Honing in on the thought-provoking take and paradox within John Lennon’s words in his album “Imagine.” is very revealing. The message isn’t just a dreamy utopia — it’s a radical diagnosis of the problem.
To unpack his point:
“It is exact information that perpetuates our constant [conflict] in the first place.”
Yes — Lennon is pointing to the mental constructs we all accept as real:
- Nations
- Religions
- Possessions
But these aren’t tangible laws of nature. They are ideas — “information” we have all collectively agreed to believe in. And yet, it is these very ideas that are used to divide us.
When Lennon sings:
“Imagine there’s no countries… nothing to kill or die for… no religion too…”
He’s not asking us to destroy borders or ban faith. He’s asking us to imagine what lies beneath — to go beyond our inherited beliefs and begin to rewire our consciousness. Because if we continue to cling to those divisions as truth, the result only to clear for all to see is perpetually fuel conflict, inequality, and fear.
So yes — in essence, Lennon’s message is clear:
The stories we believe are the very source of our suffering.
Change the story, and we change everything.