We white Anglo-Saxon Protestants, British, German, American, have been on a rampage, for the past hundred or more years, to improve the world
To improve the world
We have given the benefits of our culture, our religion, our technology to everybody
Except perhaps the Australian aborigines
And we have insisted that they receive the benefits of our culture, even our political styles, our democracy
You better be Democratic, or we'll shoot you
And having conferred these blessings all over the place, we wonder why everybody hates us
See, because sometimes, doing good to others, and even doing good to oneself
Is amazingly destructive, because it's full of conceit
[Chorus]
How do you know what's good for other people?
How do you know what's good for you?
If you say you want to improve, you ought to know what's good for you
But obviously, you don't, because if you did, you would be improved
How do you know what's good for other people?
How do you know what's good for you?
If you say you want to improve, you ought to know what's good for you
But obviously, you don't, because if you did, you would be improved
So we don't know
It's like the problem of geneticists, which they face today
I went to a meeting of geneticists not so long ago, where they gathered in a group of philosophers and theologians and said, "Now, look here. We need help."
We now are on the verge of figuring out how to breed any kind of human character
We would want to have
We can give you saints, philosophers, scientists, great politicians, anything you want
Just tell us, what kind of human beings ought we to breed?
So, I said, "How will those of us who are genetically unregenerate make up our minds what genetically generate people might be?”
Because I'm afraid, very much, that our selection of virtues may not work
It may be like, for example, this new kind of high-yield grain
Which is becoming ecologically destructive
When we interfere with the processes of nature and breed efficient plants and efficient animals
There's always some way in which we have to pay for it
And I can well see that eugenically-produced human beings might be dreadful
We could have a plague of virtuous people
You realize that?
You realize that?
Any animal considered in itself is virtuous, it does its thing, but in crowds, they're awful
Like a crowd of ants or locusts on the rampage
They're all perfectly good animals, but it's just too much
I could imagine a perfectly pestiferous mass of a million saints
[Chorus]
How do you know what's good for other people?
How do you know what's good for you?
If you say you want to improve, you ought to know what's good for you
But obviously, you don't, because if you did, you would be improved
How do you know what's good for other people?
How do you know what's good for you?
If you say you want to improve, you ought to know what's good for you
But obviously, you don't, because if you did, you would be improved
So I said to these people, "Look, the only thing you can do, just be sure that a vast variety of human beings is maintained."
Don't, please, breed us down to a few excellent types
Excellent for what?
Excellent for what?
We never know how circumstances are going to change, and how our need for different kinds of people changes
At one time, we may need very individualistic and aggressive people
At another time, we may need very cooperative team-working people
At another time, we may need people who are full of interest in dexterous manipulation of the external world
At another time, we may need people who explore into their own psychology and are introspective
There is no knowing
But the more varieties and the more skills we have, obviously, the better
So, you see, here again, the problem comes out in genetics
We do not really know how to interfere with the way the world is
To improve the world
We have given the benefits of our culture, our religion, our technology to everybody
Except perhaps the Australian aborigines
And we have insisted that they receive the benefits of our culture, even our political styles, our democracy
You better be Democratic, or we'll shoot you
And having conferred these blessings all over the place, we wonder why everybody hates us
See, because sometimes, doing good to others, and even doing good to oneself
Is amazingly destructive, because it's full of conceit
[Chorus]
How do you know what's good for other people?
How do you know what's good for you?
If you say you want to improve, you ought to know what's good for you
But obviously, you don't, because if you did, you would be improved
How do you know what's good for other people?
How do you know what's good for you?
If you say you want to improve, you ought to know what's good for you
But obviously, you don't, because if you did, you would be improved
So we don't know
It's like the problem of geneticists, which they face today
I went to a meeting of geneticists not so long ago, where they gathered in a group of philosophers and theologians and said, "Now, look here. We need help."
We now are on the verge of figuring out how to breed any kind of human character
We would want to have
We can give you saints, philosophers, scientists, great politicians, anything you want
Just tell us, what kind of human beings ought we to breed?
So, I said, "How will those of us who are genetically unregenerate make up our minds what genetically generate people might be?”
Because I'm afraid, very much, that our selection of virtues may not work
It may be like, for example, this new kind of high-yield grain
Which is becoming ecologically destructive
When we interfere with the processes of nature and breed efficient plants and efficient animals
There's always some way in which we have to pay for it
And I can well see that eugenically-produced human beings might be dreadful
We could have a plague of virtuous people
You realize that?
