Hey all,
I was just sitting here listening to Dire Straits’ song “Industrial Disease” and I starting thinking…
What is Industrial Disease?
I did searches and found many legal sites going on about, what seemed to be, benefits that one can receive from having it, but nothing really defining what ID is.
Can any one shed some light on this for me?
Thanks.
Ennui, estrangement from nostalgic notions of pre-industrial community bonds… that sort of thing.
I don’t think that the Industrial Disease was supposed to be something specific. It could have been caused by the accidental release of toxic chemical, radiation, biological agents, etc. (or perhaps it was a metaphor). My take on the song is that it is humorous spoof both on the modern threat of industrial plants causing widespread health disasters, and the protests and political machinations that these fears produce.
[nit] The actual line is “How come Jesus gets industrial disease?”[/nit]
The classic industrial disease is anomie defined by an old sociology mnemonic I made up.
Durkheim saying- Poor me I’m so silly
Powerlessness
Meaninglessness
Isolation
Self Estrangement
“Now look at them yo-yo’s, that’s the way you do it
You play the guitar on that MTV
That ain’t workin’, that’s the way you do it
Money for nothin’ and your chicks for free
Now that ain’t workin’, that’s the way you do it
Lemme tell ya, them guys ain’t dumb
Maybe get a blister on your little finger
Maybe get a blister on your thumb”