Monday, November 20, 2006

What's Wrong With Singing Kumbaya?

There are many things in the world I do not understand. One of them is what's so bad with singing Kumbaya...

Kumbaya, my Lord, kumbaya!
Kumbaya, my Lord, kumbaya!
Kumbaya, my Lord, kumbaya!
O Lord, kumbaya!

In mocking someone for being naive, one says "Let's all just hold hands and sing Kumbaya."

Wikipedia puts it this way:

Reference is sometimes made to "Kumbaya" in a satirical context, to denote a blandly pious and naively optimistic view of the world and human nature, insufficiently grounded in real experience. In a satirical television spot for the 2006 Congressional elections, made by David Zucker, an actress playing Madeleine Allbright serves cookies and milk to a group of terrorists: when she notices gunmen and suicide bombers emerging from the basemement, her guests distract her and allay her suspicions by picking up a guitar and breaking into a chorus of "Kumbaya".

But is it really that bad?

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