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I don't want to be hostile.
I don't want to be dismal.
But I don't want to rot in an apathetic existence either.
See I want to believe you,
And I want to trust
And I want to have faith to put away the dagger.
But you lie, cheat, and steal.
And yet I tolerate you.
Veil of virtue hung to hide your method
While I smile and laugh and dance
And sing your praise and glory.
Shroud of virtue hung to mask your stigma
As I smile and laugh and dance
And sing your glory
While you lie, cheat, and steal.
How can I tolerate you.
Our guilt, our blame,
I've been far too sympathetic.
Our blood, our fault.
I've been far too sympathetic.
I am not innocent.
You are not innocent.
No one is innocent.
I will no longer tolerate you
Even if I must go down beside you.
Because, no one is innocent.
I don't want to be dismal.
But I don't want to rot in an apathetic existence either.
See I want to believe you,
And I want to trust
And I want to have faith to put away the dagger.
But you lie, cheat, and steal.
And yet I tolerate you.
Veil of virtue hung to hide your method
While I smile and laugh and dance
And sing your praise and glory.
Shroud of virtue hung to mask your stigma
As I smile and laugh and dance
And sing your glory
While you lie, cheat, and steal.
How can I tolerate you.
Our guilt, our blame,
I've been far too sympathetic.
Our blood, our fault.
I've been far too sympathetic.
I am not innocent.
You are not innocent.
No one is innocent.
I will no longer tolerate you
Even if I must go down beside you.
Because, no one is innocent.
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Ive seen that some people have commented that this song is about military and here is my opinion.
Maybe the military could be included here but I think it's focused on every corrupted institution and authority. Goverment, Church (any kind of powerful Church or cult), Military, Police, Secret Service, UN, Corporations, pretty much every big and powerful institution that doesn't reveal their methods and their objectives which use propagandistic and massive manipulation. In a summary, the belief and political-socioeconomical systems. People that have read or heard about one or more conspiracy theories may understand a little bit more. I'm not saying that each conspiracy is true but it's true that something is wrong with the world and just a few people are always safe and at the top of the pyramid.
"I'm not innocent, no one is innocent". Well, we all participate directly or indirectly in these ways of control. Most of us have accepted this as a reality even if we don't know or don't want to accept it, we buy their things, we vote for their candidates, some support some wars, we stay obedient even if we don't like to.
"I will no longer tolerate you, even if I must go down beside you" encourages to bring down this belief and fearful/blind obedience (not necessarily in a violent way).
I think that some of TOOL's songs want to cause a personal interpretation to it, so I don't think that any human relationship based on lies, control or manipulation could be included in the meaning of the song, too. A manipulative wife/husband/boyfriend/girlfriend/friend/parent/son/daughter/boss/etc. that any of us may be tolerating for a some time and we're not willing to keep tolerating the abuse and the lies, even it could be directed to the society or our own ego's, and somehow "I'm not innocent" because I have accepted this and "I will not tolerate you" anymore.
"so I *do* think that any human relationship based on..."
"so I *do* think that any human relationship based on..."
"so I *do* think that any human relationship based on..."
Goverment, Church (any kind of powerful Church or cult), Military, Police, Secret Service, UN and Corporations, pretty much every big and powerful institution that doesn't reveal their methods and their objectives which use propagandistic and massive manipulation.
You got my like, sir.
Goverment, Church (any kind of powerful Church or cult), Military, Police, Secret Service, UN and Corporations, pretty much every big and powerful institution that doesn't reveal their methods and their objectives which use propagandistic and massive manipulation.
You got my like, sir.
Intolerance is not tolerating what you are told to tolerate, and tolerating what you think you can't tolerate.
I don't claim that this is the "right answer", as I can't be COMPLETELY sure what point Maynard intended to get across with the song, nor can anybody else. Even if one were able to ask Maynard himself, they'd be lucky to get a straight-answer, as Tool encourages listeners to come up with their own interpretations of the band's songs and hopefully make some kind of personal connections to them. This is in response to a comment that was left almost 5 years ago... so I guess it's somewhat pointless, but I just think it's really arrogant to claim that your interpretation is the one that is right.
Back to the song, I can connect to the it, as I find it extremely difficult to see the best in people (or what little there is of it) and extremely easy to see the worst (of which there is much more). Noone is innocent.
By the way it's Track 1 from "Undertow"