Sympathy is what we need, my friends… 16 December, 2006
Posted by paralleldivergence in Music, My Thoughts, Political Correctness.trackback
We all live in our little boxes, struggling with our own little problems. Our experience of the world is based on what we see on TV or what we read on the Internet. The media tells us what they want us to hear – a politician made an embarrassing mistake, a celebrity was seen out with another celebrity last night and the amazing pet dog found its way home after being missing for two months. But is this really what’s important in our world?
More than six billion people surround us on this planet, but less than a mile from where you are right now, there’s probably a homeless person. In some countries, entire cities of people don’t have enough food to eat while other cities throw out masses of perfectly good food each night from their supermarkets and restaurants. Clean water for drinking is used to flush toilets around the world while some communities fear drinking from their only water sources because of disease. The richest 2% own more than half the world’s wealth, while the poorest 50% account for less than 1% of global wealth.
War. People fight over land. People fight over oil. People fight over religion. People fight to conquer. People fight to defend. People fight to survive.
All we have is this Earth. All we have is our 75 years. All some people have is 35 years. What if Heaven is a myth? Would we treat our fellow Man any differently? Is human life really so disposable? Sympathy is what we need.
Back in 1970, a UK band called Rare Bird wrote and released this beautiful song called Sympathy that you’ve probably never heard of, covered beautifully by marillion here. I put together this video by taking images from the Web to produce an amazing song more poignant to today than it was all those years ago. Please watch and listen carefully.
Peace.
Parallel Divergence 
[…] Just thought I’d point y’all to this awesome post by Parallel Divergence. […]
Puts things in perspective….
Thank-you for sharing such a moving video. As you pointed out there is plenty to go around, however through our own selfishness and our own hatred of people who are different, have different ideolgies, etc, we choose not to share the abundance that many of us have.
We live in an abundant world, one which we should all share in it’s bounty.
May we all begin to live from our spirt and not from our fragile egos.
Thanks guys. The festive season is also a time to think of the plight of others in this world. It’s incredible to me that we spend more of fighting wars than we do on grass roots poverty.
very beneficial post. this was a much needed reminder.
Very nice post.
nice job
thanks for directing me to this post, i like your thoughts a lot. the idea that ‘heaven might be a myth’ doesnt inspire me as much as some other stuff i’ve been thinking about lately. i was thinking about patriotism and all these ‘glorified’ titles that people think are so great but they are so dangerous because so often zeal for your country or your whatever can lead to disrespect or dishonour of another whatever and thats just not done. humanity should come first above all other things and then you would have no situations where one person is the cause of another person’s poverty but only situations where people help meet each other’s needs. of course i realise im being very idealistic here but it has to start somewhere, sympathy IS what we need, thanks again for this post i really like your thoughts.
Diana
I’m really happy you liked it Diana. We can all do something to make a difference.
What a nice post. I do not know what to say. Peace!!!
“Peace” is exactly what we should all say, Fourtynine. 🙂
Thank God I found your video !
“Sympathy” is one of the songs of my youth…and you made so perfect adequate images on it (I feel you made it with your soul, more !) !
Please, let me download it, because my daughters must know the original “Sympathy” (for me, both “Rare Bird ” and “Marillion” are “the original”, too).
Thank you for your writing (for your mind and soul) and for your film !
God bless you !
Elena (Lala) – Romania
id on yahoo (and messenger, too) is soulbrain2001
Thanks Elena. It’s really strange how the world has such trivial priorities when there are so many real problems. I’ve sent you an email.
“Sympathy” is one of the songs of my youth
Thank you too much & I hope all the people over tha world understand what is “Sympathy”
Hi mate you brought me great memories as i was a teenager when this song came out….
and as someone said:’This is a song from 1969. 40 years ago. Has anything changed? The song is still beautiful. The lyrics still stand true.”
Could you please guide me to download your work and also if you know how & where can I download the original song from,.. as I would rall love to share it with my children….
my email is ezarzour@yahoo.com
Lots of thanks & may God bless you
Hi Elie. You can get the original Rare Bird track here: http://dilandau.com/cgi/play.cgi?id=db2d55e2d035fb78176ac121c7ff0eb0d419dbdf&lang=en – if you want the above video, try http://keepvid.com and put in the URL of that video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Utsl2YeADZk
Enjoy.