Glorifying Nothing

I found the Hymn of Yoyodyne so interesting that I will dedicate this blog to it (pg 65):

High above the L.A freeways,
And the traffic’s whine,
Stands the well-known Galactronics
Branch of Yoyodyne.
To the end, we swear undying
Loyalty to you,
Pink pavilions bravely shining,
Palm trees tall and true.

What more ridiculous could it be? A hymn for a company of stockholders! And yet, the most amazing thing is that I believe that there are actual companies that DO have a hymn. Wikipedia says that a hymn is “a type of song, usually religious, specifically written for the purpose of praise, adoration or prayer,” it is usually to a divine or holly figure or a personification of it. But Pynchon is using the symbol of a hymn for a company and obviously magnifying the importance of it. We know of countries that have hymns and they are composed of historical events and important historical people of the country. This hymn talks about a company, but not the code of honor, not the ethic of work, but the traffic and “pink pavilions”. Its glorifying a stockholding company, and making big and important the actually insignificant and material things. For example, “Palm trees tall and true” it is written as if it was so profound and meaningful, but they are actually palm trees! Or “High above the L.A freeways,” its describing a freeway! Not a battle of independence or the resurrection of Jesus. It’s a funny hymn, and pathetic.