Imagine, No “Imagine,” that Dangerous Communist Musical Manifesto! By James Reed

!As part of the intellectual program of fighting back, we need to engage in much required spring cleaning. Let us start with one of the villains from the Left, John Lennon (1940-1980). As far as manhood goes, his mother-dependent relationship with screaming avant-garde "artis" Yoko Ono, says much about manhood among the boomer generation. But the music is the main concern, and here we must focus on his big song, Imagine. This issue has been recently discussed here: https://www.infowars.com/posts/john-lennons-imagine-is-ideology-of-open-borders-ruling-class-krikorian

John Lennon's Imagine, released in 1971, has long been celebrated as an anthem of peace and unity, its gentle melody and soothing vocals enchanting listeners into a vision of a harmonious world. Yet, beneath its saccharine exterior lies a troubling ideological core that aligns closely with communism—a philosophy responsible for immense suffering in the 20th century. Mark Krikorian, as cited in an Infowars piece from March 2025 (as above), argues that the song encapsulates the borderless, nationless utopia cherished by a ruling class detached from the realities of sovereignty and cultural identity. This critique posits that Imagine is not merely a dreamy call for peace but a sugar-coated manifesto that masks the destructive implications of its radical ideas with an alluring tune.

Lennon himself provides the first clue to this interpretation. In interviews, he described Imagine as "virtually the Communist Manifesto," a startling admission that invites scrutiny of its lyrics. The song begins with a plea to imagine no heaven or hell, dismantling religion as a source of meaning and moral order. This echoes Karl Marx's dismissal of religion as the "opium of the people," a tool of oppression to be eradicated in pursuit of a materialist society. By stripping away spiritual frameworks, Lennon sets the stage for a worldview where human existence is reduced to the here and now, a blank slate ripe for ideological reshaping. The sweetness of the melody softens this radical rejection, making it palatable to audiences who might otherwise recoil from such a stark proposition.

The song's most infamous line — "Imagine there's no countries" — further reveals its communist underpinnings. Lennon envisions a world without borders, a dissolution of national identities that aligns with the Marxist goal of a stateless, classless society. Krikorian's critique, as highlighted in the Infowars article, frames this as the ideology of a globalist elite who disdain nationhood and sovereignty. For Lennon, the absence of countries eliminates war and fosters unity, but this ignores the practical realities of human diversity and the protective role borders play in preserving cultural cohesion. Communism, in practice, sought to erase national distinctions, often through force, as seen in the Soviet Union's suppression of ethnic identities or Mao's Cultural Revolution. Lennon's breezy delivery glosses over these harsh truths, presenting the idea as a utopian inevitability rather than a coercive upheaval.

Equally troubling is the call to "imagine no possessions," a direct nod to the abolition of private property central to Marxist doctrine. Lennon asks listeners to envision a world where greed and hunger vanish because no one owns anything—a seductive promise that obscures the historical failures of such experiments. The collectivisation of resources in communist states led not to abundance but to scarcity, famine, and authoritarian control, as evidenced by the millions who perished in Stalin's Ukraine or Mao's Great Leap Forward. Yet, in Imagine, this grim legacy is sugar-coated with a lilting piano and assurances of brotherhood, transforming a policy of dispossession into a feel-good fantasy. Lennon's own life, marked by wealth and luxury—Rolls-Royces and sprawling estates—adds a layer of hypocrisy that undermines the sincerity of his vision.

The song's appeal lies in its vagueness, a deliberate ambiguity that allows it to resonate with a broad audience while concealing its radical edge. Lennon acknowledged this in his "sugarcoated" comment, suggesting that the pleasant packaging was key to its acceptance. Unlike the dense, polemical prose of the Communist Manifesto, Imagine uses simple, repetitive phrasing to lull listeners into agreement. It's a Trojan horse of ideology, slipping past critical defences with its promise of peace. This contrasts sharply with the manifesto's explicit call for class struggle and revolution, yet the endgame remains the same: a world where traditional structures—religion, nations, property—are dismantled to create a supposed paradise. The difference is that Lennon's version feels aspirational rather than confrontational, a velvet glove over an iron fist.

Critics might argue that Imagine is merely a thought experiment, not a policy proposal, and that Lennon's intent was to provoke reflection rather than dictate action. He distanced himself from formal communism, claiming he wasn't part of any movement, which could suggest a more individualistic or artistic motive. However, intent does not erase impact. The song's lyrics align too neatly with communist principles to dismiss the connection, and its cultural staying power—performed at events like the Olympics or Jimmy Carter's funeral—amplifies its influence as a vehicle for those ideas. Krikorian's point about the "ruling class" embracing this vision rings true here: elites who champion open borders and global homogeneity often wield Imagine as a cultural touchstone, ignoring the chaos that follows when nations lose their moorings.

The real danger of Imagine lies in its romanticisation of a world without conflict, achieved by erasing the very institutions that give life structure and meaning. Borders, for all their flaws, define communities and protect against tyranny; property, however unequal, drives innovation and personal freedom; religion, despite its excesses, offers solace and ethical grounding. Lennon's utopia assumes humanity can transcend these without consequence, a naive optimism that history contradicts. Communism's track record—tens of millions dead, economies ruined, dissent crushed—stands as a stark rebuttal to the song's premise. By wrapping this ideology in a melodic embrace, Lennon shields it from the scrutiny it deserves, making Imagine less a hymn of hope and more a siren song of delusion.

In the end, Imagine is a masterstroke of propaganda, its beauty masking a vision that collapses under examination. Krikorian's critique exposes it as the anthem of a disconnected elite, enamoured with a borderless fantasy that disregards human nature and historical lessons. Lennon's sugar-coating may make the pill easier to swallow, but it doesn't change the bitter reality of what's inside. To sing along is to flirt with a dream that, in practice, becomes a nightmare—a truth the song's soothing strains can never quite obscure.