Bo is in an abusive relationship with his sock.

It’s amazing how succinctly you can sum up world history with the lines. “I hope you learned your lesson” “I did and it hurt”

“I hope you learned your lesson” “I did and it hurt!” That line really hits different if you think about it

This gives me very “Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared” vibes.

I find it interesting no one seems to talk about Bo's choice to completely ignore Socko after asking where he's been. Socko gives him this big, horrifying update regarding living in between two states of being and Bo's response is "socko we were just talking about the world and how it works." As though he didn't say anything at all

Nobody really talking about this man over here harmonizing with his sock...?

okay the fact that it goes straight back to that is how the world works after the yes sir bit is so frighteningly genius. i love this special so much

just memorized all of socko’s part so scare my mom 😁

This went from educational to dark real quick.

This is literally a darker, funnier, catchier version of sesame street XD.

I only just realised that "every single cricket, every fish in the sea, gives what they can and get what they need" is a adaptation of Marx's "To each according to their ability, to each according to their need". Clearly outlining Bo's opinion that socialistic organisation of society as being more natural than a capitalistic one. This song's writing gets slept on.

oh also idk if someone else has pointed this out already but i think socko being a sock is a very clever metaphor,, bo represents the oppressors so the masses will only hear what he lets them hear from socko, and he tries to remove socko when he gets too “controversial.” sound familiar?

the scream Socko lets out in the end is absolutely terrifying

I love it when Bo threatened socko to obey him and do what he wants then proceeds to say "THAT IS HOW THE WORLD WORKS, " that got me.

The connections and comparisons between "How The World Works" and the clip of "Art Is Dead" from the Green Room is so astounding! Like for instance, both songs have a verse where the audience is shown an example of human suffering caused by the inadequacy of current society to meet their needs. In "Art is Dead" a family is starving while people pour millions of dollars into the entertainment industry, while in "How The World Works" it is Socko who is the one that is suffering, literally being toyed with and tortured by Bo Burnham. Now, if you've seen the clip of "Art Is Dead" in the Green Room, you're probably aware that the audience bursts out into laughter when Burnham says a family is starving and that we all have the power to collectively do something about it but we don't. It's a very raw and intense scene that illustrates a common point between the two songs: that our feelings (or more specifically the feelings of the rich and privileged) towards serious issues going on in the world are superficial and uncritical. In "How The World Works" though, Burnham is in near full control of how the audience should percieve his message. Instead of being detached from the victims of these terrible actions, the audience is forced to watch Socko's suffering. You can't ignore that Burnham, who assumes a personification of the privileged, rich, and very white dominant class, verbally berates and tears away at the character Socko, who represents every minority that has been disenfranchised, their status and voices held captive to the demands and sensitivities of their oppressors. This creates an opportunity for Bo Burnham's audience to fully realize the effect that both of these songs were meant to have, to reveal the disturbing nature of ourselves being comfortable with continuing the suffering of others even when we're unaware. This effect is a cornerstone of Bo Burnham's philosophy, that existence is one big comedic tragedy where we're supposed to expect life and existence as this meaningful and intrinsically good thing yet society is almost entirely apathetic to the destruction of other people's lives. We can tell that Burnham expects this apathetic reaction from the audience too! Let's assume that Bo Burnham's audience is rich, white adults who spend their time bingeing Netflix, or time going out to see comedy specials. What could possibly convince them that the family's suffering matters, that Socko's suffering matters, when they can continue to live unaffected by the tragedy without any societal recourse? The answer Bo Burnham gives is nothing, nothing will ever force this audience to connect with his art and go out and create effective change in the world. Instead, Burnham kills Socko for questioning the power structure that keeps himself in power. Socko just asks for a crumb of self accountability and Burnham destroys him. Edit: I wrote this at 5AM after staying up all night and deleted the last line that was a nonsensical, run on sentence.

The funny thing is, Bo talking to Socko once it gets dark is proving what Socko said about the world is correct. Ok maybe not THAT funny. But interesting

socko speaking facts

"Gives what they can and gets what they need" is a modernized Marx quote. Nice one!

Whenever I listen to this, I’m usually at work. And I can’t help but feeling like Socko. I have to bend over backwards for my employer, because otherwise I go to that frightening liminal space between states of being: extreme poverty and/or homelessness.

The “yes sir” part gives me chills down my spine fjsjajqj in a good way

The submission Socko suffers speaks volumes. Not to mention,, the intensity of it... Then back to singing! 😂

3:34 you're welcome everyone

JUSTICE FOR SOCKO!

