Formal Revision Paper #4

Tool is a band with several albums and many side projects but the song Vicarious seemed to scream out to me as one with a clear-cut message. You could go so far as to say that the even the title “bares all” for the song just by the definition of the word vicarious. The song’s message is that of an eye-opener to today’s generation of people drowning in self-denial over terms like “politically correct” the belief we must please everyone. The song’s message also seems to appeal to people who are more content to stay at home and watch TV or stare into a computer screen than actually go outside and do something themselves. Using such phrases as “devour to survive”, “stare like a junkie into the TV”, and “blood to a vampire” Vicarious is able to paint a clear picture of the way our society today feeds off the misfortune or prosperity of others.
My definition of vicarious is experiencing something secondhand or “through something else” such as the television. The song preys on the audience’s emotions, calling forth disturbing images from the artist in the mind’s eye to create a logical argument about the state of people’s lives. The song claims that we all “live vicariously” through the TV shows, movies, and news of today. I believe the song actually holds water in this respect, especially with the onset of the internet and the many technological innovations of our society. The natural adrenal and endorphin responses we receive just from watching someone do something exciting or even dying are what the song picks at. Can you deny the fact that there is a severe mental dependency bordering addiction in many people concerning obsession with the lives of others? Some may say obsession is too strong of a term to be used when describing their own experiences and if that applies to you, then consider the word curiosity instead. The song’s mission seems to be to talk about these characteristics of the human psyche openly, unlike many songs. The juicier the drama or the more horrible the tragedy the more people are inclined to watch and investigate.
If you take a good hard look at our major media they cover many topics such as the war in the Middle East, the current state of the world, and the day to day lives of the stars or other “important” people in the public’s eyes. The news also emphasizes murders, murderers and any other form of criminal activity. Some of the lyrics greatly enforce the idea that we as people are mesmerized by the troubles of others and the plight of criminals, like:
"Killed by the husband/Drowned by the ocean/Shot by his own son/She used a poison in his tea and kissed him goodbye/that’s my kind of story”. It's no fun 'til someone dies.” The artist not only uses samplings of our day to day media in this news-ticker like way to portray “us” as a vicarious creature but himself as well. “Cause I need to watch things die
from a distance Vicariously, I Live while the whole world dies you all need it too - don't lie.” These lyrics are used to relate to the human populace as a whole by depending on the credibility of the artist as a fellow human being. The stark imagery that these particular lyrics portray is very useful in persuading a reader/listener to identify with the artist. The artist portrays himself as being able to say something that is usually kept secret, out loud and to everyone.
The argument of the artist is well constructed and is well suited for convincing its audience. The song uses the theory of survival of the fittest and appeals to the more primitive and instinctual aspects of the human psyche. These primal needs are explained with the lines, “The universe is hostile So impersonal Devour to survive So it is, so it's always been ...” The argument may not cause everyone who listens to the song to realize how reliant they are on the experiences of others but I believe a good portion of people could easily relate to the thoughts that are expressed in Vicarious. I think the best phrase that could describe this song is “misery loves company” and the misfortune of others makes people feel better about any bad experiences in their own lives. Despite the song’s cryptic messages I believe that it accomplishes its goal of giving, if only a few people, a new perspective on their feelings. I also believe the song allows people to identify with a whole world full of people, even if they are in denial of what they feel.