Why is the Revolution not Televised?

When a fire starts, humans rarely see it, smell it, or feel it while it’s starting. By the time the flames are recognized, there’s already smoke and damage (where there’s smoke, there’s a fire). Animals, on the other hand, can feel it before they see it; their awareness of the change in the environment and smell of the air ignites the instinctual response to move away from danger as fast as possible. No one is above the destruction of fire; there’s no hand holding, guiding through the scorching heat. Regardless of the hierarchy or structure, the fear of fire forces avoidance of the flames.

Is it possible to avoid the flames?

Fire is associated with passion, the color red, and drive. On the chakra chart, it’s ruled by the solar plexus- the sex drive. Fire is destructive but sometimes necessary, to clear out the old and broken structures makes fresh space for new life. When the weather is favorable, a natural fire occurs due to dead leaves, trees, and other vegetation. Following the occurrence, the burnt lands nourish and replenish the area for wildlife of all kinds. Fire’s fierce drive to change all that’s in its path is the purpose of fire. Figuratively, fire is the passion inside-

Rick James put it best with Fire & Desire featuring Teena Marie. “It was pain before pleasure”, is the fire taking place when a revolution happens inside. No one sees this fire/revolution but the person it’s happening to can eventually feel and see the change.

Revolution is not televised because the internal drive can’t be seen. The drive for change, making life for all people possible. Gil Scott-Heron was ahead of his time; he understood that there’s no hiding from revolution: people will not allow backward thinking to keep systems benefiting one group of people.

You will not be able to stay home, brotherYou will not be able to plug in, turn on and cop outYou will not be able to lose yourself on skagAnd skip out for beer during commercials, becauseThe revolution will not be televised

Psychology contributes this to internalization- in psychoanalytic theory, the process of incorporating an object relationship inside the psyche, which reproduces the external relationship as an intrapsychic phenomenon.

Some of the population is experiencing introjection- process in which an individual unconsciously incorporates aspects of external reality into the self, particularly the attitudes, values, and qualities of another person or a part of another person’s personality. Introjection may occur, for example, in the mourning process for a loved one.

Both of these theories naturally occur; the question is, what about the unnatural effect of each theory? Americans have been internalizing behavior from the government for years. The population of Americans has sat by and watched each benefit be stripped and replaced with a less beneficial alternative. By 2026, the internalizing ended, igniting revolutionary change within.

This revolutionary change is connected to empathy. Seeing another fellow human being hurt touches anyone who’s not narcissistic or sociopathic. It’s like when an animal mourns when one of the tribe dies; it’s a collective connection no one can ignore when people are in pain. Pain can’t and shouldn’t be ignored when it signals distress and needs to be fixed. The consequences of unrealized trauma perpetuate a cycle of pain. Ignoring the revolution is self-sabotage towards the natural evolution of society.

The revolution will not be televised

The revolution will not be brought to you By Xerox in four parts without commercial interruptions The revolution will not show you pictures of Nixon blowing a bugle And leading a charge by John Mitchell, General Abrams, and Spiro Agnew To eat hog maws confiscated from a Harlem sanctuary The revolution will not be televised

A human’s flame is like a moth to a light. The attraction is inevitable; it keeps people going.

The year of the fire horse has started blazing trails, already setting a blaze before the blood moon. Creatively, people have felt the push to create, creating to protest, creating to make better systems, better outcomes, and a mirror into our realities as a collective.

What makes revolution sustainable?

There is a Japanese philosophy called Osoji- 一掃百福 (Issou Hyakufuku), which means “a clean sweep brings a hundred blessings.” Cleaning in life is letting go of ideas, perspectives, perception, feelings, and or logic, permitting the fire inside to continually grow. Teddy Pendergrass said this in Love T.K.O. Let go is natural; it’s like pruning a tree to allow for new growth. Humanity also has to prune the behaviors, perspectives, and beliefs allowing for self-development and societal growth.

Mr.Gil Scott-Heron was right, the revolution will not be televised, what we see on T.v and social media is the after effects of the revolution taking place or lack of. This song is raw emotions caged in a musical format. There’s no containing creativity when the emotional passion burns. Let it burn as Jazmine Sullivan expressed in her Junior Album Reality Show.

You feel that fire, just let it burnThere’s no runnin’ when it’s your turn(Call me crazy but I think I found the love of my life)Just let it burnLet it, let it burnJust let it burnLet it, let it burn(Call me crazy but I think I found the love of my life)

It’s love- that flame that burns bright, the driving force behind anything: love of self, love of life, and love for the world. That's why no one can avoid the flame because it’s pure love, the love everyone deserves, no matter sex, religious connection, color, gender, or socioeconomic differences.