Worldly Success and Liberation Aims

     Of the final two aims of Hinduism, Worldly Success and Liberation; I actually found it difficult to find songs to fit both categories.  As far as worldly success goes, I guess that that would probably be most prevalent, but I had trouble finding songs that I thought fit into that category because I kept thinking that the ones I was finding went more in the pleasure category, so I was worried about getting the two confused.  So I think since worldly success could go hand in hand with pleasure, is why they were easier to find.  As for liberation songs, I had an easy time finding four, but I struggled for a while trying to find a fifth.  I was trying hard to stay away from gospel songs, but I had to look up lyrics and listen closely to them to make sure they fit the category.  When I think about liberation songs, I would think they were about breaking free of something, not just life, or achieving something or having an epiphany.  But I wasn't sure if those would entirely count as liberation or not, so I'm not entirely sure if all my songs really fall into that category.  Especially since not everyone's view of liberation is the same or that liberation doesn't necessarily have to be once one dies.  Worldly success in the Hinduism understanding may be different from how the west views it because we tend to emphasize different things we want out of life and what we feel is more important.  Being popular and famous or having respect from people may be what everyone would want at some point in their life, but it seems to be emphasized more in America because of the idea of the 'American Dream' and making something of one's self.  Liberation may be different as well because the view of liberation and the after life is different in each religion and sometimes even from person to person.

Worldly Success

1. Ne-Yo, "Miss Independent", R&B/Soul, 2008

2. David Banner (ft.Chris Brown and Young Joc), "Get Like Me", Rap, 2008

3. MC Hammer, "Too Legit to Quit", Rap, 1991

4. Demi Lovato, "Me, Myself and Time" Pop, 2010

5. R. Kelly, "The World's Greatest", R&B, 2001

Liberation (Moksha)

1. Linkin Park, "Breaking the Habit" (Disturbing images), Rock, 2003

2. R. Kelly, "The Storm is Over Now", R&B, 2000

3. Linkin Park, "Leave Out All the Rest", Rock, 2008

4. The All American Rejects, "It Ends Tonight" Alternative, 2006

5. Paramore, "Miracle", Alternative, 2007

Hinduism Aims: Pleasure and Community Service

Pleasure was the most prominent aim, and the easiest to find.  I think this is because in today's society everyone is more focused on short term goals of happiness that will satisfy them only for a short while.  Not to mention that sex, drugs and alcohol have been emphasized and seen pretty much anywhere now.  What surprised me about this experiment was actually that I found it easier than I thought it would be to find songs that had to do with community service.  When I think about that I keep thinking about songs about picking up trash on the side of the road, which would be a possibility; but I broadened my view of what community service could be and found that it could mean helping others, so I picked songs that reminded me of Gandhi or things that he would have emphasized like world peace or working together.  I think a difference from the American pop music and the Hindu understanding of the four aims could be that as far as community service go, the songs I found focused on world peace and helping people who were not in America; it would not focus on one community or a class of people like Hindu community service might.  Also, in America where Christianity is the most common religion; indulging oneself on pleasures such as drugs, sex and alcohol would be seen as going against the rules of the religion, where in Hinduism it is encouraged.

Community Service Aim

1. Michael Jackson, "Man in the Mirror," Pop, 1987

2. Tevin Campbell, "One Song," R&B, 1991
3. Black Eyed Peas, "Union", Hip Hop/Rap, 2005
4. John Lennon, "Imagine", Rock/Soft Rock, 1971
5. Black Eyed Peas, "Where is the Love?," Hip Hop/Rap, 2003

Pleasure Aim

1. Boys Like Girls (ft. Taylor Swift), "Two Is Better Than One," Alternative, 2009

2. The Dream, "Falsetto," R&B, 2007
3. Enrique Iglesias (ft. Lil Wayne), "Push," Latin Dance, 2007
4. Katy Perry, "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)" Pop, 2010
5. Ke$ha, "Crazy Beautiful Life" Dance/Pop, 2010