You realize that?
Any animal considered in itself is virtuous, it does its thing, but in crowds, they're awful
Like a crowd of ants or locusts on the rampage
They're all perfectly good animals, but it's just too much
I could imagine a perfectly pestiferous mass of a million saints
[Chorus]
How do you know what's good for other people?
How do you know what's good for you?
If you say you want to improve, you ought to know what's good for you
But obviously, you don't, because if you did, you would be improved
How do you know what's good for other people?
How do you know what's good for you?
If you say you want to improve, you ought to know what's good for you
But obviously, you don't, because if you did, you would be improved
So I said to these people, "Look, the only thing you can do, just be sure that a vast variety of human beings is maintained."
Don't, please, breed us down to a few excellent types
Excellent for what?
Excellent for what?
We never know how circumstances are going to change, and how our need for different kinds of people changes
At one time, we may need very individualistic and aggressive people
At another time, we may need very cooperative team-working people
At another time, we may need people who are full of interest in dexterous manipulation of the external world
At another time, we may need people who explore into their own psychology and are introspective
There is no knowing
But the more varieties and the more skills we have, obviously, the better
So, you see, here again, the problem comes out in genetics
We do not really know how to interfere with the way the world is
Then the great problem, how to get that higher self-working
How does it make any difference to what you do and what you think?
I know all kinds of people who got this higher self going, practicing their yoga
But they're just like ordinary people
Sometimes a little worse
And they can fool themselves
Fool themselves
They can fool themselves
They can say, for example, "Well, my point of view in religion is very liberal.”
“I believe that all religions have divine revelation in them, but I don't understand the way you people will fight about it.”
“You fight and say that we Jehova's Witnesses have the ‘real religion’."
(Real religion)
Others say, "Well, we Roman Catholics have it."
And the Muslims say, "No, it is in the Quran, and this is the right way."
(This is the right way)
(Pre-Chorus)
This is the right way
This is the right way
This is the right way
This is the right way
This is the right way
This is the right way
This is the right way
This is the right way
This is the right way
And somebody else gets up, and he may be a rather highbrow Catholic, and say, "Well, God has given the spirit through all the traditions, but ours is the most refined and mature."
And then, somebody comes along and says, "Well, as I said, they're all equally revelations of the divine."
And in seeing this, of course, I'm much more tolerant than you are
You see how that game is gonna work?
The architect, this position, supposing you regard me as some sort of a guru, and you know how gurus hate each other
Always putting each other down
And I could say, "Well, "I don't put other gurus down."
See, that outwits all of 'em
They were always doing that!
They're always finding a way to be one up, and by the most incredibly subtle means
So you see that, you see?
And you say, "I realize I'm always doing that. Tell me, how do I not do that? "
(How do I not do that?)
(Chorus)
This is the right way
This is the right way
This is the right way
How do I not do that?
This is the right way
How do I not do that?
This is the right way
This is the right way
This is the right way
How do I not do that?
This is the right way
How do I not do that?
Say why do you wanna know?
Well, I'll be better that way
Yeah, but why do you wanna be better?
Why do you wanna be better?
Why do you wanna be better?
You see, the reason you want to be better is the reason why you aren't
We aren't better because we want to be
Because the road to hell is paved with good intentions
Because all the do-gooders in the world, whether they're doing good for others or doing it for themselves, are troublemakers
Troublemakers
On the basis of, "Kindly let me help you or you'll drown,” said the monkey, putting the fish safely up a tree
"Kindly let me help you or you'll drown,” said the monkey, putting the fish safely up a tree
"Kindly let em help you or you'll drown," said the monkey, putting the fish safely up a tree
"Kindly let me help you or you'll drown," said the monkey, putting the fish safely up a tree
"Kindly let me help you or you'll drown," said the monkey, putting the fish safely up a tree
"Kindly let me help you or you'll drown," said the monkey, putting the fish...
How does it make any difference to what you do and what you think?
I know all kinds of people who got this higher self going, practicing their yoga
But they're just like ordinary people
Sometimes a little worse
And they can fool themselves
Fool themselves
They can fool themselves
They can say, for example, "Well, my point of view in religion is very liberal.”
