If you are still into reflecting on the Dark Knight, Don Coleman offers a good critique of my review.
Category: Gospel and Culture
More on Paul and Empire
Where is the Economy Going?
The NY Times offers an interesting article on Nouriel Roubini (AKA “Dr. Doom”), an economics professor at New York University, who predicted the current decline in the U.S. economy two years ago. Roubini has been labeled as a pessemist, written off as a naysayer, but is now being invited to address Congress, the Council on Foreign Relations and the World Economic Forum at Davos.
Apparently, an unhealthy amount of optomism is built into prevailing economic theories. “These are things most economists barely understand,” said Roubini. “We’re in uncharted territory where standard economic theory isn’t helpful.” Roubini cites extensive national and personal debt as a major factor, from educational loans to government spending. He predicts continued economic decline with a renewal by the end of 2009. Of course, we can’t place our hope in any economic predictions, much less the economy itself. Perhaps this trend will alert us to the affluenza that plagues the American soul, and lead it to not only more responsible spending but also more life-fulfilling hopes.
He closes the article with these words:
“Once you run current-account deficits, you depend on the kindness of strangers,” he said, pausing to let out a resigned sigh. “This might be the beginning of the end of the American empire.”
Coldplay B-side: Death Will Never Conquer
Coldplay has released a free b-side called “Death Will Never Conquer.” Sounds like an old spiritual, stripped down to Martin on a piano. Martin’s preoccupation with God, heaven, and salvation in Viva La Vida is striking. Look for some personal exegesis of the album in posts to come. Still compiling insight from interviews. In the meantime, here are some tidbits that will make you laugh and reflect:
What’s your least favorite U2 song?
That’s like saying, “Who’s my least favorite supermodel.”
There’s a hidden track on X&Y, “Til Kingdom Come.” That’s so biblical of you.
“A Message” and “Til Kingdom Come” both come from having quite a religious upbringing. “A Message” is taken from a hymn we used to sing called “My Song Is Love Unknown,” and we’d say “kingdom come” every week in the Lord’s Prayer. One of the great things about being forced to go to church services is that we’d sing all these big songs. That’s partly why I’m obsessed with getting everyone to sing along at our shows. It makes me feel like I’m a part of something.
Taken from “Q&A: Chris Martin,” Rollling Stone, June 16, 2005