Dolly Parton’s 9 to 5 Thesis
As juxtaposed to Martin Luther’s 95 Thesis
(Or in this case- 40 Thesis combined)
Martin Luther challenged corruption of the Catholic Church in the 15oo’s. Dolly Parton honestly writes about day to day struggles within corruption in the workplace in the 1980’s.
Church controlled education in the 16th century in order to remain in power. Religious and political philosophies got blurred and maligned.
Corporations control education in the 20th to 21st Centuries in order to remain in power. Economic and political philosophies get blurred and maligned. Let’s take a look at the lyrics:
Tumble outta bed and stumble to the kitchen
~blurry and in a hurry
Pour yourself a cup of ambition
~consume caffeine copiously
Yawn and stretch and try to come to life
~how sad to have to try to ‘come to life’
Jump in the shower and the blood starts pumping
~how sad indeed, hurried lovely shower for work
Out on the street, the traffic starts jumping
~road rage
With folks like us on the job from 9 to 5
~most of us working ‘stiffs’
Working 9 to 5, what a way to make a living
~mindless jobs dubbed “a living”
Barely getting by, it's all takin’ and no givin’
~income and wealth inequities
They just use our minds, and they never give us credit
~mine the minds of minors
It’s enough to drive us crazy and we let it
~literally, but what choice do we have?
9 to 5, for service and devotion
~as long as you play the game
You would think that we would deserve a fat promotion
~algorithms of oppression won’t allow
Want to move ahead
~to an inherited position nearly impossible to achieve
But the boss won’t seem to let us
~why would they?
I Swear sometimes that they’re all out to get us
~to remain in power
They let us dream
~false illusions
Just to watch ‘em shatter
~bummer, eh
We’re just a step on the boss-man’s ladder
~data analysis
But we’ve got dreams they might just take away
~who's dreams? Yours or those false illusions?
We’re in the same boat with a lot of our friends
~fighting each other instead of institutions
Waitin’ for the day our ship will come in
~TGIF
N’ the tides’ going to turn and it’s all going to roll us away
As if, but keep dreaming?
9 to 5
~24-7
They got you where they want you
~Live, buy, consume, die
There’s a better life
~Of course there is- but what kind of “life”?
And you think about it don’t you
~Yes, Dolly, I do
It’s a rich man’s game
~Duh
No matter what they call it
~”executive financiers”
And we spend our lives putting money in their wallet
~Exactly! Preach Dolly!
Working 9 to 5
~for 95% of the population that continues to play along
Martin Luther examples- very loosely translated into ‘Modern Times’
#1- “Repent.” Don’t just stumble, make a commitment to personal change and live a more responsible life.
#3- Luther argues that the sale of indulgences and the trust in indulgences for salvation condemns both those who teach such notions and those who trust in them. (The selling of education trusting it will bring richness and happiness- is condemnable to those enforcing and supporting this system. We are all culpable)
#27 They preach human folly who pretend that as soon as money in the coffer rings a soul from purgatory springs. (Money for education- but is it a ‘good’ education?)
#32 Those who suppose that on account of their letters of indulgence they are sure of salvation will be eternally damned along with their teachers. (Those who rely on a false degree for money will be “damned”= misery, debt, unhappiness, sick.)
#36 Anyone should be able to get “salvation”. (Everyone should be able to pursue an honest education-regardless of finances).
#37- Money given to the church (or universities) would be better spent on the poor (or at least not going into mass debt).
# 62- Individuals receive salvation alone- that is the true gospel, not a piece of paper from even the highest human authority. (A piece of paper does not make someone educated. Self-enlightenment and true pursuit of the truth allows this alone.)
#78- “Preaching a false hope is really no hope at all. As a matter of fact, a false hope destroys and kills because it moves people away from (Truth), where true salvation is found.” Preach.
#92- Enough with “teaching peace” when there is no peace. (Enough with the shooting- lockdown drills and get to the root-truth like violence in schools)
#95- be confident- that through there will be many tribulations- that is better than through the false security of peace. (Pursue an honest education that aims toward self-actualization instead of pretending, even if it is challenging.)
Note: Martin Luther was an anti-semite. I know this, and if I were to abstain from ideas due to lack of character, I would have no material at all. So indulge me. His fight against the church is the focus here. He was disturbed about the church teaching doctrines that went against the Philosophies of the Church in 1517. He was tormented by this and fought anyway.
I compare the sale of indulgences (buying your way into ‘heaven’) to the school system of- buying our education. How much real learning goes into the day to day? I’m suggesting we are buying a pice of paper. We are not truly allowing individuals to thrive through real learning. Real learning is the idea that what you learn will directly benefit the learner, not the business model’s off-shore bank accounts.
Fast forward to Dolly Parton’s 9 to 5 song and movie. (Dolly you beautiful songstress and teacher!) In the movie, the secretaries tie up bureaucracy, make flexible schedules so workers can have a better, more sustainable life, help with child care, put money toward addiction counseling, and offered part time work for those who wanted a choice; and production went up because the workers were more fulfilled with their lives.
In 1980 Dolly gave us this song. For the next three decades, however, business models- BM’s- have fought to keep this fantasy scenario from happening. Schools are designed to support the 9 to 5 grind. Cells and bells.