"Look in my eyes, what do you see?
Cult of personality"
This seems to say that the potential for a cult of personality lies within all of us. We're all susceptible to both becoming part of such a cult as well as becoming a cult.
"I know your anger, I know your dreams
I've been everything you want to be
I'm the cult of personality"
People tend to reflect what they see in themselves in the leaders that they worship. There is a perversely personal relationship between a devotee and the person they worship in this way. This is what makes the followers of any cult so prone to manipulation. They become appendages of the leader they follow.
"
Like Mussolini and Kennedy
I'm the cult of personality"
I love this line a lot. Here two different cults of personality are thrown violently together. One we view very favorably, and the other as a complete villain. Yet, at the fundamental level, both served the exact same function.
"Neon lights, Nobel Prize
When a mirror speaks, the reflection lies"
While we ultimately do reflect parts of ourselves in the leaders we love, this lyric here shows us the awful truth. We are deceiving ourselves into thinking that rulers have anything in common with the people they rule, or that they view their followers as anything more than objects to be exploited.
"You won't have to follow me
Only you can set me free"
It's ultimately our choice to follow. Leaders are only powerful because they have followers who are willing to do what the leader wants. Only we can set their egos free upon the world. Without a mass of followers, Hitler would not even be a footnote in history.
"I sell the things you need to be
I'm the smiling face on your TV
I'm the cult of personality"
These lyrics here are particularly interesting, IMO. They show us the curious duality in our leaders. Most often, they are in control of not just our spiritual needs of being connected of a greater whole, but also quite often in control of the material things we need to live. We make ourselves dependent to them in more than one way.
"I exploit you, still you love me
I told you one and one make three
I'm the cult of personality"
With dependency comes exploitation, both on the material and spiritual level. And with this dependency any objective meaning of truth is destroyed. 1 plus 1 literally becomes three if we are not willing to question those who would presume to lead us. This is a clear homage to George Orwell's book 1984.
"Like Joseph Stalin and Gandhi
I'm the cult of personality"
It's hard to find a saint more revered than Gandhi or a villain more evil that Josef Stalin. Yet, just like before, both had equal potential for good or evil. Gandhi could have just as easily become the greatest villain in the history of humanity.
"Neon lights, a Nobel Prize
A leader speaks, that leader dies"
We follow leaders because of the ideas they preach. Yet, in the act of leading, the corruption of power can very easily undo all of the greatness that they had in innocence. The leader we once knew as a great person truly has died. What remains has far too often been twisted into very thing that leader had once opposed. Those who truly do prove incorruptible more often than not meet with physical death from an assassin's bullet.
"You won't have to follow me
Only you can set you free"
We don't have to follow. The only person who can guarantee the collective freedom of the people is the people themselves.
"You gave me fortune
You gave me fame
You gave me power in your God's name
I'm every person you need to be
I'm the cult of personality"
Fortune, fame and power are the trappings of rulers everywhere. Cults of personality grant individuals with all of three.
"Cult of Personality" at its heart is a very anarchistic song. That's part of what I find so compelling about it. It flies in the face of most music that you find out there, which preeches a message of blind conformity and obedience. Indeed, most musicians are cults of personality in themselves. In short, this song says only one thing: think for yourself, and don't follow blindly.
Pretty much dead on to my interpretation with one exception:
Pretty much dead on to my interpretation with one exception:
"When a leader speaks, that leader dies"
"When a leader speaks, that leader dies"
He says "leader"....any true leader is a threat to the "cult of personality"....so that leader must be crushed. Combined with the images of MLK in their video when those lines are sung, it sends a powerful message.
He says "leader"....any true leader is a threat to the "cult of personality"....so that leader must be crushed. Combined with the images of MLK in their video when those lines are sung, it sends a powerful message.
The overall point, IMO, is that no politician can solve your problems for you. Even if it was possible for them to do that, it would be counter to their best interest to do so - they would lose their power over you.
"Look in my eyes, what do you see? Cult of personality"
This seems to say that the potential for a cult of personality lies within all of us. We're all susceptible to both becoming part of such a cult as well as becoming a cult.
