He ignores a difficult truth, but his conscience will catch up to him. He feels no pain in the now because he maintains a balance of cognitive dissonance to keep his ego intact. But, inside, he is in the most pain.
I interpret the lines "i am falling, i am fading, i am drowning" to be spoken by both parties, the dishonest man's unspoken cry for help, and the friend trying to awaken this man's conscience.
He ignores a difficult truth, but his conscience will catch up to him. He feels no pain in the now because he maintains a balance of cognitive dissonance to keep his ego intact. But, inside, he is in the most pain.
I interpret the lines "i am falling, i am fading, i am drowning" to be spoken by both parties, the dishonest man's unspoken cry for help, and the friend trying to awaken this man's conscience.