WARNING: THIS VIDEO INCLUDES GRAPHIC REPRESENTATIONS OF WAR.
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What are some recurring images in this music video?
What is the main theme of the music video?
How do the lyrics influence your viewing?
Please feel free to comment on any particular aspects of the lyrics or music video that you find interesting. Please feel free to ask questions about the meaning of particular images or lyrics and perhaps another student can assist you in discussion.
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Emlyn- a reoccurring image in this video is a seemingly all powerful force being destroyed by another dominating force. A major theme of the lyrics is using ones power irresponsibly. If you have power, you can "do what [you] want but irresponsibly" just because you you can. I really liked how the video went from the past to the future, and showed how we are not learning from our mistakes, just repeating them.
ReplyDeleteEdward - a reoccuring image in this video is a single person who seem to be able to travel through all those events and have the ability to manipulate those events. The theme is power. In the lyrics it tell how power gives limitless choices to people and they do almost whatever they like. The ones who demonstrates this most is humans. There is also show of power shifts and how power can be obtained.
ReplyDeleteI was truly interested in the various depictions of individuals dancing around a fire ... thoughts?
ReplyDeleteI noticed the aspect of genetic engineering interestion because it really relates to Adolf Hitler and how he tried to create superhumans, and the part with the babies on the being altered one after another. Another thing weird about this was that since evolution is supposed to happen naturaly, and the part with genetic engineering was included, it maybe shows that Pearl Jam likes this idea and thinks that its correct.
ReplyDeleteAnd in response to the fire, maybe because fire is known to be a mark of evolution because it brought many new ideas to the wolrd and it allowed the early people to migrate to colder climates. Fire symbolized evolution in a way.
ReplyDeleteTiffany- I constantly saw a woman appear through all these scenes when something evil or bad happens, so I think she might be representing some kind of evil spirit or force that controls the events or is a personification of the evils of human beings. Also, many different scenes show individuals dancing around a fire. Although time is moving forward in the video, we see that nothing has really changed. The fire might represent a power that helps and hurt us and as the people change from Indians to people in masks, it might show how something we once honored as a force to be reckoned with, we now view it as a way to spread our evil and create destruction. The video shows that despite the passage of times, humans have remained in their animalistic form, craving for power and abusing it.
ReplyDeleteThere are is also a scene showing different people of power: a judge, a bishop, a military officer, and a political leader. But in the last one, the political leader, we see that someone else is controlling him. What follows is a girl running a peaceful field and steps on an anthill and a land mine is suddenly shown being blown up with fighting going on.I think, in both scenes, they're trying to show how what we believe to be reality might simply be an alteration by someone who wants to believe that it's reality.
Fanny M. - A reoccurring theme of this video is Anarchism. This belief is often associated with being primitive, narcissistic, rebellious, and selfish. For example, "I'll do what I want but irresponsibly" indicates selfishness and "Admire me, admire my home" indicates narcissism. The symbol for anarchism is also frequently drawn on skulls, which is constantly being shown in the video.
ReplyDeleteVictor W. Pd. 4
ReplyDeleteRecurring images include the dancing around the fire as you mentioned, Mr. Ferencz. And I would think it could show how the stronger people get the better environment for living. When Columbus came here, he brought diseases that the Indians could not handle, and he also killed some of them. Columbus' men would be then be considered stronger than the Indians, and therefore, they got to dance around the fire. Summarized, I am trying to say that the stronger class or higher class gets to do it.
The main theme of the video is evolution. It keeps showing pictures of the old ways, such as horses, and then the new ways, tanks. We used to use horses as for cavalry and for stronger army units. Then, tanks were shown and they are a more modern way of fighting.
Without the lyrics to the song, I only got that it was about evolution and some random girl that was showing up every so often. I didnt really listen to the lyrics though. And while listening to the song while looking at the lyrics and the graphics made it seem to make more sense.
Calvin- A recurring image in the music video is the woman. She is seen dancing, making faces and kissed a skull. Her head is also replaced by a skull at one point. I think the lady represents death because a skull is usually represented as death. The main idea is power. It shows how there is always something or someone more powerful then you. Another idea is how kids are the future because there are scenes with a man his son gazing upon somewhere. There's a lyric that says "Admire my son, admire my clones". Another lyric is "2010, watch it go to fire". It sounds like George Orwell predicting the world with 1984. Fire in this video represents power. People want to circle around it. Power can be good but at the same time, have its risks. No matter how powerful you are, there is probably someone who is more powerful than you.
