Education

I'm going to say that I think there COULD be a bit of global warming talk going on here, POSSIBLY. I definitely see it as a sad shake of the head in regards to what's going on in our world today. For any of you assholes saying that "Isaac doesn't care about blah blah blah", who are you to say what he does and doesn't care about? You're all what I am, a FAN, and just because you like something that he makes, doesn't make you an aficionado of all things Isaac Brock. Get a fucking grip.

ANYHOW! I think this is a statement on what's happening on our planet, with ALL things- the wars, useless energy waste, etc. etc. Stubborn beauty, indeed.

Ah. I can't believe no one's commented this song yet.

This has a pretty edgey feel to it.

"All them books I didn't read They just sat there on my shelf Looking much smarter than me" Ah. I adore those lines.

Anyways, as it's been stated multiple times, this is a theme album. The theme being global warming.

So anyway, that's where a bunch of this stuff ties in:

"Our instincts, they were cringing About how we lived our lives It didn't seem we'd lived enough To even get to die

All these dense distractions So beautifully complex Well, I loved life's surprises so much I don't want to know what's ahead" And whatnot.

To me, education seems to represent the idea of high society, or civilization. His reference to us as monkeys and our cringing instincts means that while we can act civilized, the primal side of us is very much still there and education itself cannot fully eradicate the natural, instinctive part of who we once were. Note how Brock rejects the initial notion of education while accepts the advice of the conversation. Perhaps a little more personal, I think Brock finds himself more educated in a non-formal sort of way. In that, he is smart, just not smart in the conventional sense of books and the sort. And that is fitting for him for sure since he is white-trash and lyrical genius all the same. Maybe someone could pick up on stubborn beauty, which means nothing to me.

BTW, global warming, are you kidding? If so... haha.

I agree with the previous post about no matter how civilized we act, we still do things that are low class or primal. we still give into our "id."

"All this dog and pony Still monkies the whole time We could not help from flinging shit In our modern suits and ties"

also, yeah. i have no idea how global warming fits into this song. i couldn't see how you interpreted global warming from the lines your provided.

I can see elements of both those themes in there, i think the album theme is global warming, but obviously each song has a secondary theme of its own.

so yeah global warming and... people not evolving so much (or how ever they would say it)

i cld be wrong, but i think the last verse is Good old Nostradamus He knew the whole damn time There'd always be an East from West And someone in there fighting

This is mokcing nostradamus for his famous predictions of war, especially WWII, where both the east and west would be in the one war... as i said, cld be wrong :P

Dx I'm sure this song is primarily something else, but yes, every song on the album ties into global warming.

Did anyone else notice that this song uses the exact same chords, key, and rhythm as "Wild Pack of Family Dogs?" They are essentially the same song with different words. I saw them play it live and with out the production value of the CD it is really apparent.

i dunno why more people havent commented this...it is one of the best songs on the new CD in my opinion. i think they've already got the lyrics meanings here, that education can't wash away instincts and we're still animals despite our superiority complex.

If Modest Mouse starts talking about only concrete subjects like Global Warming then its about time Issac Brock needs to get back on Drugs.