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My Gen X Playlist: Hand in My Pocket – Alanis Morisette

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I test drove a Tesla. I know, I know. What the hell was I thinking. It’s that guy’s company and we don’t want to do anything to his benefit. But after looking at all the EV models, Tesla’s battery has the longest range and the price point is the best after the federal tax credit. My wife cringed when we got in the car, but even she had to admit it was a nice drive.

I called my brother who bought one over a year ago. Two comments. Hate the guy. Love the car. And I was in a dilemma. What to do?

My sensibilities returned. It was a minor lapse in judgment. Instead of jumping from gas to EV, we are going to baby step it and get a hybrid. That way we still save at the pump and can drive without the guilt of lining that asshole’s pockets.

After that last line, I started thinking about pocket songs. Of course Alanis Morisette’s Hand in My Pocket came to mind. I think I’ve mentioned before, I didn’t have an appreciation for Morisette’s music until recently. It’s interesting how this song came about.

Morissette wrote this with Glen Ballard, who produced the album. In a Spotify session, she told the story: “I was scribbling all these dichotomies and dualisms. Human beings are all things. At any given moment, if you said, ‘What are you feeling right now?’ I’d probably be feeling 16 different things – it’s rare that I feel one emotion at any given time. So I thought, 

I’m just going to chronicle in this moment right here while Glen’s out of the room.

When Glen came back in the room, I showed him the piece of paper and he started playing while I sang the lyrics. We wrote that song in about 15 minutes.”

Songfacts

I agree with Morisette’s assessment of feeling or being many things at any given moment. We are all complicated beings. I can be both polar opposites in the same moment, at the same time. Makes no sense to me, but that doesn’t make it any less true. As for my Tesla test drive? That was the practical side of me looking only at the facts, almost letting it cloud my conscience. I love Tesla for its technology, and hate Tesla for the man. The final result? Instead of Morisette’s one hand in her pocket, I’ve got two hands in mine walking away. Sorry, Elon. Kiss my ass.

–

For a complete playlist, please click here.

For the Spotify playlist, please click here.

I'm broke but I'm happy, I'm poor but I'm kind
I'm short but I'm healthy, yeah
I'm high but I'm grounded, I'm sane but I'm overwhelmed
I'm lost but I'm hopeful, baby
And what it all comes down to
Is that everything's gonna be fine, fine, fine
'Cause I've got one hand in my pocket
And the other one is giving a high five

I feel drunk but I'm sober, I'm young and I'm underpaid
I'm tired but I'm working, yeah
I care but I'm restless, I'm here but I'm really gone
I'm wrong and I'm sorry baby

And what it all comes down to
Is that everything's gonna to be quite alright
'Cause I've got one hand in my pocket
And the other one is flicking a cigarette

And what it all comes down to
Is that I haven't got it all figured out just yet
'Cause I've got one hand in my pocket
And the other one is giving a peace sign

I'm free but I'm focused, I'm green but I'm wise
I'm hard but I'm friendly, baby
I'm sad but I'm laughing, I'm brave but I'm chicken shit
I'm sick but I'm pretty baby

And what it all boils down to
Is that no one's really got it figured out just yet
But I've got one hand in my pocket
And the other one is playing the piano

And what it all comes down to, my friends, yeah
Is that everything is just fine, fine, fine
'Cause I've got one hand in my pocket
And the other one is hailing a taxi cab

23 thoughts on “My Gen X Playlist: Hand in My Pocket – Alanis Morisette”

  3. It’s too bad Elon Musk tanked his very good electric cars by being a such a colossal douche! The charging stations around here are starting to get vandalized. I so glad we bought an Audi plugin instead of a Tesla back in 2016.

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  9. Great example of daily ethical battles!

    Elon is such a lesson for me about how susceptible humans are, to all kinds of things. He to his ego. Who can resist unbridled power? Anyone? Could I?

    I remember having talks with my son about how great it was someone was coming in and doing something tangible to change the climate conversation, creating a vision, even if I thought some of this ideas (bizarre space car) were tacky and should be slowed down before our skyways looked like highways. I had concerns, but back then I was so pro tech to save the world.

    So I mainly feel sad about the loss of that idealism. I try not to judge people who have Teslas, but in these parts, many who do are making some kind of political statement about the kind of world they want to live in… one in which those who have more can be bullies and thieves, do as they please, unconfined by what they impose on others. Sorry, rant.

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    1. I used to think he was the Thomas Edison of our time. Things just seemed to go south over the years. I agree… ego, power and hubris. That is a terrible recipe for anyone.

      No worries about the rant. You gotta let it out.

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      1. Terrible recipe for a role model for the generation coming up now. I try not to give too much of my energy to pointing out the obvious, but maybe there’s value to stopping once in a while to affirm a pretty much total opposite way of being.

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  10. Great post. I’m glad you ditched the Tesla! Elon definitely disappointed me. I used to be a big fan of his technological innovations.

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