It hadn't occurred to me that he might have written it with a specific person (Pecknold) in mind, but the pieces do seem to fit just right with that theory.
My interpretation has always been that it's just a general criticism of political/societal leaders and movements that, in pursuit of their own interests, tend to involve unwilling participants. It almost has a sort of libertarian, live-and-let-live slant to it, just like "knock yourself out with whatever vain ambitions you may have, but you'd better not expect me to let your bullshit distract me from doing my thing."
It hadn't occurred to me that he might have written it with a specific person (Pecknold) in mind, but the pieces do seem to fit just right with that theory. My interpretation has always been that it's just a general criticism of political/societal leaders and movements that, in pursuit of their own interests, tend to involve unwilling participants. It almost has a sort of libertarian, live-and-let-live slant to it, just like "knock yourself out with whatever vain ambitions you may have, but you'd better not expect me to let your bullshit distract me from doing my thing."