Shinto Blog

I watched "The Peach Orchard" it was really interesting and I definitely saw some of the aspects of Shinto culture that we learned about in the film.

Shinto traditions emphasize respect of the kami and in this film the little boy's parents had not respected the   Peach Orchard kami by cutting down all the trees in their grove.  It is demonstrated how important this is when the spirits of the orchard bring forth the little boy to show him the destruction his family had caused.  This also served as punishment for with this visit they informed him they would never return again and he would never be able to see the beauty of the orchard in blossom again. As we have learned Shinto ethics consider it a sin to destroy any kind of shrine to the kami, from this I assume that it was also considered a sin to cut down the trees which contained the spirits of the orchard kami.  Early in the film the boy fixates on the (spirit) dolls of the house before encountering the real spirits in the field, I suspect that when they informed him they would never come back they also meant that they would no longer be watching over the little boy and his family, which reinforces the lesson in Shinto ethics.

Success and Liberation

SUCCESS:

The Fame, Lady Gaga "The Fame" 2008 Pop

Touch the Sky, Kanye West "Late Registration" 2005 Hip-Hop

Money Honey, Lady Gaga "The Fame" 2008 Pop

Diva, Beyonce "I Am...Sasha Fierce"2008 R&B

Opera Singer, Cake "Comfort Eagle" 2001 Alternative Rock

LIBERATION:

I Will Survive, Cake "Fashion Nugget" 1996 Alt Rock

Born This Way, Lady Gaga "Born This Way" 2011 Pop

Stone Free, Jimi Hendrix "Hey Joe" 1966 Classic Rock

Exodus, Bob Marley "Legend" 1984 Reggae

Let Your Hair Down <<Explicit>>, Yvonne Fair 1975 Funk

It seems that songs that represent success were more easily found among contemporary music while songs of liberation were more prevalent in earlier decades of the 20th century.  Ever since the increasing popularity of wealth and fame it seems to be all anyone talks about (besides sex and drugs) in popular music, this really reflects on the society we live in as well.  Looking at the songs I chose for liberation all except for Lady Gaga's came out before 1985 (considering that Cake's "I Will Survive" is a cover of the original Gloria Gaynor version, which came out in 1978), I think this reflects the difference in the cultures surrounding both time periods the songs for each aim came out during, starting with Jimi Hendrix's "Stone Free" the songs I chose for liberation came off the wave of civil rights movement and free love of the 1960s, two movements that were all about liberation.  

Pleased to Service the Community

Pleasure Songs:

Night by Night - Chromeo, "Business Casual" 2009 Electro-Pop

Bring Me Along - Pepper, "No Shame" 2006 Cali Reggae

The Mating Game - Bitter:Sweet, "The Mating Game" 2006 Triphop

Beautiful Monster - Ne-Yo, "Libra Scale" 2010 Modern R&B

Bad Romance - Lady Gaga, "The Fame Monster" 2009 Pop

Community Service Songs:

YMCA - The Village People, "Cruisin'" 1978 Disco

What Have You Done For Me Lately? - Janet Jackson, "Control" 1986 R&B

One Love - Bob Marley, "Legend" 1984 Reggae

Help! - The Beatles, "Help!" 1965

With a Little Help From My Friends - The Beatles, "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" 1967 Rock

I thought the pleasure aim was more prevalent, the songs were certainly easier to choose.  I think that's because everyone wants pleasure but not everyone has a desire to help people or the courage to ask for help themselves.  I think the contemporary interpretation of pleasure today has not necessarily strayed from what I imagine the Hindu principle began as but I think the world has presented us with more and more ways to please ourselves.  For example nowadays people not only seek pleasure from other humans (in the form of sex, etc.) they also seek pleasure from drugs and alcohol and other non-traditional pleasurable activities, although all the songs I picked for pleasure pertain to the pleasure of being with a person.