Anything but Ordinary

A 17th century dutch philosopher, who quietly lived in the Netherlands as a lens grinder, and who died single and childless. A French Canadien young punk pop singer songwriter, who has taken the music world by androgenously-dressed storm. Baruch Spinoza and Avril Lavigne, respectively.

Spinoza believed in Nature. With a capital N. He believed in Nature and g-d, and felt that they were basically two different names for the same thing. He even was issued the writ of cherem for those beliefs. But, Spinoza believed, as g-d is good, wonderful, and powerful, so as it is with Nature.

Lavigne in her hit single 'Anything but Ordinary' sings:

Let down your defenses
Use no common sense
If you look you will see
that this world is a beautiful
accident turbulent succulent
opulent permanent, no way
I wanna taste it
Don't wanna waste it away

Lavigne too believes in the beauty and power of the world, nature and she is saying she wants to be in and enveloped by it.

In the quintessential song for a generation 'Sk8erboi', Avril chastises a former flame of her current boyfriend that had dismissed him originally for his looks, his physicality, without actually getting to know him. She argues that "There is more that meets the eye, I see the soul that is inside." By this she is prescribing to Spinoza's view that body and mind are not two separate substances, but in point of fact are a single identity. She sees her boyfriend as both body and mind.

And last but not least, Spinoza was able to hold rationalism in one hand and additionally emotions in the other - a 'feeling' brain was not so hard for him to imagine. Lavigne too is very rational in the structure of her music, the lyrics, cadence, and tempo. All of it within a set standard 3 to 4 minute verse verse chorus verse chorus bridge verse chorus structure. But she believes everything she sings about, heartfelt heartbreaking and true; rational yet emotional.

Spinoza a greatness not recognised for years to come. As is Lavignes brilliance not currently commonly recognised.
They are both, as Lavigne penned in her hit single, 'Anything but Ordinary'.