“I believe that all religions have divine revelation in them, but I don't understand the way you people will fight about it.”
“You fight and say that we Jehova's Witnesses have the ‘real religion’."
(Real religion)
Others say, "Well, we Roman Catholics have it."
And the Muslims say, "No, it is in the Quran, and this is the right way."
(This is the right way)
(Pre-Chorus)
This is the right way
This is the right way
This is the right way
This is the right way
This is the right way
This is the right way
This is the right way
This is the right way
This is the right way
And somebody else gets up, and he may be a rather highbrow Catholic, and say, "Well, God has given the spirit through all the traditions, but ours is the most refined and mature."
And then, somebody comes along and says, "Well, as I said, they're all equally revelations of the divine."
And in seeing this, of course, I'm much more tolerant than you are
You see how that game is gonna work?
The architect, this position, supposing you regard me as some sort of a guru, and you know how gurus hate each other
Always putting each other down
And I could say, "Well, "I don't put other gurus down."
See, that outwits all of 'em
They were always doing that!
They're always finding a way to be one up, and by the most incredibly subtle means
So you see that, you see?
And you say, "I realize I'm always doing that. Tell me, how do I not do that? "
(How do I not do that?)
(Chorus)
This is the right way
This is the right way
This is the right way
How do I not do that?
This is the right way
How do I not do that?
This is the right way
This is the right way
This is the right way
How do I not do that?
This is the right way
How do I not do that?
Say why do you wanna know?
Well, I'll be better that way
Yeah, but why do you wanna be better?
Why do you wanna be better?
Why do you wanna be better?
You see, the reason you want to be better is the reason why you aren't
We aren't better because we want to be
Because the road to hell is paved with good intentions
Because all the do-gooders in the world, whether they're doing good for others or doing it for themselves, are troublemakers
Troublemakers
On the basis of, "Kindly let me help you or you'll drown,” said the monkey, putting the fish safely up a tree
"Kindly let me help you or you'll drown,” said the monkey, putting the fish safely up a tree
"Kindly let em help you or you'll drown," said the monkey, putting the fish safely up a tree
"Kindly let me help you or you'll drown," said the monkey, putting the fish safely up a tree
"Kindly let me help you or you'll drown," said the monkey, putting the fish safely up a tree
"Kindly let me help you or you'll drown," said the monkey, putting the fish...
So in the same way, we find that the watching self, or the observing self, behind all our thoughts and feelings, is itself a thought
That is to say, when the police enter a house in which there are thieves
The thieves go up from the ground floor, the first floor
When the police arrive on the first floor, the thieves have gone up to the second
And so to the third, and finally, out to the roof
And so when the ego is about to be unmasked, it immediately identifies with the higher self
It goes up a level
Because the religious game is simply a refined and highbrow version of the ordinary game
How can I outwit me? How can I one-up me?
So, if I find, for example, that in the quest for pleasure
The ordinary pleasures of the world, food, sex, power, food, sex, power
All this becomes a drag, and I think, "No, it isn't there."
So I go in for the arts, and literature, poetry, music, and I absorb myself in those pleasures
[Pre-Chorus]
Food, sex, power
I absorb myself in literature, poetry, music
Those pleasures
Food, sex, power
I absorb myself in literature, poetry, music
Food, sex, power
Literature, poetry, music
Food, sex, power
And after a while
They aren't the answer
So I go to psychoanalysis
And then I found out that's not the answer
I go to religion
I'm still seeking what I was seeking when I wanted candy bars
I wanna get that goody
Only, I see now that, of course, not gonna be a material goody
All material goodies fall apart, but maybe there's a spiritual goody that's not gonna fall apart
But in that quest
The quest is not different from the quest for the candy bar
Same old story, only you've refined the candy bar, made it abstract and holy and blessed, and so on
So it is with the higher self, the higher self's your old ego
And you sure hope it is eternal
[Chorus]
Food, sex, power
I absorb myself in literature, poetry, music
Those pleasures
Food, sex, power
I absorb myself in literature, poetry, music
Those pleasures
Food, sex power
I absorb myself in literature, poetry, music
Those pleasures
Food, sex, power
That is to say, when the police enter a house in which there are thieves
The thieves go up from the ground floor, the first floor
When the police arrive on the first floor, the thieves have gone up to the second
And so to the third, and finally, out to the roof
And so when the ego is about to be unmasked, it immediately identifies with the higher self
It goes up a level
Because the religious game is simply a refined and highbrow version of the ordinary game
How can I outwit me? How can I one-up me?