ReplyDeleteRecurring images in this video are the skull, the woman and twice, a single sperm cell. The cell shows just how far we have evolved, and then devolved in a humanitarian point of view, just like in 1984, how they have devolved. And for like, half a second, there was a book the said "math" on it that was being thrown into the fire, which also shows devolution. In the lyrics it said "I can kill cause in God i trust". This is an example of how People use scapegoats throughout history, as said in class with Emmanuel Goldstein. The main theme is obviously this so called "evolution". People keep progressing with everything and don't stop to think about the repercussions of this. The skull seemed interesting because its like people are just dead now , doing what they're told to do and thinking what they're told to think. Also, the baby making machine showed how literally everything, even reproduction has turned into a business and factory.
ReplyDelete-Ervin Per. 4
Isaac - Although it was not recurring, there was a quick shot of a man speaking from a podium but when you see from behind him you see another person with strings as if the man at the podium is a puppet. I think it is a good representation of how with the progress, or evolution, of society, power has been transfered from those who are right, to those who have money and connections. I think it is really interesting how with about a second of this shot in the video, it portrayed all these problems and the corruption we have in governments and rulers of today.
ReplyDeletePranab Islam - I just like the the fact that the video started in primitive times and showed the earth as a molten heap of dust and such. Then, by the end of the video it shows the earth the same exact way. Ir really showed how people are slowly killing the earth and destroying everything around them. Also, yes, it seems humans never really do learn from their lessons. The band kept saying its evolution and showed people just killing others, makes us think that the only way we can advance is by killing others to obtain a goal. Also the recurring theme of the skull-face was interesting. Just showed that even though those people are alive, they still were dead. The strong just take the weak in the entire video (survival of the fittest, which is closely related to the idea of evolution). I was also i wanted to ask, why does the lady with deep red lipstick keep showing up? Does she represent the classic 'lady in red' who seduces men or something? Man I wrote so much I have no life.
ReplyDeleteThe recurring theme in this music video is that sooner or later nature wil be destroyed by weaponry and human conflict. In the beginning, nature is seen taking its course when bacteria is reproducing and an underwater foodchain is shown. The animals fight kill each other of for food because they need to live, but then a cave man kills shoots another for the fun of it. This portrays the reucrring theme. I found it really interesting that the horses galloping transforms into canons. It further establishes the theme.
ReplyDeleteI think that when the cavemen dance around the fire it's supposed to mean that some humans are trying to appreciate nature and forget about war. However, because they look so wierd, I think this is supposed to mean that the government this of them as very odd people. The government doesn't understand why they don't apprecitate education (they threw books at the fire) or technology.
Also, their is a scene of a Chruch, a court, and a presidential speech. I think this scene is all about lies becasue people cheered for the candidate without realizing that he was a fake and that someone else was controlling him.
Then it was interesting how the dog ate minauter peopele. I'm not sure but I think this also goes back to the nature theme. Alos, it was wierd how the babys had barcodes and the world ends up exploding. I this also ties to the nature theme.
The theme is how everything (such as nature) will be stomped out by humans eventually. An example is when the scene of horses turn to a scene of tanks, showing that we take advantage of nature. Another example is how humans will control other humans to the point they they will be stamped with a bar-code to perhaps monitor and keep track of them (no privacy, which creates a dystopia like 1984).
ReplyDeleteOne of the recurring images in this video is the people dancing around the fire. I think it symbolizes that people keep throwing away their "connections to nature" and become ignorant. Therefore, the fire represents ignorance because the people are "throwing away their knowledge," similar to when the books are thrown in the fire. The cavemen at first relied on nature but as history progresses, humans rely more on themselves, thus becoming ignorant. I realized that the Ku Klux Klan danced around the fire in one of the scenes, showing their ignorance towards African-Americans.
The lyrics keep repeating the phrase "it's evolution." In our eyes, society is becoming better because technology is always being advanced. However, Pearl Jam is trying to create irony by stating that we are actually in the process of devolution because we are constantly becoming more ignorant as more technology is invented. This is shown when the people in the office are "sucked into" the computer, showing our ignorance for work and constant reliance on technology that leads to society's downfall. Also, when Pearl Jam says that we "were the first mammal[s] to make plans," I think they are trying to point out that even though we have made plans first, they may not have necessarily been good plans.
