‘Ball of Confusion'

Business Recorder

23-06-2025

'Ball of Confusion' is a 1970 hit song by a US band called The Temptations, and is an example of the 'psychedelic soul' style and is also noteworthy for its overtly political themes. This article will endeavor to compare the lyrics with what is happening in Pakistan. It is not a protest but a tilt towards the compulsion of highlighting the ground realities.
The first lyric states, People moving out, people moving in. Why, because of the color of their skin. In Pakistan, there has been a marked increase in the exodus of young talent leaving for better prospects, better quality of life, safety and security, and income commensurate with their experience and academic qualifications. Pakistan is also plagued with illegal migrants under the garb of refugees, entering from, at times, the porous borders.
Afghans came in multitudes after the Taliban took over the country once again from NATO forces and the then Kabul government in 2021. The menace of Afghan refugees is not for the first time. Pakistan was faced with a deluge of refugees even when the original Taliban established their 'Emirates' in 1996.
Moreover, there has always been a continuing inflow of refugees from countries such as Bangladeshis, Tajiks, Uzbeks, Turkmen, Indians, Sri Lankans, Burmese, etc. Hence color of their skin can denote ethnicity, language, and traditions.
The second lyric, states Vote for me and I'll set you free. Election fervour in Pakistan has candidates and their political parties promising the moon, and despite failed promises of the past, the voters, like drones in a beehive, faithfully and consistently brave the elements of nature to flock to the grounds to listen and cheer their leaders and vote for them. They are insensitive when told by those opposing their party that their vote went to naught because most of the promises just vanished in the air.
Political parties present their manifestos, ostensibly written by expert scriptwriters, and pledge that they would conscientiously adhere to the contents of their manifesto and, once elected, there will be deliverance for the masses. Election win, government sworn in, promises renewed, and then the manifesto is relegated to the proverbial dustbin. Citizens are left to the mercy of these parties and despite biting the bullet, they still remain captive of the party.
The next line states, Well, the only person talking about love thy brother is the preacher/And it seems nobody's interested in learning but the teacher.
The pulpit symbolizes the authority and centrality of the religious authority or the Imam of the Masjid. Traditionally, those who sat and orated from the pulpit enlightened the congregation with verses from the Holy Book and the teachings of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and his Companions on various subjects including human values, tolerance, public welfare, and charity for noble causes, etc.
Today, many preachers and leaders of religio-political parties have made a paradigm shift to an alarming and prejudiced agenda. Many of the government schools have teachers who are unfortunately non-qualified and even schools are a mess. What knowledge would they impart to students? Moreover, 23 million children are out of school for different reasons, primarily because their parents cannot afford the fees, because parents make them work instead of studying, and because there are no schools close proximity to their abodes.
The next line highlights Segregation, determination, demonstration, integration, aggravation, humiliation, obligation to our nation. In areas where there is a patriarchal ecosystem, the women are deprived of their rights, including vote franchise, taboos on them working outside their homes, and even from participating at events.
There are a widespread bunch of people, individually or in groups, who are determined to create horrible issues that negatively impact on the national security and territorial integrity of the motherland. Creating mischief requires funds, and external and internal disruptors are always there to provide finances and logistical support to achieve their nefarious objectives. Demonstrations are routine all over the country.
Roadblocks, sit-ins, marches, and protests, for whatever reasons have made lives miserable for the citizens who may or may not support these demonstrations. Saner elements in the country harp in the notion that there should be national integration of ideas, opinions, and goals. Notwithstanding the kinetic nationalist pride displayed during and after the recent clash with the belligerent neighboring country, there is a growing vacuum in consolidating the people under one umbrella.
Pugnacious insolence is more prevalent in many aspects due to the resigned capitulation of many who feel deprived and hence prefer to vent their feelings through various modes of aggravation. Although they may have conceded the fact that they would not gain much, these types of provocation muddle lives everywhere. Humiliation is now a rarity. Pseudo-masochism is the name of the game, whether in business, politics, media, or on the streets.
