Black Eyed Peas

            
            
             The short phrase "is the world insane?" is the thought that underscores the entire song, "Where is the Love?" by a group called The Black Eyed Peas. In the context of the poem, the phrase is asking the rhetorical, but powerful, question of how our world became so hostile. The answer to this question is war, greed, selfishness, and terrorism. The phrase "is the world insane?" is used in the beginning of the poem. I enjoy the balance between deepness and simplicity that this line conveys. It is worth mentioning that most of the lyrics in the rest of the song are also written this way. .
             With regard to the deepness of the phrase, I think those four short words can evoke a series of thoughts, images, and opinions. One may think back to the way life used to be compared to the way life is now. One may recall the horrible scenes played on live television on September 11th. One may believe that the world is perhaps a better place than it was 10 years ago. After all, there is now a continuous tirade against terrorism worldwide. However, one may believe that world is worse that is was 10 years ago. After all, our lives have changed in a few ways, including a general increase in fear of another terrorist attack. .
             The phrase "is the world insane?" is very simple. This lyric was written like this for a reason. It is straightforward; there is no doubt as to what question the lyricist is trying to ask. I appreciate this writing technique. It is simple enough for every child, man, or woman to understand but it is phrased perfectly within the song. For example, the writer could have just as easily taken the phrase "is the world insane?" out of question form and written, "the world is very hostile these days due to a lack of love and humility." After all, this is the thought that the short phrase is conveying. However, the intended simplicity of the phrase fits perfectly without over-doing of over-writing a simple thought.