To sum it up, I think that Pearl Jam is trying to say that society has many problems and will keep declining unless somebody does something about our ignorance.
Yes! Great point Rebecca. By screaming "It's evolution", the band is really being ironic as we watch images of our own devolution as a species.
ReplyDeleteErik Liu says that, I believe that this music video shows the main theme is contradiction. Evolution means evolving to become better. However throughout this video, as men evolve they become worst and worst, all the way to the end of the video when it shows how men will eventually destroy everything. We start off killing for survival and we gradually evolve to killing for power, control, and greed. The lyrics "I'll do what I want irresponsibly" shows that men are ruthless and do anything necessary to accomplish their goal. They will turn a blind eye to everything, and one day we will destroy each other.
ReplyDeleteThe theme of this music video obviously has to do with evolution, the fact that humans are evolving into powerful beings. As it states in the music video, "I'm the first mammal to where the pants," is directly referring to humans. When one tells another that they "wear the pants" it usually means that they are superior.
ReplyDeleteThis music video is showing how the lust for power is so greatly immense that it will one day backfire. One scene of this music video depicted a man working at a computer but then is suddenly controlled by the computer. It shows that people have become too dependent on technology and will one day be totally controlled by it.
There are many reoccurring images in this music video. One is of a woman with red lipstick. She symbolizes power. Beautiful women are known to be seductive towards the men. Lust is what causes women to have total control over men. As for the reoccurring image of the skull, it depicts how one's quest for power can totally destroy them. This is shown through the many scenes of war. War is usually associated with the hunger for power over people and things. This is similar to Adolf Hitler and his attempt to have total control. In addition, the scenes of humans dancing around fire show how much humans want power. Fire is an evolutionary substance that gives humans power.However, this power cannot be completely tamed. In contact with fire, one is burned and feels pain.
This music video has clearly depicted how humans are trying to obtain power with any means but will at the end suffer with its burden. As Spider-man's uncle says, "With great power, comes great responsibility." Humans do not have that capability of maintaining and controlling power. Ironically, it is the concept of power that is controlling the humans.
Sabrina Bari Pd 9
Throughout the music video, there are many characters whose eyes are not shown. Their eyes are usually concealed by glasses/sunglasses/gas masks. These characters are always the evil ones with power and are treating others cruelly. Examples of these are the soldiers who fight with fatal weapons, the slave holder, the two people who own the factory plant, the pilot who drops bombs everywhere, and several others. Eyes are commonly said to be "the window of the soul". The enshrouding of these people's eyes may symbolize that they are lacking a humane soul.
ReplyDeleteThis music video conveys the idea that ever since the start of life on Earth, there has been competitively vicious acts occurring. One scene in the video shows a small monkey being stepped on by a gorilla-like creature, who is then clubbed by a human. This person is immediately attacked with rocks by another type of human, most likely Neanderthals. As time passes and "evolution" occurs, people engage in extremely aggressive wars and hold prisoners captive in what appears to be a labor/concentration camp. Hate organizations, such as the KKK, form and industrialization and urbanization occur, with the rise of tall buildings and dominant factory plants. These scenes indicate that power over others has had a strong hold on humans ever since humanity has existed. In order to obtain this power, some may purposely inflict pain on others to keep them under control.
The scene of people dancing around fire has recurred several times. The fire appears to symbolize the power that many humans struggle to have and keep. Since the beginning of mankind, people dance around fire. After a considerable time later, people are still shown to dance around fire. The desire for power and control seems to be innately linked to humans, just like fire has always been linked to humans and has given them an advantage over other species.
A recurring image was the face of a skull. Also fighting and destruction in general.The video begins with the evolution of life, from the smallest cell to the extinction of dinosaurs and reign of homo sapiens. The video then cuts back and forth throughout human history, depicting man's primitive, violent nature as essentially unchanged over the centuries. The lyrics even further influence my viewing because it is narrated by a completely ignorant and conceited person who is blinded by technology. He thinks he can rule the world essentially.