So, if I find, for example, that in the quest for pleasure
The ordinary pleasures of the world, food, sex, power, food, sex, power
All this becomes a drag, and I think, "No, it isn't there."
So I go in for the arts, and literature, poetry, music, and I absorb myself in those pleasures
[Pre-Chorus]
Food, sex, power
I absorb myself in literature, poetry, music
Those pleasures
Food, sex, power
I absorb myself in literature, poetry, music
Food, sex, power
Literature, poetry, music
Food, sex, power
And after a while
They aren't the answer
So I go to psychoanalysis
And then I found out that's not the answer
I go to religion
I'm still seeking what I was seeking when I wanted candy bars
I wanna get that goody
Only, I see now that, of course, not gonna be a material goody
All material goodies fall apart, but maybe there's a spiritual goody that's not gonna fall apart
But in that quest
The quest is not different from the quest for the candy bar
Same old story, only you've refined the candy bar, made it abstract and holy and blessed, and so on
So it is with the higher self, the higher self's your old ego
And you sure hope it is eternal
[Chorus]
Food, sex, power
I absorb myself in literature, poetry, music
Those pleasures
Food, sex, power
I absorb myself in literature, poetry, music
Those pleasures
Food, sex power
I absorb myself in literature, poetry, music
Those pleasures
Food, sex, power
You want grace?
Well, ask God, maybe he'll give it to you
And the theologian will tell you, "Yes, God, gives his grace freely. He gives it to all because he loves all. It's here, like the air. All you have to do is receive it."
Or a more orthodox, a Catholic Christian would say, "All you have to do is to be baptized, to take the holy sacrament of the altar, the bread and wine, the body and blood of Christ, and there is the grace right there
And it's given by these simple physical means so that it's very easily and readily available
Well, a lot of people got baptized
And it doesn't always take
People fall from grace
Why do they?
You see, we're just talking about the same old problem, but we've put it a step up
But it's the same problem
How can I improve myself?
Was the first problem
The second problem is
[Chorus]
You want grace? I want grace, we want grace, hey
You want grace? I want grace, we want grace, hey
You want grace? I want grace, we want grace, hey
You want grace? I want grace, we want grace, hey
How can I accept grace? They're both the same problem
Because you've got to make a move
Which will put yourself out of your own control
Into the control of a better
If you don't believe in the Christian kind of a God, you can believe in the Hindu kind of a God
Who is your inner self
You see, you've got a lower self, which you can call your ego
That's that little scoundrelous fellow, who's always out for me
But behind the ego, there is the Atman, the inner self
The inward light, as Quakers would call it, the real self, the spirit
Which is substantially identical with God
So, you've got to meditate in such a way that you identify with your higher self
How do you do that?
Well, you start by watching all your thoughts, very carefully, watching your feelings, watching your emotions, so that you begin to build up a sense of separation
Between the watcher and what is watched
[Chorus]
You want grace? I want grace, we want grace, hey
You want grace? I want grace, we want grace, hey
You want grace? I want grace, we want grace, hey
You want grace? I want grace, we want grace, hey
So that you are, as it were, no longer carried away by your own stream of conscious
You remain the witness, impassively, impartially
Suspending judgment, and watching it all go on
That seems to be something like progress
At least you're taking an objective view of what is going on
Of what is going on
You're beginning to be in a position to control it, but just wait a minute!
Who is this self behind the self, the watching self?
Can you watch that one?
It's interesting if you do, because you find out, of course, that this is, just as the problem of grace
It is nothing more than a transposition of the first problem
How am I to be unselfish by my own power?
It becomes how am I to get grace by my own power?
Well, ask God, maybe he'll give it to you
And the theologian will tell you, "Yes, God, gives his grace freely. He gives it to all because he loves all. It's here, like the air. All you have to do is receive it."
Or a more orthodox, a Catholic Christian would say, "All you have to do is to be baptized, to take the holy sacrament of the altar, the bread and wine, the body and blood of Christ, and there is the grace right there
And it's given by these simple physical means so that it's very easily and readily available
Well, a lot of people got baptized
And it doesn't always take
People fall from grace
Why do they?
