Imagine! – John Lennon
Rock Over Japan, Himari’s cover of ARB’s song in 1987. A very rock and roll number. And Himari yells out “imagine!” with a cute costume design by Hoshino Lily, the author of Otome Youkai Zakuro. “Imagine” is probably the most famous John Lennon song. And Rock Over Japan lyrics goes,
Even when JOHN fell over on a chilly night in NEW YORK
We’ve always repeated that song
Not religious leaders nor politicians nor scientists nor prophets–
No one can even see tomorrow anymore
Too bad Himari’s version left out the most important verse referring to the proletarian hero’s death. It is the single most important part of the song. Yes, and “that song” is “Imagine.” Yes, Himari yells out “imagine!”
Yes, in fact I’m a proletarian, or rather belong to precariat. I engage in a punishment called “labor.” A total waste of energy, nothing to gain from, but only exhaustion. It isn’t worth it. I don’t like working, I loathe labor, but I have to make ends meet, so I have to submit to involuntary servitude. Eternal damnation. Mind-numbingly dull, Sisyphus absurdity.
Because of Ringo (apple), the forbidden fruit, we’re expelled from the Eden, and men are sentenced to work and women are punished to endure pain called “labor.” Labor is proof of the Paradise Lost. And because of the forbidden fruit, we’re forbidden to see what’s under a burqa, a prison uniform. So, we use imagination, but even seeing a girl with lewd thoughts is already a grave sin according to Jesus of Nazareth. Even if the girl is unmarried! What if I see her in my wet dreams? Still counts as a sin?
So, my imagination is forbidden by the symbolic father. What is my fantasy? Skinship with a girl. Is that really “lewd”? No, I think it’s beautiful and romantic. Who is He to decide and control my imagination? Control freak. In turn, Himari says, “imagine!” So, I will imagine whatever I want! Because today is Himari Day!
In my imaginary world, which is 2-D, there I am 17 years old. Because the fate already prevents me from being 17 again in reality, never able to experience high school romance. The fate is a product of 3-D. In 3-D, no religious leader, no politician, no scientist, no prophet can make me a 17 years old high school student again. They can’t make any difference. So, I lost my faith in these guys, especially the scion of Kenya. “If I ever lose my faith in you!” sings Sting. But I’ve already lost my faith in 3-D girls…
So, I imagine that I am 17, and enjoying skinship with 2-D girls. Because 3-D girls don’t accept me just the way I am as a soshokukei boy. Only 17 % of the Japanese females want to date soshokukei? How can that be! But it’s not 0%, so there’s still a little relief. So, where are they? In Japan of course. Well, I’m in America already, so my primary 3-D girls are Americans. And I bet the percentage would be far lower, probably close to 0%. Unless I move to Sweden, where girls prefer soshokukei over machoman according to Bill O’Reilly, but I ain’t got no dinero…
In America, by labor, I have to fight to prove to 3-D girls that how marketable and productive I am. I have to win this dog-eats-dog competition. It’s just too much stress. I can’t deal with stress since I have a severe stress allergy. So other than work, as a semi-NEET/Hikikomori, I try to stay home to watch anime as much as possible. I just need more yutori. I’m simply too worn out and burned out to go outside, i.e., 3-D.
Capitalism is only for nikushokukei, not for me. Yet, patriarchal capitalism with Protestant ethics (unfortunately Confucian ethics too) dictates all of us to be workaholic, “Study hard! Work hard!” until we’re dragged down by stress and end up with karoushi (過労死 “overwork death”). Arbeit Macht Frei, “Labor sets you free.” Did we really defeat Nazism in WWII?
John Lennon said “Imagine there is no country, religion,” but he failed to include “labor.”
Imagine there’s no school. It isn’t hard to do. Nothing to study or die for, and no indoctrination too.
Imagine there’s no labor. It isn’t hard to do. Nothing to work or die for, and no exploitation too.
So, this Labor Day, I’m not going to celebrate it, but rather advocate liberation from labor on May Day. Why should we celebrate punishment? Nonsense! So, I rather make this day Himari Day! My eternal sister day! I truly wish that one day we can live without labor, so everyday will be Himari Day! And that is the remaking of the Eden! That’s what I imagine! Thus, with Himari, I will scream,