Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
If my soul could revive
From my carnal remains
What does it matter to me
If it all fades to black
If I'm born once again
Then noone really is free
How could I be condemned
For the things that I've done
If my intentions were good
I guess I'll never know
Some things under the sun
Can never be understood
How can we believe in heaven
Human reason counters all
Ideas of a soul society
My life is just a fragment
Of the universe and all
There must be more than I can see
In the dark we're the same
In the concept of time
We're like a grain of sand
And we strive for the flame
As if death was our aim
Cause we cannot understand
How I wish there was heaven
All for one and one for all
A flawless soul society
Our lives are just a fragment
Of the universe and all
There may be more than we can see
How could I be condemned
For the things that I've done
If my intentions were good
I guess I'll never know
Some things under the sun
Can never be understood
How can we believe in heaven
Human reason counters all
Ideas of a soul society
My life is just a fragment
Of the universe and all
There must be more than I can see
From my carnal remains
What does it matter to me
If it all fades to black
If I'm born once again
Then noone really is free
How could I be condemned
For the things that I've done
If my intentions were good
I guess I'll never know
Some things under the sun
Can never be understood
How can we believe in heaven
Human reason counters all
Ideas of a soul society
My life is just a fragment
Of the universe and all
There must be more than I can see
In the dark we're the same
In the concept of time
We're like a grain of sand
And we strive for the flame
As if death was our aim
Cause we cannot understand
How I wish there was heaven
All for one and one for all
A flawless soul society
Our lives are just a fragment
Of the universe and all
There may be more than we can see
How could I be condemned
For the things that I've done
If my intentions were good
I guess I'll never know
Some things under the sun
Can never be understood
How can we believe in heaven
Human reason counters all
Ideas of a soul society
My life is just a fragment
Of the universe and all
There must be more than I can see
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To me it seems not if he's contmplating life, but death. Especially in the first portion of the song, he refernces many different views on life after death.
"If my soul could revive from my carnal remains.."-Resurection
"If it all fades to black..."-Atheism, no life after death
"If i'm born once again..."-Hindu reincarnation
"How could I be condemned, for the things that i've done?..."-Chirstian Hell
He finds that no matter how hard we try, or who we listen to, no one really knows. In the song he seems to be be debating life after death. On the one hand "Human reason counters all, ideas of a soul society". but in the next chorus, Our lives are just a fragment, of the univers and all, there must be more than we can see".
This is one of the most meaningful songs i've ever heard, and it really shows many of the emtions that people, at least i've felt. Science tells us the life does not exist after death, but there is so much in this universe that we do not know, is it possible?