(25) Blowing in the Wind

How many roads must a man walk down before you call him a man.

How many seas must a white dove sail before she sleeps in the sand.

How many times must the cannon balls fly before they are forever banned.

The answer my friend is blowing in the wind they answer is blowing in the wind.

How many years can a mountain exist before it is washed to the sea.

How many years can some people exist before they are allowed to be free.

How many times can a man turn his head and pretend that he just doesn't see.

They answer my friend is blowing in the wind they answer is blowing in the wind.

How many times can a man look up before he sees the sky.

How many ears must one man have before he can hear people cry.

How many deaths does it take till he knows that too many people have died?

The answer my friend is blowing in the wind they answer is blowing in the wind.

Bob Dylan swore that this was not a protest song. If it was not a protest song then what was it then? A cry for help then or just a song about how bad the times have gotten. Either way it seems the words are a reminder that there are good men out here, but that often they get caught up (and used) in the politics of men and ideologies that are also used as a method and tool to get themselves to higher places. Often neglecting the worth of a person as they make war with them constantly breaking them down, causing them undue pain, which in the past has been genocide in the form of radiation or acid (ethnic) cleansing. this the cannon balls flying loke a war of values, and the mountains being washed to the sea. It is painful to be the recipient of such cruelty when your dreams are no different than anyone else's and your goals, and you want to succeed, you know you have just one short stint of time here on earth, yet someone in a higher place of power has ambitions just as well yet cannot refrain from extensive cruelty and brutality in a bloodthirsty striving for power at all costs even steam rolling over and killing innocent people since they know that they can get away with it. Confidence and how power is caustic since no one will challenge them in fear of retribution towards them even as well.

Then the song portrays these things in how many ears must one man have, maybe due to it happening in so many different ways prejudice may not have boundaries when the derivative is hate. How is it that so many even turn their heads towards endless cruelty, which they may have such the place to prevent further dying. This being looking up but blind to the beauty of the sky is similar to turning their heads and letting good people die.

Eventually human being and dignity does arise through reciprocity, as greed and hatred subside trouble is it often never happens until we have already lost too many lives.