"I know your anger, I know your dreams I've been everything you want to be I'm the cult of personality"
People tend to reflect what they see in themselves in the leaders that they worship. There is a perversely personal relationship between a devotee and the person they worship in this way. This is what makes the followers of any cult so prone to manipulation. They become appendages of the leader they follow. " Like Mussolini and Kennedy I'm the cult of personality"
I love this line a lot. Here two different cults of personality are thrown violently together. One we view very favorably, and the other as a complete villain. Yet, at the fundamental level, both served the exact same function.
"Neon lights, Nobel Prize When a mirror speaks, the reflection lies"
While we ultimately do reflect parts of ourselves in the leaders we love, this lyric here shows us the awful truth. We are deceiving ourselves into thinking that rulers have anything in common with the people they rule, or that they view their followers as anything more than objects to be exploited.
"You won't have to follow me Only you can set me free"
It's ultimately our choice to follow. Leaders are only powerful because they have followers who are willing to do what the leader wants. Only we can set their egos free upon the world. Without a mass of followers, Hitler would not even be a footnote in history.
"I sell the things you need to be I'm the smiling face on your TV I'm the cult of personality"
These lyrics here are particularly interesting, IMO. They show us the curious duality in our leaders. Most often, they are in control of not just our spiritual needs of being connected of a greater whole, but also quite often in control of the material things we need to live. We make ourselves dependent to them in more than one way.
"I exploit you, still you love me I told you one and one make three I'm the cult of personality"
With dependency comes exploitation, both on the material and spiritual level. And with this dependency any objective meaning of truth is destroyed. 1 plus 1 literally becomes three if we are not willing to question those who would presume to lead us. This is a clear homage to George Orwell's book 1984.
"Like Joseph Stalin and Gandhi I'm the cult of personality"
It's hard to find a saint more revered than Gandhi or a villain more evil that Josef Stalin. Yet, just like before, both had equal potential for good or evil. Gandhi could have just as easily become the greatest villain in the history of humanity.
"Neon lights, a Nobel Prize A leader speaks, that leader dies"
We follow leaders because of the ideas they preach. Yet, in the act of leading, the corruption of power can very easily undo all of the greatness that they had in innocence. The leader we once knew as a great person truly has died. What remains has far too often been twisted into very thing that leader had once opposed. Those who truly do prove incorruptible more often than not meet with physical death from an assassin's bullet.
"You won't have to follow me Only you can set you free"
We don't have to follow. The only person who can guarantee the collective freedom of the people is the people themselves.
"You gave me fortune You gave me fame You gave me power in your God's name I'm every person you need to be I'm the cult of personality"
Fortune, fame and power are the trappings of rulers everywhere. Cults of personality grant individuals with all of three.
"Cult of Personality" at its heart is a very anarchistic song. That's part of what I find so compelling about it. It flies in the face of most music that you find out there, which preeches a message of blind conformity and obedience. Indeed, most musicians are cults of personality in themselves. In short, this song says only one thing: think for yourself, and don't follow blindly.
im really impressed, i couldn't agree with you more. excellent, thorough and well thought out comment.
im really impressed, i couldn't agree with you more. excellent, thorough and well thought out comment.
It's so long and impressive that I am actually considering joining a cult ;) Good song.
It's so long and impressive that I am actually considering joining a cult ;) Good song.
Pretty much dead on to my interpretation with one exception:
Pretty much dead on to my interpretation with one exception:
"When a leader speaks, that leader dies"
"When a leader speaks, that leader dies"
He says "leader"....any true leader is a threat to the "cult of personality"....so that leader must be crushed. Combined with the images of MLK in their video when those lines are sung, it sends a powerful message.
He says "leader"....any true leader is a threat to the "cult of personality"....so that leader must be crushed. Combined with the images of MLK in their video when those lines are sung, it sends a powerful message.
The overall point, IMO, is that no politician can solve your problems for you. Even if it was possible for them to do that, it would be counter to their best interest to do so - they would lose their power over you.