Insectivora

A rather dark song. Has he holed himself up within himself, not interacting with others, but coping with life by finding inspiration in things that others normally wouldn't? Or are the earthworms and houseflies metaphors for the drugs he takes to cope with reality and the chaos life brings (or cruelty)? Anyone else have ideas? Definitely a cool song to listen to.

Radcliff and Sempre sure are two dumb motherfuckers. Ever heard of symbolism? THE SONG ISN'T LITERALLY ABOUT A GUY EATING INSECTS.

well i have the cd and the lyrics are one world to operation chaos. and you cannot tell someone they are wrong about what a song means if you do not offer your own explanation. defining the word insectivore is not a complete explanation.

*'one word' i meant.

I think people are looking too hard in the wrong spot on this song. focusing soley on the word "insectivorous" and not enough on how being insectivorous interplays with other imagery in this particular song and on the album as a whole. The error of affective fallacy is easy to fall prey to due to the emotional and subjective response of listening to a song.

The speaking character in the song wishes to warn the "operators of chaos" that he has become insectivorous, that no "hunting dog will drag him out"...

the character seems to be someone who either through oppression, or escape from oppression (the imagery of the hunting dogs being familiar in movies from the police/prison guards/authorities searching for someone) has embraced a level of survival that most rational people could not lower themselves to. The "earthworms and houseflies" becoming the mainstay of a man who is so determined to either remain hidden, or underground to continue in his fight against the "chaos agents, that he is learning to treat was once disgusting as a means of survival.

the idea and repetitive refrain of learning to survive, the imagery of ingesting insects, and the general "fight the man" tone of the entire album lead one to believe that being insectivorous is a metephor for characters ultimate strength of will to resist.

Haha Mark Kozelek being an asshole again. But he's right, Radcliff and Sempre are seriously fucking dumb. Baconpants has it spot on.

I think some of the lyrics are wrong "One word to operation chaos" sound a lot more like "One word, the operator's in chaos"

And insectivora are small mammels that eat insects such as moles and hedgehogs, so 'descendent' you are way off about what the song means.

The meaning is so fucking obvious.

Herbivorous = a creature that eats only plants Carnivorous = a creature that eats only meat ("carne" = meat) Insectivorous = ?

"I’m learning to survive on earthworms and houseflies. I'm learning to survive"