☝️ Key Points
- Oerding reflects on depersonalization and dehumanization caused by digitization in modern society.
- He criticizes the fact that we have many virtual friends we have never met in person and emphasizes the longing to experience real life.
- The song lyrics express the need to physically touch and experience things, rather than just having a digitized version of them.
- Oerding wishes not to have to adapt and to have control over his own life, showing a search for authenticity and genuine human connection.
- He calls for more conversation and not just staring at screens, making an appeal for real human connection and experiences.
Interpretation
The song 'Anfassen' by
Johannes Oerding is a reflection on modern society and the effects of technology on our lives. Oerding sings about the alienation that has arisen due to digitization and information overload in our society. He criticizes that we know a lot about the world, but little about ourselves ('We know everything everywhere / But far too little about ourselves'). He laments that we have thousands of virtual friends whom we have never met in person ('We have thousands of friends / But we have never seen them'). The song lyrics also speak of the longing to experience real life and not just a digitized version of it. It expresses the need to physically touch and experience things ('I need something to touch / Then I can let go again'). Additionally, Oerding expresses the desire to no longer have to conform and to have control of his life again ('I don't want to adapt anymore / I want to have my life back in my hands'). The text conveys a longing for authenticity and genuine human connection in an increasingly digital and alienated world. Finally, Oerding urges to talk to each other more and to lift our heads ('Come on, let's talk a little more / And lift our heads again'). This is a call to focus on the important things in life and not just on the screens of our devices. Overall, 'Anfassen' is a call to reflect on what truly matters: real human connections and experiences.