Inner Logic

I believe that this song is about the small group of opulent people that control most of what happens to us. Lobbyists, bankers, oil executives, these people have far greater power and I think this song refers to the possibility that they form a sort of oligarchy or an "inner logic" similar to the term "inner party" in the book 1984.

If I pierce the complexity I won't find salvation Just the bald and overt truth of the evil and deception There is an inner logic"

The complexity is the events that take place behind closed doors among the world most powerful individuals that potentially affect laws and human treatment, and the term inner logic refers to the knowledge possessed by these inner circles of society. The words "content and free of care, they rejoice in morning ritual" refers to the fact that these super-rich oligarchs still engage and require basic human desires such as breakfast with the family etc. and yet they somehow justify manipulating the world to their bidding.

"Decorated warriors drill harmless kids on pavement Simulating tyranny under red alert Protecting the opulent and staging moral standard They expect redemption of character and self-growth"

This refers to the iron-grip the military holds on its employees. They recruit children in highschool and other people to fight needless wars to perpetuate our perpetual war economy, protecting the opulent.

"Graduated mentors stroll in marbled brick porticos In sagacious dialog they despise their average ways Displaying pomp and discipline, they mold their institution Where they practice exclusion on the masses every day"

This I believe is about people who spend their whole lives dedicated to scholarly pursuits, speaking in sagacious dialog and despising the fact that they aren't in on the closed-door proceedings even though they are mentally astute enough to deserve access. They become snobby, "displaying pomp" and create their own inner circles where they attempt to practice their own exclusion.

I'd be interested in hearing if anyone agrees\disagrees with me.

This has been a favorite of mine for a long time.

I've always believed it to be about the common persons apathy towards activism. They know there's something wrong with the system, with society, the government, etc. but most people don't make much of an effort to fight against it or to change something. Maybe they'll vote. Maybe. But they aren't doing everything in their power to try and change, because they don't believe they can do anything about it, or that if they do, they "wont find salvation, just the bald and over truth of the evil and deception"

So you find out what's wrong with everything, and then what? Then you just know what's devastatingly wrong. Ignorance is bliss.

This song is a really great song, I think it is about how common sense should show us that there is no reason to follow religion when it has done so little for us, but this inner logic is suppressed by the masses that are blinded by dogma.

This in my opinion is one of Bad Religion's absolute best. This song doesnt seem to get much recognition. Lyrics are extremely well thought out and very though-provoking.

Personnaly I don't think BR had religon specifically in mind when they wrote this song. I think they were reffering to conformity in general. I think this song is saying that people go thru their lives without seeing through the bullshit that the government and society feed them on a daily basis and that these people should use their "inner logic" in order to sort out their own path instead of doing what they are told. In the corus he is saying how useing your logic is not always a comforting thing because u see that the world is not a perfect little place and u start to notice how truly fucked up things are (evil and deception). The final verse i believe is a denouncement of the military and that it is simply a government institution designed to install a sense of fear and conformity in the young people so that they can be molded easyer by the rich and powerful (opulent). Finnaly I take the chanting of "no equality.." to mean that there is no respect for liberal minded logical thought in todays society and that progress is vilified and denounced as unamerican. Of course that's just my take on the song. Either way BR kicks ass and is one of the most talented and innfluential punk bands ever and this song certainly does rock.

I love this song!! It's one of my favourite Bad Religion songs. I first heard it on crazy taxi. I saw them live at Warped Tour in August or the end of July, I forgot when it was lol.

"There is an inner logic And we're taught to stay far from it"

Very much Chomsky's take on society. And very much true, for that matter.

But it's cruel and antithetic[sic]

This is a very important part of this song. I basically agree with what was said before, but this adds the reason why people don't want to see the logic: compared to the fairy tales we belief in, the universe as it actually is is cold and uncaring. It's saying, I think, that many people CHOOSE to be deceived.

Greg has come out and said that this song is also a bashing on one of his college professors for thinking too deeply on a writing assignment. I think the decorated warriors are the teachers drilling kids to learn exactly what they want not to think deeper than their told. As a high school student right now i see this very thing happening to kids as they only meet expectations and never reach for their maximum potential.

lol credits of Crazy Taxi.

But yeah, love BR.