda childish. Yet, if we look to many of the philosophers and sages throughout history, what is one of their prime reflections? It is that we need to return to our state of infanthood, to that point in our lives when we have yet to see ourselves as distinct from the world.

Though I'm fairly certain John Lennon was not trying to invoke Taoist themes when he penned this song, one can still see the fingerprints of it, nonetheless. The idea of removing religion, nationalism, greed and hunger goes straight to the heart of Taoist philosophy. Of course, Taoists alone have not trademarked such notions; the same ideas can be found in the mystical aspects of most belief systems.

If some believe that his song indeed is naive and simple, then it suggests to me that our world would be far better off it we each were more naive and simple. This very same point can be found throughout the writings of Lao Tzu and Chuang Tzu!

Imagine
Imagine there's no Heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today

Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace

You may say that I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world

You may say that I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one
~ John Lennon ~

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