Hollystick by KAHNIN presents a very strong message-a reflection of modern society’s susceptibility to be hoodwinked and how technology shaped our idea of reality. The repetitive, yet profound lyrics, are filled with a high dose of skepticism toward authority and those powers that shape public consciousness. “Hollystick,” through the cryptic and symbolic rendering of language, begs one to question the very things they consider as truths and, therefore, is the work of a thinkers’ art.

The refrain that happens to be recurrent in this song is the phrase “Forget what you think”. This refrain shows how this song criticizes the erosion of independent thought. Every time he demands from the listener to forget what they had thought-to dismiss their own thoughts-KAHNIN seems to address how society puts its trust in outside forces even without evidence for these forces’ statements. That is amplified further by the line “Without evidence, we will believe you,” a frightening trend of unthinkingly accepting whatever information one may receive, mirroring the post-truth world where truth is often superseded by opinions and notions.

Metaphors are strewn throughout the song giving it layers. One hears at places this term “Hollystick,” perhaps one thinks of it as the representation of power or authority. It is “waved at us,” as if a rod to keep people in order, subtly nudging them along; yet its description as a “kind whip” suggests a control not all that apparent yet effective. This image makes one think of subtle coercion wherein society has been manipulated in such ways that are not immediately noticed. The repetition of this metaphor intensifies the regular presence of this unseen force in ordinary people’s lives.

Themes of technology are also brought out in the lyrics, as “Television” and the “Internet of things” are mentioned. These lines indicate that modern technology, though ubiquitous, is another tool used to influence public opinion and suppress independent thinking. It is only by adding technology to the phrase “UFO drops down” that it takes on a surrealist feel-perhaps so because truth itself has become alien, elusive, in a world dominated by the media and technology. Again, the imagery of UFO might symbolize sensationalism and misinformation that is all too characteristic of mass media when extraordinary, even fictional, narratives captivate and mislead.

There is a focused game of simplicity and complexity regarding the line, “We box in a ring, we rope a dope, simple folk,” where the act of boxing or fighting in a confined space mirrors the struggle of the people in trying to break free from the kind of figurative ropes of societal manipulation. The term “simple folk” then invokes an imagery of the general public being victimized by these forces, fighting vain battles against an apparatus meant to subdue them. The idea of “skipping stones across the flattest curve we cannot see” is an indication of how one interacts with reality only from the surface level, never really fathoming the depth of what is taking place.

KAHNIN’s “Hollystick” is so striking on the commentary of the interaction that modern society is having with authority, media, and technology. Its metaphorical language and repetitive structure speak to how easily humans can be controlled by things they do not understand or question far more than words alone. A call for the listener to be more critical of the information they consume and the structures that shape their worldview, “Hollystick” is not just a song, but a call to deeper awareness.