ReplyDeleteMohammed Haque period 4
Jessica Ma, E1FC/Pd 9-
ReplyDeleteMany of the images in this video depict nature being destroyed by humans. As humans evolve, they become more powerful and technology obsessed. The scene in the beginning with the monkeys and cavemen, as well as the scene of the young girl stepping on top of an anthill show that evolution causes humans to be ignorant of nature. Their feeling of superiority causes them to stop caring about other animal species and their natural surroundings. They don't hesitate to construct buildings out of beautiful countryside, to torture monkeys, or to even harm other people. Humans are like slaves to technology. This is largely shown by the man stuck to the wires connected to the computer. Eventually, humans will destroy everything with their excessive wars and fast rate of construction. The images of the woman, the people dancing around the fire, and the representation of a skull are recurring. The woman may be a symbol of the corruption that happens when humans evolve. The people dancing around the fire may symbolize their happiness and ignorance at nature's destruction. The skull is a symbol of death, in this case, the death of nature. The lyrics contribute to the effect of human power. In the song, the narrator seems to be conceited, telling the audience that he is advanced and superior. With power, he can do anything, even stealing and lying.
There were several reoccurring images throughout the clip, one type of which i did not understand. The lady in the black dress kept reappearing, maybe she represented death? There was also the frequent images of different races dancing around a fire, in my ind dancing around a fire signifies a victory in destruction and by portraying first the cavemen dancing up the the KKK dancing it shows that throughout history mankind has been evil even if it was evolving into more complex forms. The forging of a sword was also repeated several times at once.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the main theme of the video was evolution is not always a good thing although many people make it seem like it is. From the prehistoric periods of meteors destroying the earth to the common time of nuclear warheads destroying the earth evolution is only changing the appearance and methods of a one reoccurring factor of evil and corruption.
The lyrics point out "admire me" several times because the human race is supposedly more evolved than its less civilized forms, but truly to me it seems like the beginning dinosaur era was more civilized then the humans. In the prehistoric times dinos killed to survive, now humans kill often out of pure stupidity and greed.
I felt like the whole video was showing a 'matrix' pulled over societies eyes, from the politician being controlled to the babies being born. Society is not as good as many believe it to be.
---Daniel period 4
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ReplyDeleteThe first few things that caught my interest was how the video gave the impression that the people, and even some of the events depicted, were all interchangeable. For instance, the mysterious girl was replaced by a hulking caveman, which, in turn, was replaced by a comical businessman with a cigar in his mouth.
ReplyDeleteThere were also some scenes of Man tearing Nature apart. For instance, a fleet of tanks chased sprinting deer, while running down a forest of trees in its path. Another example is when massive skyscrapers shot out of a clear field(at 1:51), which is reflected in the lines:
"This land is mine, this land is free
I'll do what I want but irresponsibly
It's evolution, baby".
I was amazed at how the images and scenes in the video blended together so smoothly, although it was in a state of constant change. In my recollection, I realized how true this was for our society. Our world has been steadily, yet readily changing, to a drastic extent, if you really think about it. However, it's almost as if the same events happen over and over, but with different people, more sophisticated people, to be exact, in a more technologically advanced and complex circumstances. For instance, sometime after the Roman general(or noble?) is shown standing with his son, there was this whole series of events depicting industrialization, and a sinister man with his son, overlooking the whole thing.
The singer is almost "bragging" in a way, when he says "I am ahead, I am advanced"... however, his words give away to its hidden meaning in the scenes occurring as he sings those lines. The scenes depict a man, almost zombie-like as he stares blankly into his monitor, when, suddenly, wires spring up to take over his body. In a sense, the lines relate to the scene. Yes, we ARE advanced, ahead. That's Evolution.
Then, the scenes seem to fast-forward (towards the end), showing clips that seem to foretell the fortune of Man, and indefinitely, the world if this Evolution keeps on coming. Industrialization grows, until even babies are being mass-produced, with their very own bar-code. Until there's huge tentacles shooting out of buildings, destroying and chasing away wildlife, scooping out the very ground of the Earth and its resources.
Until Evolution wipes out everything in sight... Mother Nature, which was eroding away because of the industry, the industry that Evolution was built on, and even the humans that built it.
All in all, this video interweaves many concepts, that altogether, gives a glimpse of the past and a view of the future if "Evolution" keeps its current path, the one that Mankind is driving it towards.
--Tiffani Ren, pd. 9
One theme that was recurring in the music video was that throughout history, everyone screws each other over because of their own selfish desires. It seems like conflicts and wars are an inherent part of human society (or even any group of organisms). Pearl Jam is remarking on how evolution consists of one group trumping another, over and over again. And not just biological evolution, but even that of technology and politics. This includes strange experiments on animals (2:45) or large scale wars (3:40). Almost every accomplishment or advancement results in a loss for some group. All of history can be summed up as "survival of the fittest."