Socko is based and bo really said no❤

if it makes everyone feel better, im singing this with one of my friends for a class

Its so much funnier when you remenber that bo became a writer in sesame street

Free 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!” schrödinger’s socko?

That ending is one of the most disturbing things ever

Verse 1: truth Verse 2: truth+humans

Socko woke af

Based Socko.

very helpful in learning the lyrics thank you I needed this

When a sock is smarter than some people on Earth

The hurt in sockos voice when Bo starts singing about a fake happy world breaks my heart

I just love the way he said complicated!

This dude belongs on Broadway

Hippity Hoppity abolish private property.

I've listened to this song before, but always stopped a few seconds early so it wouldn't replay. Today I listened to the very end, and hOLY CRAP THAT SCREAM SHOOK ME TO THE CORE.

Socko is amazing. No i will not explain

Im going to play this at my little stepsisters school and be even more of a disappointment to my dad

It’s kinda weird he’s singing Harmony with himself…

I’m gonna sing socko’s part at my grandparents’ house lmao

3:37 pls i cant

Bo forcing Socko to say yes sir is quite something to a hormonal teenager despite how utterly dark the song is

Ive learned so much!!!!!! Know I now how the world works!

this sock spitting facts

the no at the end always get me

Kuddos to Disney for making a musical film about karl marxism "the movie."

my future kids will be listening to this as education

based socko

socko is based

Was not expecting Bo the be such an overt leftist.

I told my kids that this was Teletubbies

2:28

So educational 👍

bro after the song end switching immediately to come along with me song just really hits different☠

oh now i get it socko sock and he was going on his foot-

1:47

rip that socko ayyyyy

Real dont hug me im scared vibes

F for socko

Welp....I prefer knowing how the world really works but the way that socco was studering and sounded terrafied scares me tbh.

How the establishment brings entertainers with a lot of influence to heel summed up in a really catchy song.

Socko has such a terrible relationship 😭😭😭 funny though 😕❤️‍🔥

This man is writing songs for the Sesame Street movie

the new version of life is fun by one ones out

im diying of laughter-

poor sock...bet he's seen some places....and been the object he didn't want to be...

This was in a mix KZfaq labels children’s music

The dislikes are the teachers who taught the history classes

I can see this song being played in miss rachel’s video 😂😂😂

Comrade sock?

Bo should be a guest song writer on don't hug me I'm scared

😄 Watch your mouth, buddy. 😈 Remember who’s on whose hand here. 👿

Songs that suits max and david 1:

Not me crying for a sock 😅

the fact he had to turn the comments off on this one… says a lot 😢

he has abuse his sock

whatt happened to the sock in the end

Thats the most based sock ever

There’s too many big words in this song for my small brain to understand and say

I think socko got washed with the reds, seems a little pink.

Imagine hearing this on your Kindergarten school lol

Singing, "Genocide the Natives, Say you got to it first" in my most jolly innocent voice

based

socko2024

I’m 14 and this is profound af

lyrics Hey, kids Today, we're gonna learn about the world The world that's around us is pretty amazing But how does it work? It must be complicated 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 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 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 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 wanna 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! 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 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 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 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- Have you not been fucking listening? We are entrenched in a way (all right, all right) Wait, wait, no please! I don't wanna go back, please, ugh, ugh, ugh 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 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 No!

Socko is BASED AF

I think this song is a criticism to politicians, hear me out on this especially the left. Bo Burnham represents a rich probably white politician and he sees the world through this idealistic view in Socko represents the real minorities which are talking about the reality they live in which is not all sugar and Cotten candy and rainbows. And Bo Burnham is still toning down the issue and in some parts does not seem to hear him at all! And when Bo asks what he can do too help socko says the line “ it’s not my job to educate you!” And then once socko becomes to outspoken bo but ham threatens him with violence. Sorry if that was hard to read I just finished this special while on a shit ton of painkillers

Idk if the people that say “socko spittin strait facts” are sarcastic or not :/

Pretty nice communist manifesto copy paste in the middle Shame, because theres a lot of things that are good here

It’s actually from “A to Z to the worms in the dirt” but thank you for lyrics

dont like how socko started acting like a bit cringe at 2:48 (the whole "educate yourself" thing) but other than that it was pretty cool ngl

2:23 ooohh looks like Qanon got to Bo during the pandemic and is unintentionally perpetuating anti-Semitic tropes 😬

It was funny, but it was ruined by his liberal, collectivist propaganda. I wish someone would do something like this, but not about politics.

3:37 pls i cant