"Encourage Fear": A new (inter)national anthem!

[Mark Crispin Miller]

Of course the people don't want war. But after all, it's the leaders of the country who determine the policy, 

and it's always a simple matter to drag the people along whether it's a democracy, a fascist dictatorship, or a 

parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding 

of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists 

for lack of patriotism, and exposing the country to greater danger.

                                                             —Hermann Goering, during the Nuremberg trials, quoted in

                                                             Gustave Gilbert's Nuremberg Diary (1947)

Humankind has never had a more urgent task than creating broad immunity for coronavirus.

Realistically, if we're going to return to normal, we need to develop a safe, effective vaccine.

We need to make billions of doses, we need to get them out to every part of the world, and we

need all of this to happen as quickly as possible.

This sounds daunting, because it is. Our foundation is the biggest funder of vaccines in the 

world, and this effort dwarfs anything we're ever worked on before. It's going to require a

global cooperative effort like the world has never seen. But I know it'll get done. There's

simply no alternative.

                                                            —Bill Gates, Gates Notes, April 30, 2020

"Encourage Fear," words by Steve Wangh, music by Molly Scott
Performance by Court Dorsey and George Fulginiti-Shakar (1983)

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OJigH0aJdGx49mhACRaK7L5gVyIhDLu4/view?usp=sharing

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Steve Wangh
Date: Mon, Jun 8, 2020 at 1:06 PM
Subject: Re: Link to video ENCOURAGE FEAR
To: 

Dear friends:

Glad to see that song has found a new purpose.

Below is a rewrite of the lyrics I wrote for a version of the play I wrote during the war in Iraq:

steve wangh

ENCOURAGE FEAR

 

Oh, the people of this town are like children at a party,

They make a lot of noise and raise a fuss.

But with a constant ration

Of our sweet disinformation

They’ll shut their mouths and leave the cake for us.

 

Any king or president, any judge or cop

Who likes to wield his power and wants to stay on top,

Any boss or parent, any teacher in a school

Can tell you there is nothing as effective as this tool:

 

Encourage fear!

It’s the end of all dissension.

Conjure fear

With a touch of racial tension.

Foment fear

Of foreign intervention.

 

Just encourage fear of laughter

Of this life and what comes after

Fear of dreaming, fear of flying

Of aging and of dying

Encourage fear of anything at all.

 

Magic fear!

It puts the world at your command

Just spread fear,

And they’ll eat out of your hand.

 

If unemployment and inflation

Kill enjoyment in your nation

And destroy your reputation

As a leader with control:

 

Don’t allow it to annoy ya

They will cower back before ya

If you sow some paranoia

In the center of their souls.

 

Encourage fear of far-off places

Of beards or painted faces.

Teach your people how to run and where to hide.

 

Encourage fear of reds and blacks,

Fear of night and sneak attacks,

They’ll come running for protection to your side.

 

Encourage fear!

It’s the end of all dissension.

Conjure fear

With a touch of racial tension.

Foment fear

Of foreign intervention.

 

The more they fear, the less they reason.

If they do, just call it treason.

Every month is open season

All through the year

When they feel fear! 

 

--

Stephen Wangh
Arts Professor Emeritus
New York University
www.stephenwangh.com
An Acrobat of the Heart 
The Heart of Teaching