Wasteland The hard rock group 10 Years produced a song titled “Wasteland.” Jesse Hasek wrote Wasteland about overcoming terrible obstacles that people are face. Jesse in particular is attempting to overcome an addiction to heroin. In the first part of Wasteland, Jesse is describing what it’s like to be screaming for help on the inside, but since addicts usually live two separate lives, no one could see the physical signs on the outside therefore making him feel helpless. The next part of Wasteland is describing his withdraws from heroin. “Hide in cold sweats, quivering lips,” are symptoms he experienced while trying to get sober. Jesse describes how he wants to use heroin again to stop hurting so bad “ignoring remorse” for all the heartache that he’s caused his friends and family. The lyrics show how Jesse lost his fight with heroin by reading “Naming a Kid, living wasteland this time you’ve tried all that you can turning you red.” The chores is describing how he wishes he could change his way of thinking, “change my attempt good intentions should I could I here we are with your obsession should I could I?” At this point in the song he is deeming himself hopeless and describing himself as a “living Wasteland” meaning he is worthless, and a waste of human skin. Jesse repeats the line, “turning you red,” showing how angry he is at himself for allowing his uncontrollable impulses to use heroin cause him to be “crowned hopeless.” The next line explains how this time Jesse will not attempt to take on his addiction alone and finally asks for help and overcomes his addiction. “Heave the silver hollow silver piercing through another victim,” is describing the needle entering another addict’s vein and the heroin being pushed into the body. The song goes on to say a person doesn’t have to hide or suffer from anything because they are scared of people being judgmental. People will not always recognize that someone may be in trouble and desperately need help, therefore making help your responsibility to seek out in order for you to make something of your life and not be a “living Wasteland.” This song would have to be the most meaningful for the fact that I was able to overcome a prescription pain pill addiction that consumed my life for three long, hard years. Although luckily I did not experience the withdraw symptoms Jesse did, however I can relate to his sense of helplessness and the constant battle an addict fights about feeling worthless. I have many times thought of myself as a “living wasteland” and I can say first hand those are extremely dark thoughts. When I listen to these lyric’s I almost feel as if the song was meant for me.
Like the artist I have a different obsession, one geared towards reaching out and helping the people that need help the most and protecting the ones that need protecting. The world now days almost feels like a wasteland in areas, for that reason I don’t want to be the problem that allows those feelings to exist. I want to be the solution that prevents the “living wasteland.” Through my time living as an addict and experiencing the challenges of addiction, I am able to use this negative time in my life in a positive way by being able to better understand the kids I work with and having a way to relate to them when they believe no one else understands the pain they are in. I have been witness to a sense of change for the better when a youth realizes that people do exist and have been in the very shoes they walk in. If I could go back and change anything in my life I honestly don’t think I would change a single thing. My own personal experiences and hard ships have molded me into the person that is now able to help the younger generation and prevent them from being worthless.

Hasek , Jesse, dir. Wasteland. 2005. Film. 16 Oct 2012.