What's the intention of "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love And Understanding"?

[solost]

@EinsteinsHund

Just reading the lyrics, you have to assume that it’s a straightforward plea for typical ideals the hippies held, but you can’t be sure with people like Nick Lowe and Elvis Costello… it’s hard to name two songwriters more cynical and sarcastic than Nick Lowe and Elvis Costello, EC was THE angry young man of new wave.

Another vote for ‘straightforward plea, to be taken at face value’. No matter how cynical and angry you are, you can’t be cynical and angry about everything. There have to be some values you uphold unironically, unless you’re just a jerk masquerading as a hip, cynical angry musician.