Earth Song as a Text
Michael Jackson’s Earth Song short version video is a text that when ‘read, interpreted, evaluated and understood can convey more persuasively the importance of respecting and conserving the environment. Earth Song is a wake-up call to address the negative impact of human activities on the world especially through disrupting the normal functioning of nature. The song also has a spiritual undertone that urges the listeners to heed spiritual responsibility as it alludes to religious figures such as Abraham. The song, like its name suggests, is about how humans ought to care for the earth but are instead destroying it and changing it to a hellish scene similar to those depicted in the video of the song. After showing the effects of human activities, the song through the video shows that something can be done about it to reverse the damage until a paradise-like place is a result. It addresses issues like industrial pollution, the human tendency to violence and a lot of other relevant social issues that need urgent and adequate addressing. The song is a call to action a cry for help on behalf of the earth or rather the natural environment that is being increasingly violated.
Earth Song summarizes the story of how human activities have been impacting the earth it was designed to impress on its audience on the need to change behavior and think about the environment and future generations. The video begins with green natural scenery and starts to transform into hellish deforested scenes with fires, deserts and lots of death and destruction (Jackson & Brandt, 2009). Near the start of the video, a clip of robust jungle life is invaded by a bulldozer and next to the result of this intrusion is seen as a leafless, wasteland where tree stumps and dead trunks are what remains of a formerly forested area (Jackson & Brandt, 2009). The song features aboriginal communities who mournfully watch as trees are felled and later are seen on their knees in a lamentation position bewailing the loss of their way of life which is directly dependent on the environment. Thus this song is a text that utilizes logos to point out the facts on the impact of human activities on the earth and what can be done to undo the damage.
The song appeals to morals and ethics as it addresses issues such as war, violence and uses spiritual authority to urge its listeners to do something about the problems it addresses. It appeals to the listener’s conscience by asking them whether they’ve ever stopped to consider all the innocents who have perished in wars, and describes all the pain and suffering prevalent as crying earth and weeping shores(Jackson & Brandt, 2009). This song is better able to reach people who don’t have time to read about the environment and inform them about the importance of caring for the environment (Jackson & Brandt, 2009). The song critiques human activities that are solely motivated by greed for gain at any cost even environmental destruction and urges the importance of taking care of the environment to continue reaping the benefits that earth has to offer. Thus the song appeals to the audience through ethos by appealing to the moral duty and responsibility of its listeners to make a change for the better when it comes to matters of taking care of our planet and its resources
The video of the song shows elephants that have been killed for their ivory, fires that are decimating forests due to human negligence and other impacts of nefarious actions by human beings. This is designed to elicit sympathy for the animals which undergo the depicted suffering at the hands of humans (Jackson & Brandt, 2009). The music, the lyrics and the video of the song are concerted to create an effect on the listener that appeals to the emotions and feelings that they ought to be proactive in their role as stewards of the environment (Jackson & Brandt, 2009). The refrain is especially emotional and the tempo of the song changes to one in which the gravity of the issues that are addressed is felt by the audience. Thus, this song is a text that utilizes pathos in its efforts to communicate the importance of respecting nature.
As the song ends the incredible potential can be achieved when humanity unites in reversing the damage. Clips are shown in the music video that reveals the reverse of the destruction, trees that had been cut are brought back to stand and green jungles are restored(Jackson & Brandt, 2009). Also, animals that were dead are brought back to life the lyrics talk about regaining the trust of elephants. The song at this point asks a rhetorical question of whether humans should care about any of the issues it addresses. Therefore, this song is a text form that has a multilayered impact on the literacy of its audience on various social, environmental and moral issues addressed in it.
The song manages to pack in under seven minutes a wide variety of issues from industrial pollution, the human tendency to violence and destruction in a bid to influence these conditions for the better of humanity. The song talks about the negative impact war and other forms of violence have on the innocent and urge the listener to do what they can to make a difference (Jackson & Brandt, 2009). It shows how wrong it is to neglect nature through carelessness, greed and by being indifferent to the responsibilities accorded to humans as the only sentient species on earth. It calls upon the different entities, organizations and individuals to work together to find ways to make the world a better place through sustainability initiatives and proper utilization of the available resources. The song argues about the importance of considering human beings from all walks of life, even those communities like the aborigines who live traditionally.
Earth song is an epic text that describes the impact of human activities on the earth and challenges its audience by appealing to them to care about the effects of their actions on the environment and the earth. The song’s video, lyrics and music work together to paint a vivid picture that contrasts the prevailing condition with the condition that ought to be. The song issues warning about the consequences of violating the moral duty of not destroying the environment. It also has an emotional appeal to redress the injustices visited upon animals and defenseless, or vulnerable people in society. The possibility of restoring the balance between humans is included as the reward of heeding the message of the song. In a few minutes, the song expresses a message that can reach many people and urge upon them the need for proactive protection of the environment. Thus, the song is a text that can increase the literacy of its audience on various issues affecting society including environmental pollution, environmental destruction and what can be done to mitigate the impact of these problems.
References
Jackson, M., & Brandt, N. (2009, October 02). Earth Song. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/XAi3VTSdTxU
