Robert A. Heinlein’s The Moon is a Harsh Mistress and Eminem’s “Mosh”

Robert Heinlein's The Moon is a Harsh Mistress is often noted as one of the greatest works of science fiction in modern history, winning the Hugo Award a year after its publication. It focuses on a revolt against Lunar Authority in a future civilization, and the politically orientated themes of revolution run throughout the novel. Heinlein explains the technicalities of a revolution, describing it through his characters as a formula that needs only the right elements for success. The difficulty though, is in creating the perfect environment, as there are many smaller details that play a crucial role. One aspect that he touches upon is the use of music to build public sentiment, a tactic that has been used repeatedly throughout history. With the recent presidential election, pop culture has taken a radical turn, churning out politically charged songs from nearly every genre. Relying on the firm hold that the media has on the general population, music has the ability to push ideas into the minds of many, especially those that are politically apathetic like those on the Luna in Heinleins world.

The moon of the future is originally founded and settled as a penal society. As time passes though, Luna grows into its own community and the Lunar Authority, the Warden, grows increasingly oppressive. Citizens of the moon, Loonies, naturally hate the Warden and the desire for freedom is a restless thought in the minds of everyone. The true revolution begins though when the main character, Manuel Garcia O'Kelly Davis, Mannie, discovers a new sentient being, a computer known as Mycroft Holmes, Mike. With the help of Mike, Mannie, Professor Bernardo de la Paz, and Wyoming Knott piece together a plausible plan for revolt. As time passes though, they run into the inevitability of political apathy in the general population. The people of Luna care more for beer, betting, women, and work than the revolution, and the comrades strive to stir them into action with different tactics, including music.

Music is a subtle method to push the public towards action and out of their state of indifference. Mike rewrites lyrics of songs that had much political significance in the past, such as "Merseillaise," "Internationale," "Yankee Doodle," "We Shall Overcome," and "Pie in the Sky." After spreading these, they push those that have potential success by radio and video. Thus, even though the Warden forbids them to play certain tunes, the songs have already infiltrated the minds and memories of the Loonies. A specific melody is linked to its lyrics, and the repetition of such is an indirect way to push the revolutionary spirit towards the population. Similarly, modern artists are using their influence to push their own political agenda onto their often expansive fan bases. Even those that were previously a part of the apathetic population have been suddenly galvanized by recent political actions, specifically, Eminem.

Touted as the anti-political bad boy of American pop culture, Eminem has never supported either conservatives or liberals, seeming to prefer his own method of ridiculing everyone. Yet, his most recent music video, "Mosh," which leaked onto the internet six days before the election, is a rage filled indictment of the Bush administration. Produced, directed and edited by Ian Inaba of the Guerilla News Network, the video is entirely animated, portraying a jaded American public. It opens with a classroom blindly reciting the Pledge of Allegiance as the planes go flying into the twin towers. This is only the beginning of a litany of disturbing images that manage to make the five minute song seem longer. It moves on to Eminem staring at a wall plastered with headlines, a few reading "Sick Wounded Troops Held in Squalor," "Civil Liberties at Stake," and "Bush Knew." From there it progresses to more personal scenes, depicting the Bush administration's supposed ruin of American lives. There is a black rapper being racially profiled by the police, a soldier forced back to Iraq, and a young mother who is evicted while Bush speaks of tax cuts in the background. It culminates in a march on the white house, led by, not surprisingly, Eminem.

Though Eminem's accusations against the Bush administration are far from sophisticated, his song achieves its purpose in that its message is inescapable. With a slower and more ominous beat than the fast paced rhymes the lyricist is known for, "Mosh" ensures that every word of his harsh criticism is heard. Lines such as "Let the President answer on high anarchy/ Strap him with AK-47, let him go/ Fight his own war, let him impress daddy that way/ No more blood for oil" are thick with rage, and perfect for the repetition necessary to incite action. The artist even calls for everyone to raise up and follow him, saying "They tell us no we say yea, they tell us stop we say go/Rebel with a rebel yell, raise hell we gonna let 'em know/ Stomp, push up, mosh, f- Bush, until they bring our troops home, come on just/ Come along, follow me as I lead through the darkness." "Mosh" is a song that is not easily forgettable, and its radical and emotionally charged themes combined with Eminem's notoriety and popularity give it potential to impact a significant number.

Beyond the actual song though, the most important factor in revolutionary music is to ensure that the song is well known to the public. In Heinlein's Luna, they focus more on distribution of their political music over its actual creation. The battle against the habit of Loonies to forget revolution is fought with the pushing of strong emotions through tactics like the songs. This is why, despite the potential, Eminem's "Mosh" made little impact on the outcome of the election. Released merely six days before it on the internet, it made its television debut on election day. Success of a political song is dependent on exposure to the public. The longer the exposure, the more time a song has to ferment in the minds of the people and eventually begin to influence their emotions. Eminem's timing was off, and according to Heinlein's revolutionary formula, every small detail must be worked to perfection in order to obtain victory.