What's interesting about Jon Cusack's observation (no matter what character he plays I always think of him as Jon Cusack or perhaps Chuck Klostermann was right in Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs in saying that I think I am thinking of Jon Cusack, but really I am thinking of Lloyd Dobbler. More on Lloyd Dobbler in a moment.), anyway, what is interesting is that this clip is, from the Hindu perspective, an accurate assessment of the pleasure aim. Jon points out the danger in pop songs- how they are inextricably linked to heartbreak and in doing so, he unintentionally raises the very critique of the pleasure (which includes love of course) aim that Hinduism raises- that pleasure is too limited of a pursuit for the human soul and it will always, eventually lead to dissatisfaction. Now the question for you is- do you think that most pop songs acknowledge this limited nature of pleasure? Or is there instead always the idea that this relationship will be the one?
Now back to Lloyd Dobbler, I think I will use him to kick off my "Top Five" Pleasure songs since he immortalized in Say Anything the very concept of salvation through love at least for one generation.
- Peter Gabriel, "In Your Eyes," pop, 1986
- Beatles, "I want to Hold Your Hand," technically rock (but in my mind bubblegum pop), 1964
- Rolling Stones, "Honky Tonk Woman," definitely rock n' roll, 1969
- Jefferson Airplane, "Don't You Want Somebody to Love?," rock n' roll, 1967
- Rolling Stones, "Mother's Little Helper," rick n' roll, 1969
As a bonus (because it further illustrates the pursuit of pleasure), this video is made with clips from the film Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, in which Johnny Depp plays the infamous Hunter S. Thompson on a very long drug bender in Vegas. The movie as a whole is an excellent example of how the American pursuit of pleasure differs from the Hindu understanding. You all can mull that one over- what is the defining difference between the two cultures understanding of pleasure and how to go about the pursuit of pleasure?
