Tool and A Perfect Circle frontman Maynard James Keenan recently spoke with azcentral.com about the state of the world, sharing his perspective on education, religious fundamentalism, and cultural division. The conversation coincided with the release of his latest project, Puscifer’s album ‘Normal Isn’t’, which debuted last month and offers pointed commentary on societal and cultural issues.
Reflecting on how society arrived at its current state, Keenan pointed to the erosion of the education system:
“Historically, and of course, the whole point of education is for you to understand historically what that means… in the ’80s, ’90s the education system was undermined… you weren’t allowed to fail kids. That lowers the education bar… regimes start by keeping people dumb, then they can tell them whatever they want. They don’t have the tools to think critically.”
Asked whether there’s a way back to stability, he explained that societal breaking points are inevitable:
“Historically, when you have people that are choosing violent oppressions, it doesn’t last. It lasts long enough to hurt and do damage… I’m hoping it’s soon, but I don’t know, man. It’s gonna get darker before it gets better.”
Keenan also addressed the rising influence of religious fundamentalism among younger generations, emphasizing the importance of separating church and state:
“The government should not be an emotional being. It should be a mechanism. No faith involved. That’s why separating church and state is important to me.”
Throughout the discussion, Keenan condemned extremism across all sides, reiterating comments he made last month on the ‘Kyle Meredith With…’ podcast:
“I’m always going to be on the side of fck fundamentalist extremists in any way. Left, right, center… fundamentalist extremists can go [fcking] suck a bag of dicks. And you can quote me on that.”
He also criticized the divisive power of social media, algorithms, and online bots, highlighting how minor conflicts are exaggerated and manipulated:
“…there are entire bots and chat rooms… driving wedges between us online… Litter boxes in classrooms. F*ck off. Pronouns are important, but I don’t think it’s a die on this hill fight… algorithms and bots have been feeding division for 10, 15 years.”
On why ‘Normal Isn’t’ takes aim at contemporary issues, Keenan said:
“It just grabbed me… something comes up and it changes the direction, especially nowadays. It’s an endless barrage of madness and inhumane behavior toward each other.”
With his trademark blend of insight, wit, and blunt candor, Keenan paints a picture of a world at a crossroads, urging reflection while warning that progress often follows upheaval.
If you’re rocking with The Mosh Network, hit the link and add us as a Preferred Source on Google. That’s the easiest way to keep our latest metal, hardcore, and alternative news, tours, and releases showing up directly in your feed.
1 Comment
Read more:
https://springgreen-caribou-353428.hostingersite.com/maynard-james-keenan-puscifer-normal-isnt-interview/