Second Nature

I recently returned to one of my current favorite apocalyptic films, “Don’t Look Up.” If you haven’t yet seen this blockbuster, please do so as soon as humanly possible. The movie itself, released in 2021, is about the costs of ignoring the impending climate crisis.

However, if you rewatch it through the lens of our current political conundrum, it takes on a completely different meaning altogether. And it basically foretells the gravity of the situation we are currently in, where Americans cannot seem to agree on anything: even simple factual information. There is a disgusting propaganda spin that currently imprisons the minds of seemingly a good 30% of the country. This is terrifying. But it is what it is. 

Anyway, back to the film. For the closing credits, we see an earth literally blown to pieces from a direct hit by a “planet killer” comet which ushers in an extinction level event, thus ending humanity. Except of course for all the rich bankers, oil tycoons, tech executives, and lobbyists who have purchased a seat on a rocket ship tasked with saving the “best” of humanity. Yeah right. Interesting that no musicians, artists, choreographers, writers, or academicians are included — it’s literally just the obscenely wealthy high tailing it out of the destruction that they, themselves, are responsible for. 

During these credits, we hear an incredibly powerful song with lush instrumentation and sound effects, co-authored by notable musician Justin Vernon of the band Bon Iver. I had always loved hearing this song while watching the closing portion of the movie, but this week I decided to dig into the actual lyrics. 

Apart from loving this music, and finding some personal meaning in the lyrics themselves, I’m honestly at a loss, and I’m curious to hear what others think. After listening to this song literally dozens of times, I genuinely cannot decide if these lyrics are nonsensical and seemed rushed — akin to someone finding out they forgot their school assignment and had to throw something together last minute in order to avoid a failing grade — or if it’s possibly one of the greatest social commentary songs ever composed. 

Some of the lyrics that particularly stand out to me: 

“Is this our first? Or second nature? When’s that rapture? Will there be merch?” 

“What mine eyes have seen can really take the purse.” 

“Is this our fault? And are we just too damn used to it . . . the cipher too elusive . . . that tale, it just won’t stop.”   

“All may not be just fine! There is another fate, a way to not be too late: unobfuscate.”

I’m personally finding intense multiple layers of meaning with the entirety of the text, but those are some of my favorites — as obfuscating as they may be LOL. 

I ask anyone reading to check out the official video, and follow closely along with the lyrics. What do you think? What do they mean to you? And is this late night last minute gibberish, or poetic genius? Incredibly curious to hear what any of you have to say! 

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