A Simple Desultory Philippic (Or How I Was Robert McNamara’d into Submission)

From the onset, Simon & Garfunkel set a tone that is both humorous and exasperating, as listeners are bombarded with a dizzying array of cultural references. Within this sea of names, there is a sense of weariness at the extent to which the individual is defined by external agents. As the artists mention being 'Norman Mailered' and 'Maxwell Taylored', the audience can almost feel the claustrophobia of constant media and celebrity pressures.

There's a turn towards self-awareness and irony in verses like 'I been Ayn Randed, nearly branded / Communist, cause I'm left-handed,' which cleverly plays on political paranoia and absurdity. The emotional roller-coaster continues as Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel touch upon health and substance use, suggesting a coping mechanism for the societal pressures ('So I smoke a pint of tea a day').

The bridge brings a moment of relative calm amidst the cultural storm, as there is a shift to a character who is 'unhip' and disconnected from cultural references. It is here the emotional journey finds reprieve, a counterpoint to the inundation felt earlier, and we pivot from frustration to a pity for the blissfully ignorant.

The song concludes on a note that insinuates resignation and lack of privacy—'I just discovered somebody's tapped my phone'—leaving listeners with an impression of privacy invasion, which was a potent concern during the 1960s. This helps tie together the song's overarching theme of the inescapable and often unwelcome influence of broader cultural dynamics.