ReplyDeleteAnother thing I noticed was in the lyrics, in the line "I can kill 'cause in God I trust, yeah". Pearl Jam is using irony to show how ridiculous it is that we have all of these religious and moral standards, yet still think that its okay to kill large amounts of people in wars and destroy families.
Also, at the very end (~3:51), due to a huge, catastrophic war, everyone is dead. This might be trying to say that our constant selfishness, greed, desire and war could lead to the end of us all. Perhaps it's a wake-up call for humanity. But it may also be trying to say that it's inevitable, since at the start of the video they showed that all animals and early organisms killed each other from the beginning of time anyway.
- Elvin Shoyfer, Period 9
A couple recurring images are the skull, the big man on top, and war time. The skull represents death and evil which we can see is a very important theme in the song. I found it very interesting when the lady was kissing the skull. There was something promiscuous about the way she acted, and her kissing the skull seemed to symbolize sex as an acceptance of evil. We can see later in the video how she dances and her head changes to that of the skull, making it seem as if she had been converted to evil. We also see the skull in the jet, a killer tool, once again symbolizing evil and death.
ReplyDeleteThis brings me to the next recurring image, war. We see war by cavemen, Egyptians(or Romans?), what looks like a representation of Nazis, and a modern day army. I found this very important as the song is about evolution, yet we seem to always have war. The idea of evolution is that a species advances for the better, yet we still have war, which seems to be counter to the idea of the song, more like de-evolution. We simply evolve by easier means of killing each other, from rocks the cavemen throw, to mines and rockets.
Another image that is constantly shown is the "big man" or the leader. The leader is always the one with the weapon, inspiring others to look up to him. The caveman threw a rock and man the other cavemen laugh. The white man whipped his slave. The last leader is shown as a politician giving an amazing speech, however this time he is being strung along by someone, as a puppet. This further seems to add to the idea of de-evolution, as now people can be convinced by a man, not even acting of his own accord.
I also have a movie/video game reference, with the image of the babies being stamped with barcodes on their heads. It reminds me of the video game-turned-movie Hitman, where the main character Agent 47 is a lab bred, genetically-engineered person, who was created to be an assassin and do the bidding of The Agency (Matrix/CIA reference ;D)
Finally referring to the images of people dancing around a fire, it seems like it means we are still instinctual creatures in which no development has occurred. Fire and fire dances are considered very primitive actions, almost instinctual and savage-like to gather around that which is bright and dangerous and extremely powerful. On the inside we are still animals.
OLIVIA'S (I'm just posting it for her):
ReplyDeleteThe reoccurring theme of this video was that even though it is believed that we are in an evolution, we are actually not. This was the irony portrayed by the video from the images and the lyrics. Every time it says “It’s Evolution, Baby!” it displays scenes of destruction. It first shows of horses galloping and then tanks. This shows how technology advanced. The reoccurring images of animals being forced to go through harmful experiments like the monkey being strapped onto a chair, shows the control of the humans. Babies were stamped, showing that they were also being controlled, having no individuality. Scenes from Nazi had also contributed to the theme of how this technological evolution is actually harming us more than helping us. It leaves people ignorant. The babies were bar coded when they were born. They probably will grow up being ignorant of their surroundings. The things we do, the so-called advancements, is endangering nature. There are many reoccurring images of men in the place of animals, or the death of animals. The lyrics “I’ll do what I want irresponsibly,” contributes to the idea of ignorance of the outcomes in society. Pearl Jam is trying to tell us that we have to do something about this ignorance before it is too late.
P.S. This video is really creepy to watch. ~Olivia Zhong Period 9
There were many images that occured throughout the music video. One was the skull and the lady. I think the skull represented evil, it was more prevalent later on with all the carnage occuring. The lady dances seductively throughout the video, at the end of the video though, it shows the woman's head turning into a skull, which symbolizes the corruption of men. I think that the main theme of the music video was to point out how the strong always beats the weak. It shows this in the beginning, with how a bigger fish eats a smaller fish and so on and so forth. The individuals standing around a fireplace signify the people that rule the lower class and "eat the smaller fish." It shows how we're all very primitive and that evolution did little to diminish that.
ReplyDelete