ST. GEORGE IN RETIREMENT SYNDROME

It's a wonderful phrase that
The late Australian political philosopher
Ken Minogue, came up with
He identified a certain type of person who is keen
On the revolutionary attitude
Keen to be at the barricades
He called it St. George in Retirement Syndrome

St. George, after slaying the dragon
And getting all the acclaim for slaying a dragon
Might, might be tempted to – to go round the land
Finding more dragons, more dragons to slay
And there being a deficit of dragons in the land
Might end up, swinging his sword at smaller, and smaller beasts
Until, eventually, he might be found swinging his sword into thin air

Well, I don't say that there's no dragon like thing left to slay in our society
I don't say that everything is perfect, but
There is a lot in that, in the
Febrile, furious atmosphere of our times
When things have never been better
They're portrayed as if they've never been worse
The febrile, furious atmosphere of our times
When things have never been better
They're portrayed as if they've never been worse
And this – this idea
I understand why people wish they'd been with Martin Luther King
At the march on Washington
I have a few friends who were there
They tell me about it, like, you know
It’s fantastic, it's thrilling in the telling
I understand that people might want to be there
I understand that some people wish they'd been at the Stonewall Inn
You know – I get that
But I would urge that instead, of thinking, therefore
I will fight as hard now, as they did then
Even if the stakes are minimal, or nonexistent
I would say, why not just, enjoy the fruits
Of your predecessor’s legacy and bravery
And do something better with your life now

St. George, after slaying the dragon
And getting all the acclaim of slaying a dragon
Might, might be tempted to – to go round the land
Finding more dragons, more dragons to slay
And there being a deficit of dragons in the land
Might end up, swinging his sword at smaller, and smaller beasts

After slaying the dragon
And getting all the acclaim of slaying a dragon
Might, might be tempted to – to go round the land
Finding more dragons, more dragons to slay
And there being a deficit of dragons in the land
Might end up, swinging his sword at smaller, and smaller beasts
Until, eventually, he might be found swinging his sword into thin air
Swinging his sword into thin air
Swinging his sword into thin air

The febrile, furious atmosphere of our times
When things have never been better
They're portrayed as if they've never been worse
The febrile, furious atmosphere of our times
When things have never been better
They're portrayed as if they've never been worse

(There is no such thing as a dragon)
(There is no such thing as a dragon)
(There is no such thing as a dragon)

But that isn't the attitude of our time
The attitude of our time is an audition
After the fact
To be right in the center of a melee