An interesting anonymous review of Radioheads song. Been singing it for days, so the post seems more than appropriate. Plus, it continues a discussion that started in portuguese with the post "Para os homens que querem mulheres" (For men that wish to have women). Enjoy.
"I believe this song has one underlying theme that is illustrated from a slightly different angle in each verse. The theme is the misguided human desire for "perfection" which is like trying to find or define the infinite. Perfection doesn't exist, it would mean the end of the line for growth, hence death, and death is a state of non-existence. Also, perfection for one is nothing near perfection for another so we are then striving for something completely subjective. We must find the beauty in what already is and stop trying to control things to appease our egotistic desires.
The first verse is trying to show how we look to manufactured non-living waste products, like fake plastic house plants, to try to emulate beauty. In the process we end up creating a mountain of waste which will eventually be our undoing, hence the "rubber plans to get rid of itself". I do find it quite amusing that he says "fake Chinese rubber plant" because China is the mecca for disposable non-biodegradable plastic and electronic products. I would be willing to wager that the junk "disposable" electronics and other consumer goods being produced in China will soon claim a vast majority of the land fill volume of the world...
The second verse is in reference to the male perception of beauty and it's fake superficial shallowness. As a man, I can sympathize with this. While I realize the need and value for depth and intelligence in a woman, I'm still easily trapped by external beauty which is obviously fleeting. This man (the male aspect of society perhaps) was so obsessed with the outward physical appearance that he devoted his life's work to trying to preserve it with techniques that actually incorporated non-living plastic elements into the human body. He is crumbling and burning because he is facing the defeat of the impossibility to preserve what he believes to be beauty. He will lose his battle until he changes his perceptions. This is wearing him out. It wears all of us out....
The final verse is talking about the singers own battle with what part of him perceives to be beauty and what another part of him knows is not beauty. When he says "I can't help the feeling, I could blow through the ceiling, if I just turn and run" to me says that he knows he is with a woman who is only beautiful skin deep, and he feels that he could either evolve or at least find a more substantial woman if he could turn and run away from this woman who lacks true depth. Wearing him out as well makes one wonder if the singer believes that this is the struggle of society on numerous levels and is our main struggle today. I am inclined to agree with him. All one needs to do is ask is who are the most intelligent and ground breaking thinkers of our current times? We only know those who have created gadgets and went on to run large corporations who create garbage (I'm looking at you Apple) Now ask who are the most popular models and actors of our day, I'm sure we can name more than a few. This is pretty depressing."
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The first verse is trying to show how we look to manufactured non-living waste products, like fake plastic house plants, to try to emulate beauty. In the process we end up creating a mountain of waste which will eventually be our undoing, hence the "rubber plans to get rid of itself". I do find it quite amusing that he says "fake Chinese rubber plant" because China is the mecca for disposable non-biodegradable plastic and electronic products. I would be willing to wager that the junk "disposable" electronics and other consumer goods being produced in China will soon claim a vast majority of the land fill volume of the world...
The second verse is in reference to the male perception of beauty and it's fake superficial shallowness. As a man, I can sympathize with this. While I realize the need and value for depth and intelligence in a woman, I'm still easily trapped by external beauty which is obviously fleeting. This man (the male aspect of society perhaps) was so obsessed with the outward physical appearance that he devoted his life's work to trying to preserve it with techniques that actually incorporated non-living plastic elements into the human body. He is crumbling and burning because he is facing the defeat of the impossibility to preserve what he believes to be beauty. He will lose his battle until he changes his perceptions. This is wearing him out. It wears all of us out....
The final verse is talking about the singers own battle with what part of him perceives to be beauty and what another part of him knows is not beauty. When he says "I can't help the feeling, I could blow through the ceiling, if I just turn and run" to me says that he knows he is with a woman who is only beautiful skin deep, and he feels that he could either evolve or at least find a more substantial woman if he could turn and run away from this woman who lacks true depth. Wearing him out as well makes one wonder if the singer believes that this is the struggle of society on numerous levels and is our main struggle today. I am inclined to agree with him. All one needs to do is ask is who are the most intelligent and ground breaking thinkers of our current times? We only know those who have created gadgets and went on to run large corporations who create garbage (I'm looking at you Apple) Now ask who are the most popular models and actors of our day, I'm sure we can name more than a few. This is pretty depressing."
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