Raymond’s Blog Post
As I rode home on the train today and listened to some music, one song in particular reminded me of several of the themes we have discussed in class. Themes like choices, death, and afterlife. In our current read we are dealing with the how the choices you make throughout your life may affect you in the afterlife. This brings me to the song, “How Much a Dollar Cost”, by one of my favorite artist today Kendrick Lamar. Here are some lyrics from the song…
How much a dollar really cost? The question is detrimental, paralyzin’ my thoughts;Parasites in my stomach keep me with a gut feeling, y’all;Walked out the gas stationA homeless man with a semi-tan complexionAsked me for 10 Rand, stressin’ about dry landDeep water, powder blue skies that crack openA piece of crack that he wanted, I knew he was smokin’He begged and pleadedAsked me to feed him twice, I didn’t believe itTold him, “Beat it”Contributin’ money just for his pipe, I couldn’t see itHe said, “My son, temptation is one thing that I’ve defeated Listen to me, I want a single bill from you Nothin’ less, nothin’ more” I told him I ain’t have it and closed my door,Tell me how much a dollar cost……I never understood someone beggin’ for goodsAskin’ for handouts, takin’ it if they couldAnd this particular person just had it down patStarin’ at me for the longest until he finally askedHave you ever opened up Exodus 14? A humble man is all that we ever needTell me how much a dollar cost…Guilt trippin’ and feelin’ resentmentI never met a transient that demanded attentionThey got me frustrated, indecisive and power trippin’Sour emotions got me lookin’ at the universe differentI should distance myself, I should keep it relentlessMy selfishness is what got me here, who the fuck I’m kiddin’?So I’mma tell you like I told the last bumCrumbs and pennies, I need all of minesAnd I recognize this type of panhandlin’ all the time I got better judgement,I know when nigga’s hustlin’, keep in mindWhen I was strugglin’, I did compromise, nowI comprehend I smell grandpa’s old medicine, reekin’ from your skinMoonshine and gin, you’re babblin’, your words ain’t flatterin’Your gimmick is mediocre The jig is up,
I seen you from a mile away losin’ focusAnd I’m insensitive, and I lack empathyHe looked at me and said, “Your potential is bittersweet”I looked at him and said, “Every nickel is mines to keep”He looked at me and said, “Know the truth, it’ll set you freeYou’re lookin’ at the Messiah, the son of Jehovah, the higher powerThe choir that spoke the word, the Holy SpiritThe nerve of Nazareth, and I’ll tell you just how much a dollar costThe price of having a spot in Heaven, embrace your loss, I am God”
Obviously one can look at the song and think of the materialistic aspect of what is going on, but there are so many other aspects to look at. I focused on the aspect of making a choice. Although it may seem like a simple choice of handing someone a dollar or not, it is much more complex. If you give the dollar there is no telling on whether the individual is putting the dollar to good, or bad use, are you at fault for their decision? According to your own moral code, if you have a dollar to spare, should you always give the dollar? If you don’t give the dollar is this a choice that deserves a negative consequence? According to Dante would this be a sin that places you in hell? Or on the contrary is it okay to not give the dollar being that you’ve worked hard for it? In the end it becomes moments that we face in everyday life. In the moment we have the absolute free ability to make our own choice, these are moments that test our integrity.
Raymond,
I really admire how you analyzed the lyrics of a song that many people overlook. There is so much meaning to it, and focusing on the “choice” theme is very clever, since it has been one of our themes in class. In Dante’s book, perhaps we’d be going to hell for giving money to someone who is putting it to negative use, in this case, drugs. Indirectly, and unintentionally, we are supporting someone’s harm to oneself. According to him, this is a sin. However, like you said, how do we really know where that money is going? Maybe that dollar is actually going to food, or a good cause. So in that case, we would be making a positive impact on someone’s life.
I am always skeptical to give money to beggars, but sometimes I do. I guess I can only trust (like God did with Adam and Eve) that the money will be put to good use. But like you said, in the end it is everyone’s individual choice, and we should maybe be grateful for having that free-will in the first place.