Everybody Knows by Leonard Cohen

. . . that the Plague is coming
. . .
. . . gonna be a meter on your bed . . .

Even when we write about these things critically, such as Huxley’s novel or Orwell’s novel 1984 or when we are exposed to countless science fiction dystopias, we are participating to some degree in familiarizing ourselves and others with the ideas of apocalyptic dystopias. So knowledge is a mixed blessing and has different sides to it.

Regardless of what we know or what we don’t know, I believe that many people–despite years of conditioning–are capable of recognizing and resisting criminal and totalitarian behavior (you’ll find that those two things go together) –that they are capable down deep of following instincts within themselves, within their own natures, which can allow them to recognize lies, which can allow them to survive and to help others survive–and to survive with their souls intact–with their sense of values intact.

An example of an artist who uses apocalyptic messaging is Canadian singer and songwriter Leonard Cohen:

1) The Future by Leonard Cohen, released in 1992:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsmWYhmTc64
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Future_(Leonard_Cohen_album)
Lyrics: https://genius.com/Leonard-cohen-the-future-lyrics

Paraphrasing: torture, total control over everyone, destroyed culture, everything changed, chaos, abortion, moral codes and “order of the soul” overturned, terrible sights on the road, what enables survival, etc.

2) Everybody Knows by Leonard Cohen, released in 1988:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everybody_Knows_(Leonard_Cohen_song)
Lyrics: https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/leonardcohen/everybodyknows.html

Paraphrasing: sense of brokenness like we know we lost something, we still want things to comfort us, promiscuity, drugs, slavery, “the plague is coming,” man + woman is out of date, a device will tell people everything about you, no privacy.

3) Another upsetting song: Waiting for the Miracle by Leonard Cohen, 1992:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUakgK5KEvU
Lyrics: https://www.metrolyrics.com/waiting-for-the-miracle-lyrics-leonard-cohen.html

However, I think he is trying to say something optimistic in Anthem.

Some interesting background about his life
https://www.leonardcohenfiles.com/hydraB1.html
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2020/mar/30/bohemian-tragedy-leonard-cohen-and-the-curse-of-hydra
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonard_Cohen

There are endless stories in pop culture concerning the idea of the “end of the world” disasters and dystopian dictatorships. It is a very common theme in modern religion as well as in entertainment. But it is also a theme in the works of technocratic planners such as Zbigniew Brzezinksi (Between Two Ages), H. G. Wells (New World Order and many of his books), and Jacques Attali (A Brief History of the Future)–because they try to describe the transition period between the old system and the new system.

In another post, my examples of apocalyptic messages included the movie Apocalypse Now and the song featured in that movie The End by the Doors.
https://canadianliberty.com/power-reality-journal-issue-3/
Also see: https://canadianliberty.com/notes-on-crome-yellow-by-aldous-huxley/