I have to make a video, and I’m using the song Cult Of Personality by Living Colour.
I’m using video clips of Hitler, Stalin, & Mussolini’s speeches. I was going to put in video clips of Martin Luther King & JFK, but I’m not sure if it’s appropriate to use them for this song.
:S
Can someone help me out with the meaning & is it appropriate? I’m getting a bit confused. 
Thanks.
Something having to do with fame and hypocrisy???
I don’t care for the lyrics but the guitar work on the song is awesome.
I remember falling in love with that song last year and doing research on this. It’s basically when a leader tries to reach out to the public in what is actually a negative way, but is glossed over to appear positive and normal. Media is used to create a clean public image, so people will want to fall into line and conform. It has a lot to do with politics and dictators, but can relate to religion also.
For Hitler and Stalin, it was mainly negative publicity or arguments that drove people apart. Mussolini is kind of negative/positive, so his imagery could be put to good use.
It is very appropriate to use Martin Luther King Jr. and JFK for that kind of video. It’s also quite interesting. They could be filed under “cult of personality,” it just depends on how people view it. People who never liked them with think it’s funny and want to debate on it. It’s kind of a reverse side of the whole issue, because many people were moved by the efforts of MLK Jr. and JFK. Most people wouldn’t consider their movements to be cults, but it could work. To avoid controversy with those leaders, I’d stick with people like Hitler whom nobody should like.
=)
omg i freaking love that song!!!
anyway the whole song is takling about these huge leaders that used their charisma, words, and attitude (their personality) to lead a nation or use their ideas for what they believed them. the reason it is the “cult” of personality is because a cult refers to a group of people led by a very powerful person that follows whatever that leader tells them to do. it is used in this song since all those incredibly powerful people led a nation.
they name opposites just to show the pros and cons of being a “cult of personality” (mussolini + kenedy, stalin + ghandi)
yes it should be appropriate to use those pictures because they all are mentioned in the song and can each go under the definition as a cult of personality according to the song.