Half-Truism

I think you're all over analyzing the song a little bit. Half-truism. It's a play on the word altruism, which means extreme dedication to something to the point of caring more about that something than your own well being. A kamikaze pilot...while an extreme example, would be altruistic.

Half-truism I guess means being not-so dedicated to something, and caring more about yourself. The cuts in my heart, your own liberation will leave them behind, etc. I'm not going to try to figure out exactly what the song means, but for example, if you've ever seen titanic, that one guy that boarded the dingy by saving someones baby...that, in my opinion was...half-truistic. He needed the baby to get on the dingy, and while he may have saved him, all he really cared about was getting himself on that boat.

i think it means don't pretend to be someone your not. respect who you are for yourself and know that life only last for so long, so why cant we all get along?

I'd like to say its about people bringing other people down. The lyric,

"One is for envy and one just for spite, the cuts in my heart, they show in your eyes"

I believe is saying you cut me down because you want to be like me but your not and you cant deal with it. This is backed by the lyrics,

"The banner you're waving is burning and red It's blocking the sunlight that shines overhead You against the world Diamonds and pearls, voices inside you churn Watch the city burn"

I think those lyrics are talking about something your passionate about, something so strong it stirs within you. "Watch the city burn" is a tricky one though. Maybe it burns because their ignorance consumes them. Any comments on that?

Diamonds and Pearls... Pokémon anyone? xD

no seriously, great song, my favorite part

"If we don't make it alive It's a hell of a good day to die."

Kinda live one day at a time, or carpe-diem, but also being happy with one's doings so far.

I'm not certain, but this album seems to have a pretty political feel to it. Maybe it's only because I just looked up Hammerhead on here, but I sense a bit of current events inspiration in this song. Perhaps it could be a reference to the hate for America in the Middle East?

"One is for envy and one just for spite / The cuts in my heart, they show in your eyes / It don't make it better / Twisting knife that turns by itself onto someone else"

The first two lines could be as wired_57 pointed out references to their jealousy, but not of an individual, of American quality of life? The last third line of that passage could be a reference to the fact that their hate doesn't help their situation. "Twisting knife that turns by itself onto someone else" could be saying that trying to stab America in the back with surprise attacks could have turned their anger toward the rest of the world with the Madrid bombings and other events outside of America.

"Your self liberation will leave this behind / Beyond slings and arrows raining on your mind / You'll make it better / Shake it off, it never mattered anyway"

"Self liberation" with America's assistance of Iraq and Afghanistan, or perhaps against American oppression in those countries? "Beyond slings and arrows raining on your mind" a reference to the insulted feeling of having your country invaded? "You'll make it better" by fighting back against the invasion. "Shake it off, it never mattered anyway" could mean either the life of a suicide bomber, and everything he holds dear. It could also suggest that they should just give up on their fight because the invasion of their country never mattered and that their leadership is just being replaced by America's equally oppressive rule.

"If we don't make it alive / It's a hell of a good day to die. / All our light that shines strong / Only lasts for so long. / And it's ashes to ashes again / Should we even try to pretend? / All our light that shines strong / Only lasts for so long."

I feel like this is the line that gives the most support to my theory. The lyrics could easily be referring to the words of a suicide bomber/millitant who wants to fight against American rule. I'll admit, however that the line "Should we even try to pretend" has some trouble fitting into this description.

"The banner you're waving is burning and red / It's blocking sunlight that shines overhead / You against the world / Diamonds and pearls, voices inside you churn / Watch the city burn"

The banner could refer to a burning American flag. The flag is blocking the sunlight because it's just making things worse in the country by throwing society into a state of uncertainty and chaos. "You against the world" could easily refer to the fact that the invasion began as a coalition force of British, French, and American soldiers. "Diamonds and pearls" was a book published, I believe, in 2002 and is written about a woman who inherits a fortune, but has some deep secret? I'm not certain if this is an accurate connection, but if so could symbolize America's wealth masking the bankrupt morality of its society, though I'll leave "voices inside you churn" up for further interpretation. And finally, "watch the city burn" could be another reference to the chaos of the war in Iraq.

That's just my two cents, and I'm by no means an English major or an expert on the Offspring's lyrics. What does everyone else think of this interpretation? Amazing song btw, and if its meaning parallels my interpretation, it's very deep and symbolic. And yes everyone, "If we don't make it alive / It's a hell of a good day to die." is one of the most powerful lines from the Offspring :D Great band!

