Bo sings a song for children about how the world works, but his sockpuppet Socko unexpectedly begins criticizing capitalism and the genocide involved in the founding of America.

The song could be seen as… Read More [Intro: Bo Burnham]

Hey, kids

Today, we're gonna learn about the world

[Verse 1: Bo Burnham]

The world that's around us is pretty amazing

But how does it work? It must be comp-l-icated

The secret is: The world can only work

When everything works together

A bee drinks from a flower and leaves with its pollen

A squirrel in a tree spreads the seeds that have fallen

Everything works together

[Pre-Chorus: Bo Burnham]

The biggest elephant, the littlest fly

The gophers underground, the birds in the sky

And every single cricket, every fish in the sea

Gives what they can and gets what they need

[Chorus: Bo Burnham]

That is how the world works

That is how the world works

From "A" to "zebra" to the worms in the dirt

That's how it works

[Interlude 1: Bo Burnham & Socko]

Hey, everyone, look who stopped by to say hello! It's Socko!

Hey!

Where you been, Socko?

I've been where I always am when you're not wearing me on your hand: in a frightening, liminal space between states of being! Not quite dead, not quite alive! It's similar to a constant state of sleep paralysis

Socko, we were just talking about the world and how it works

Boy, that sounds complicated!

Do you have anything you'd want to teach us about the world?

I wouldn't say anything that you probably haven't already said yourself

I don't know about that, Socko. How about you give it a try?

All right!

[Verse 2: Socko]

The simple narrative taught in every history class

Is demonstrably false and pedagogically classist

Don't you know? The world is built with blood!

And genocide! And exploitation!

The global network of capital essentially functions

To separate the worker from the means of production

And the FBI killed Martin Luther King

[Pre-Chorus: Socko]

Private property's inherently theft

And neoliberal fascists are destroying the left

And every politician, every cop on the street

Protects the interests of the pedophilic corporate elite

[Chorus: Socko, Bo Burnham & Both]

That is how the world works (Really?)

That is how the world works

Genocide the Natives, say you got to it first

That's how it works

[Interlude 2: Bo Burnham & Socko]

That's pretty intense

No shit!

What can I do to help?

Read a book or something, I don't know. Just don't burden me with the responsibility of educating you. It's incredibly exhausting!

I'm sorry, Socko. I was just trying to become a better person

Why do you rich fucking white people insist on seeing every socio-political conflict through the myopic lens of your own self-actualization? This isn't about you! So either get with it or get out of the fucking way!

Watch your mouth, buddy. Remember who's on whose hand here

But that's what I've— Have you not been fucking listening? We are entrenched in—

Alright! Alright! I... Wait, wait, wait! No, please! I don't wanna go back, please! I can't go— I can't go back! Please! Please. I'm sorry

Are you gonna behave yourself?

Yes

"Yes," what?

Yes, sir

Look at me

Yes, sir

That's better

[Chorus: Bo Burnham, Socko & Both]

That is how the world works

That is how the world works

I hope you learned your lesson! (I did, and it hurt!)

That's how it works

[Outro: Socko]

No!