The apology factor has faded away. I am right, you are wrong, is the catchword. The less acceptance of humiliation sensitivity, the better. It will not change. As patriots, it is incumbent upon citizens to understand and practice prescribed obligation to the country, whether in paying dues or protecting the land or fulfilling the duties as citizens. The motherland has provided a lot despite ordeals, challenges, sufferings, and difficulties.
The hard times faced due to political instabilities, bad governance, denial of justice, pathetic physical infrastructure networks, less availability of means of incomes, dearth of social safety nets for the marginalized citizens, aggression from across the eastern and western fronts, etc, are, of course, overarching components that have put a rusted spanner in the progress, prosperity, as well as quality of life over nearly eight decades. For those who cannot accept all these, the message is love Pakistan or leave Pakistan.
Then the next lines are The sale of pills are at an all-time high/Young folks walking round with their heads in the sky. A very disturbing issue that is eating away the future fabric of Pakistan. Youth are becoming junkies, and pragmatic steps are not being taken to effectively control this growing number. Methamphetamine, commonly known as ICE, has become the rapidly spreading drug in Pakistan, and has overtaken marijuana and heroin as the drug of choice.
At a rehabilitation center in the northwestern city of Charsadda providing treatment for drug addicts, around 85 percent of patients, mostly young people, are ICE addicts. Then there is Ecstasy. The panic among parents is that teenagers, and even pre-teens would succumb to the marketing of drug pushers or elder colleagues and siblings. Resorting to drugs is a form of rebellion, insubordination, and defiance. The pleasure is temporary, but the ramification is tragic. It is a national catastrophe that must be forcefully handled.
Then is the line The cities ablaze in the summertime. The continuous and depressing outcome of Climate Change has affected Pakistan as one among the top five countries that are very vulnerable. The weather becomes hot and unbearable, disrupting mobility, equipment, infrastructure, and even fatalities.
The hot weather timeframe increases year after year. The shortage of water availability in cities and towns further exacerbates the situation making daily life miserable. Industrial production slows down and even footprints in marketplaces trickle down too. Resultantly, shops and plazas stay open till late, and this increases the load on electric supply. Loadshedding is a daily menace. The vicious circle goes on and on.
The final line worth commenting is Politicians say more taxes will solve everything. Wasteful governmental non-development expenditure, wasteful indulgence of resources on white elephant projects, and wasteful outlay on pomp, pageantry, self-promotion, and benefits to elite capture, compound into a situation where the government is in a straitjacket syndrome and thus resorts to expensive loans from domestic banks and external sources, including IMF. There is little recourse to defy the conditionalities of the lenders who are the modern-day Pied Pipers.
The political government meekly obeys the dictates of the major lenders and has no choice but to tighten the noose of tax on the hapless citizens. Previously the mandarins of Ministry of Finance prepared the Federal Budget while today, the gnomes in the back room of IMF have assumed the mantle.
The genuine and sincere taxpayers always face the double-edged sword and keep on getting slaughtered at the altar of tax collecting agencies, while non-taxpayers, such as agriculturists, retailers, or cottage industries, keep on enjoying their 'tax-free' status.
As the song's final lines point out, And the band played on. So, round and around and around we go. Where the world's headed, nobody knows. Just a ball of confusion. The 'band' in the case of Pakistan refers to the nonchalant, arbitrary, and lackadaisical attitude of the people in the corridors of power.
The citizens try to make their way going round and round to get their issues and matters resolved but then mostly it is back to square one. The 'world' for most of them is their own country. For them there is Fear in the air, tension everywhere.
In the song, the repeated usage of the phrase 'and the band played on' signaled that no one was paying proper attention to most of the problems, burdens, and aspirations of the citizens. Who do they call? The song pleads to Great Googa Mooga, can't you hear me talking to you? But even this deity or idol or leader is not doing anything, and this is the Ball of Confusion.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025