I consider myself, to some extent, a fan of Jack Johnson’s music.
It’s “chill,” it’s “laid back,” it has a certain mellow, organic feel to it. But there’s a line in one of his songs that no matter how hard I try, I just can’t swallow.
It goes against everything I believe. It goes against my view on life, it goes against my view on human potential, it goes against my view on God, and it goes against my entire view for why we as humans exist. This one line has ruined Jack Johnson for me.
“We’re clever but we’re clueless, we’re just human…All we got is questions, we’ll never know.”
We’ll never know….
This line makes me crazy! And why? Why does this set of lyrics “irk” me so badly?
For one, it’s the fact that someone would suppose that we’re “just” human. JUST! I’m not “just” anything! I’m flippin’ James Allen Winskowski. God is my creator and the Father of my spirit. My divine purpose and potential is to learn from Him and strive to become as He is. He has given the Holy Spirit to teach me ALL things, from the true nature of the Creation, to the origin of the Universe, to the subtle workings of patience and faith. And that potential is not a gift given solely to me. It it my solemn belief that there has never been created by our God a being that was “just human.”
And as far as the “All we got is questions, we’ll never know,” what sense does that make?? How can you really believe that?! Has living amidst the tranquil peace of the North Shore of Oahu taught him nothing?? One of the most impressive and fantastically beautiful of God’s creations on this green earth has surrounded him for years of his life and he has failed to learn the answers to life’s greatest questions??
My testimony to you, Jack Johnson, is that we WILL know. We will. And if you have neglected to at least begin “know”ing the answers to some of these questions after 35 years of life, birth, death, and beautiful sunsets, then you have missed the point of life.
-James Allen Winskowski, a believer.
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i’ve gotta say, jimmy, i’m disturbed by the idea that you’ll be completely turned off to anything or anyone just because of one line that disagrees with you. if this is the philosophy you adopt for all music and art, in the end i think you’ll be left alone with a hymnal accompanied by lex de azevedo. maybe you don’t have a problem with that, though. as far as the line itself goes, i think it takes guts for anyone to admit they don’t have the answers to life’s tough questions. rather than condemn him for it, we should praise him. the world is more than the culmination of pretty sunsets, there is a lot that goes on that flies in the face of an omniscient, omnipotent, all-loving anthropomorphic god. to limit jack johnson or anyone to a set of theological or philosophical dogmas is to put a limit on art itself, which would defeat the purpose of art. i think by now you know this about me, but i’m more inclined to appreciate jack johnson for the line than vilify him or his work.
Scott- GREAT response. I love the passion. In fairness, this post has little to do with Jack Johnson. The ideas and views I expressed in this post were festering hours before this particular Jack Johnson song came to mind, and once it did, it became the backdrop that tied in these thoughts.
I do disagree with what he says on face value. However I am not too blind to see what he really means by saying “It’s shocking but we’re nothing, we’re just moments.” After my first visit to the North Shore a few months ago, it became very apparent that many of the lyrics in this song are a humble manifestation of a belief that there are so many things bigger than him in the world. It’s a way for him to say that we should not consider ourselves “masters” of the earth and the things in it, but a part of it. It’s him being at peace with not having all of the answers. And that’s ok.
I truly believe, though, that if there is an “omniscient, omnipotent, all-loving anthropomorphic God” then nothing should truly fly in His face. If He really exists, then there ARE answers. And if we are indeed created by Him in His image, then our potential should be much greater than merely being content or merely being fashionable.
I think we should be at peace with becoming more than we are. That’s why this particular line in this particular song makes me uncomfortable.