Was the great Bob Dylan “Woke?”

[Iron Age]

In his early years he was often regarded as a protest singer, a label he disliked and disputed.
I think that an “observer” might have fitted his view of himself would be better.
Would that make him “Woke”.
And I’d like to point out that my view of this misused word is that it reveals hidden truths. It asks us to wake up.

[Just Iron]

Bob was and is definitely that ..’an observer.’ That ability to reflect and to capture his observations in devastatingly powerful and moving poetical lyrics led to his Nobel prize for Literature. He’s also hard to pin down. He has evolved, mutated, transformed etc etc through many phases and never become ‘bound’ by any of them as far as I can see. Maybe he has more certainties in private ..but in the public sphere there has always been that element of ‘will o the wisp.’

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Heath, Iron Age, Iron-awe

[64]

The problem those who use the term don’t know what it means

[Iron-awe]

If you mean was Dylan aware of what was going on in the 1960’s as a young songwriter, yes very much so. I always enjoyed his interviews back then because when a music journalist went on a hand wringing description of one of his songs and then asked Dylan if that’s what he was trying to say, Bob would shrug his shoulders and reply ” I don’t know you tell me, I just write em “. He loved keeping people at arms length about his work and I absolutely loved him for that. Never mind the message just enjoy the song for what it is, songwriting genius IMO.

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Heath, Just Iron, Iron Age

[billpuntonsghost]

What does woke mean. It really means Marxism,liberalism with an anti-Christian agenda. God’s law as written in the Bible is the way we have been instructed to live.Do we follow this law completely? No ,we are sinners and need a Saviour. If we try to follow the word of God it will lead to less chaos and misery.Following a woke(atheistic)worldview will lead to more chaos and misery.

[Iron Age]

The only early song where he seems to give an opinion is in Masters of War, or was he speaking from a third person? You could never tell with Bob, and he wasn’t going to tell you.
Loved his early work, and no, he wasn’t a Judas.

[billpuntonsghost]

The video shown earlier,what is woke ,can be clearly explained.
Critical Theory,intersectionality is cultural Marxism.
Liberalism in our secular worldview is also an anti Christian worldview.
Rebellion against our Creator leads to chaos and misery.

[Iron-awe]

I believe most songwriters want people to make up their own minds about a song in terms of interpretation. If you read online about some songs and how people interpret them, the contrast can be quite wide and varied at times. As for bill and his hijack attempt, best ignored as usual with most of bills loaded efforts on this forum.

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Siderite

[Siderite]

His worldview is woefully simplistic. I am just thankful I live in the secular UK over the chaos and misery of Russia, Uganda, Peru etc for many.

[billpuntonsghost]

…China,North Korea etc ..the chaos and misery of their ideology is slowly ( remember it is a long march) creeping into our camp.Hold onto you secular utopia for as long as you can,Siderite ( not realising it was underpinned by a Christian worldview).

[Siderite]

The existence of more than one ideology I oppose is really beyond you, isn’t it? Secularism does not equal totalitarian communism (nor are we turning into Chinese style totalitarianism) any more than being a Christian means you support Uganda and Christian theocracies around the world. However, I have doubts as to whether you’d oppose that if that happened here. So get off your high horse and maybe attempt to understand others, just for once?

For an alleged font of morality you display very little empathy or attempts at understanding.

[billpuntonsghost]

Why is your secular atheistic,materialistic,evolutionary worldview such a thankful way to live,yet when anyone who challenges this worldview,needs to get off their high horse? Why is it ok for you to say “ get off your high horse” and not for the objector to your worldview. You probably don’t understand your hypocrisy.

[Siderite]

You’re the one piously making yourself out to be superior to everyone, not me. I have repeatedly said I am not judging Christians and can see how they can be moral. You, on the other hand, are utterly unable to demonstrate any understanding. People have answered your moronic questions time and time again and given an account for secular morality. Yet you ignore it and prattle on with the same self-righteous sense of superiority towards others, and dismissals of others as unable to hold morality because of their disagreements over the existence of God. This is why I am speaking of high horses, not because you are ‘challenging’ my standpoint.

I’d be a hypocrite if I had put myself in your position, demeaning anyone who believes in God. Yet I haven’t and repeatedly said I understand that Christians are moral and can develop such from their own faith, so I don’t think you understand what a hypocrite is, frankly. Your arguementative style does not come across as good faith on here, I am afraid, and I am long beyond grace for it given your insulting ignorance and attempts to score one upmanship. If this isn’t your intention, you have failed spectacularly. IA is right, your self-righteous holeir than thou attitude is best off ignored.

[Iron-awe]

Which is a shame you engaged with him Siderite, we all know his agenda by now. Have you got into any of Dylan’s songwriting where he was aware of what was and is going on in the world and some of his songs reflect that? Would be interesting to hear your view on Dylan as a songwriter.

[Iron Age]

While one who sings with his tongue on fire
Gargles in the rat race choir
Bent out of shape from society’s pliers
Cares not to come up any higher
But rather get you down in the hole that he’s in.

[Siderite]

Iron-awe wrote:

Which is a shame you engaged with him Siderite, we all know his agenda by now. Have you got into any of Dylan’s songwriting where he was aware of what was and is going on in the world and some of his songs reflect that? Would be interesting to hear your view on Dylan as a songwriter.

True. I felt like, given his recent spate of grandstanding, it needed a defence against such. Especially given the crass and ignorant accusations. I do not think he is asking questions in a level manner, as other Christians may do, but with loaded ones aimed at trying to demonstrate a moral superiority. I will leave it at that. I won’t go along any longer on this thread.

As for Dylan, he is a great songwriter, and I do love his way with words. Ballad of a thin man is a favourite of mine. I do think his civil rights stance would have him chastised as ‘woke’ if that was a charge back then. Just think of songs like Hurricane.

On wokeness, there is a tendency for some ‘progressives’ to categorise everything as some sort of social justice issue or discriminatory bias, which probably fits what woke is. However, the anti-woke side are just as bad in trying to dismiss any issue about discrimination. Finding that middle ground is hard, because either side will accuse you of being the other side when disagreeing with them. Seemingly, nuance isn’t a thing any more.

[Iron-awe]

Iron Age wrote:

While one who sings with his tongue on fire
Gargles in the rat race choir
Bent out of shape from society’s pliers
Cares not to come up any higher
But rather get you down in the hole that he’s in.

Nice one Iron Age, it’s only bill bleeding on here mate, a bleeding nuisance.😂

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