Just my two cents...

I think it is more general such as nynl6986 stated w/ some nationalistic examples rather than being about one specific event and is meant to be more reflective (hence the reference to YOUR liberation).

The half-truism is how we are lied to and lie to ourselves to convince us of the things we have convinced ourselves is inherently true (i.e that anything we do is benevolent by default because we consider ourselves decent people (half-truism - just because one thing is true doesn't make others automatically true)) .

I believe the flag is a symbol of patriotism and it blocking the sun means that its actually nationalism rather than true patriotism (nationalism is blind allegiance to a land mass rather than the ideals that the country is supposed to espouse). The burning and red could refer to emotions (which burns) that we are lead by (fear, pride and hate) and so are being "prodded" to accept irrational and unreasonable outcomes and actions.

The first part "one is for envy and one is for spite" may be a reference to the duel nature of what America is experiencing now. We see those that are Rich and Powerful in envy because of the power and fortunes they amass and in spite because of the harm and cost that often comes with uneven wealth and power. Hence the cuts in the heart (torn between wanting to be rich and powerful and the sense of how unjust such a society is) which can used to make you accept a "bastardized" view that they exist together and aren't opposing thoughts. Which leads us to complain because of the spite but not do anything because of the envy. So we wait for someone else to address the problem or suggest solutions that don't actually change anything (It don't make it better) and then blame others for the problems (immigrants, greedy politicians and others) when we are part of the society that allows it to happen (Twisting knife that turns by itself onto someone else).

Basically, I think it a call to understand that we are all being bombarded with propaganda and being lead by our emotional responses by those with an agenda whether it be consumerism, religion or government who don't have our best interest at heart but design their message to lead us to believe that they do. And that it is possible because we often hold opposing ideals and often blind ourselves to our involvement when their is a price to pay for doing so. But then again I could be wrong.

I believe the title on the song isn't directly "Half-Truism", but a play between "Half-Truth" and "Altruism", meaning a half-meant, or half-honest altruism.

It seems to start with someone being hurt unfairly and deciding to strive for massive changes in society with the idea that through "Your self-liberation [...] You'll make it better", despite all external criticism of "Slings and arrows that rain on our minds".

The idea of changing the world, against the world, gives them a sense of being in a heroic fight for the greater good, leading to these, very beaten, lines about self-sacrifice: "If we don't make it alive, it's a hell of a good day to die All our light that shines strong only lasts for so long"

Something is off, however. Something that person has tried to "Shake it off" and it is their own hurt. In the bigger picture this person now sees, that's nothing. "It doesn't matter", they say, but the "Twisting knife" that initially hurt them, "turns all by itself, on to someone else". Left unchecked, their past hurt turned into resentment and a desire for revenge, and their altruistic motives aren't as heroic as they might have seemed.

So now their "banner", their cause, is "Burning and red", it is covered in hate and resentment, "Blocking the sunlight that shines overhead", blinding them from whatever signs of good they come across, now it is about them and the voices inside that churn, and their desire to "Watch the city burn". Now what they'll "leave behind" is not just what hurt them, but also "All the slings and arrows that rain on your mind", all critics, everyone who questions them is part of the problem too, and that's when they reach the darkest conclusion: "Don't make it better break it 'cause it never mattered anyway". Everyone is corrupt and out to hurt them. No one understands them. It doesn't matter anymore. Don't make it better. Break everything and raze it to the ground. There's no saving this world.

The second half of the chorus reverts the heroic self-sacrifice idea of the first half, saying: "And it's ashes to ashes again, should we even try to pretend?"

It isn't about fixing things anymore. It is about destruction for the sake of it, sending the society that rose from the ashes back to ashes. And they know it deep down. Should they even try to pretend it is not about that?

I see that a person was hurt, and in what could have been a bright moment of inspiration to do good, they ended in the path of hate and destruction. In a sad twist, the chorus ends by lamenting the death of those powerful, good ideals, stating that: "All our light that shines strong only lasts for so long"

I CANNOT WAAAAIT FOR THE NEW ALBUM :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D anyone else with me?

this is a damned good song, im hyped for the new album :D and thats a pretty decent translation from the version thats out there atm

I like the Offspring and I think this CD sounds more like what they used to be. Definately not what every other pop/punk band sounds like. Their last two CDs haven't been this good.