You see, we're just talking about the same old problem, but we've put it a step up
But it's the same problem
How can I improve myself?
Was the first problem
The second problem is
[Chorus]
You want grace? I want grace, we want grace, hey
You want grace? I want grace, we want grace, hey
You want grace? I want grace, we want grace, hey
You want grace? I want grace, we want grace, hey
How can I accept grace? They're both the same problem
Because you've got to make a move
Which will put yourself out of your own control
Into the control of a better
If you don't believe in the Christian kind of a God, you can believe in the Hindu kind of a God
Who is your inner self
You see, you've got a lower self, which you can call your ego
That's that little scoundrelous fellow, who's always out for me
But behind the ego, there is the Atman, the inner self
The inward light, as Quakers would call it, the real self, the spirit
Which is substantially identical with God
So, you've got to meditate in such a way that you identify with your higher self
How do you do that?
Well, you start by watching all your thoughts, very carefully, watching your feelings, watching your emotions, so that you begin to build up a sense of separation
Between the watcher and what is watched
[Chorus]
You want grace? I want grace, we want grace, hey
You want grace? I want grace, we want grace, hey
You want grace? I want grace, we want grace, hey
You want grace? I want grace, we want grace, hey
So that you are, as it were, no longer carried away by your own stream of conscious
You remain the witness, impassively, impartially
Suspending judgment, and watching it all go on
That seems to be something like progress
At least you're taking an objective view of what is going on
Of what is going on
You're beginning to be in a position to control it, but just wait a minute!
Who is this self behind the self, the watching self?
Can you watch that one?
It's interesting if you do, because you find out, of course, that this is, just as the problem of grace
It is nothing more than a transposition of the first problem
How am I to be unselfish by my own power?
It becomes how am I to get grace by my own power?
[Chorus]
It's me that's wrong
It's me that's wrong
I would like to improve
I would like to improve
It's me that's wrong
It's me that's wrong
I would like to improve
I would like to improve
And if only I could be the right person
Is this man going to tell me something that will help me to change myself
So that I will be a more creative and cooperative member – of the human race?
I would like to improve
[Chorus]
It's me that's wrong
It's me that's wrong
I would like to improve
I would like to improve
It's me that's wrong
It's me that's wrong
I would like to improve
I would like to improve
So in so many people's minds, and from so many different angles, there is this urgent feeling that I must improve me
And this is critically important
Because it's obvious, at least, it's superficially obvious
That the way things are, we are going to hell fast
Now, in this question
Can I improve me, there is the obvious difficulty
That if I am in need of improvement, the person who's going to do the improving is the one who needs to be improved
There, immediately, we have a vicious circle
[Chorus]
It's me that's wrong
It's me that's wrong
I would like to improve
I would like to improve
It's me that's wrong
It's me that's wrong
I would like to improve
I would like to improve
[Chorus]
It's me that's wrong
It's me that's wrong
I would like to improve
I would like to improve
It's me that's wrong
It's me that's wrong
I would like to improve
I would like to improve
It's me that's wrong
It's me that's wrong
I would like to improve
I would like to improve
It's me that's wrong
It's me that's wrong
I would like to improve
I would like to improve
And if only I could be the right person
Is this man going to tell me something that will help me to change myself
So that I will be a more creative and cooperative member – of the human race?
I would like to improve
[Chorus]
It's me that's wrong
It's me that's wrong
I would like to improve
I would like to improve
It's me that's wrong
It's me that's wrong
I would like to improve
I would like to improve
So in so many people's minds, and from so many different angles, there is this urgent feeling that I must improve me
And this is critically important
Because it's obvious, at least, it's superficially obvious
That the way things are, we are going to hell fast
Now, in this question
Can I improve me, there is the obvious difficulty
That if I am in need of improvement, the person who's going to do the improving is the one who needs to be improved
There, immediately, we have a vicious circle
[Chorus]
It's me that's wrong
It's me that's wrong
I would like to improve
I would like to improve
It's me that's wrong
It's me that's wrong
I would like to improve
I would like to improve
[Chorus]
It's me that's wrong
It's me that's wrong
I would like to improve
I would like to improve
It's me that's wrong
It's me that's wrong
I would like to improve
I would like to improve