This song sort of sums up the 20th century for me - for all the alleged advances made in western society, all these things (in the song) are still true. We arent really better people than we were, even though we like to think so. That either quite depressing or hilarious, depending on how you look at it. I choose to believe Cohen sees the funny side.
There's a few topical references to the 80s as well - the obvious one being the verse about AIDS (the plague's coming). I think he's talking about the end of the sexual liberation of the 60's when he says "the scene is dead".
This song sort of sums up the 20th century for me - for all the alleged advances made in western society, all these things (in the song) are still true. We arent really better people than we were, even though we like to think so. That either quite depressing or hilarious, depending on how you look at it. I choose to believe Cohen sees the funny side. There's a few topical references to the 80s as well - the obvious one being the verse about AIDS (the plague's coming). I think he's talking about the end of the sexual liberation of the 60's when he says "the scene is dead".