A Discussion of "Waiting on the World to Change"

[erpowers]

As all or most of you know John Maher has a song entilted "Waiting on the World to Change". In that song Maher seems to say that young people of his generation do care but they do not feel they can change things so they are just going to wait for the world to change. I think Maher makes many good points in the song and I really like the song as a whole, but I do not like the part about waiting on the world to change. I do not mean to insult Maher, I just think young people should try to change the world instead of just waiting for it to change so they can do something. So my main question is how does one stop young people from waiting for the world to change and begin to change the world. In addition, what can young people do, other than run for political office, to change the world? I happen to be a member of John Maher's generation.

[babylonsister]

1. Here's what some college students have done:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x42009

Compare and contrast to these college students:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x42121

[Buzz Clik]

4. ugh. Entitled chickenshit war mongers.

[Cass]

2. He says the lyrics are simply an "emotional observation".

Although John Mayer's new single is called 'Waiting On the World to Change,' he still doesn't consider himself a political songwriter.

"I'm only a lifestyle artist," he says. "I know I use the word 'war,' but I kind of feel like it's part of the vocabulary now of just being a person. War is everywhere now."

Still, Mayer admits the single -- from his forthcoming album 'Continuum,' due Sept. 12 -- may "rankle some": "The song doesn't offer a solution," he explains. But he says he doesn't want to be one of those artists who tell people what to think.

"I just have to be very careful with my words, because I think I know the difference between offering people an emotional observation and my opinion," Mayer says. "My opinion is worth nothing. My emotional observation is worth everything. I want to be able to keep that trust to at least get people to think. All you have to do is think -- we'll talk about it later."

http://music.aol.com/popeater/2006/06/26/john-mayer-goes-to-war-on-new-single/

[Lex]

3. John Mayer?

:shrug:

[erpowers]

5. Yes

I started to spell it the way you spelled it, but I thought that was the wrong spelling. I made a mistake.

[marmar]

6. It's kind of whiny and self-serving.....

Nothing changes if you wait for it, you've got to be a part of the change. .....And as a member of slackster, coffee-house loving, apathetic Generation X, we've learned that the hard way.