Privilege

Isn't it strange that a gift could be an enemy? = most of us think our life is a waste and were a waste and better off dead, so that basically means that most of us consider our life (the gift) an enemy, cause thinkgs aren't going as well as we would like em too. Isn't it weird that a priviledge could feel like a chore?= All of us feel like what we do is like a chore. Our daily routines and such...and well chores aren't the funnest thing, and we consider life a chore, cause we have to do things we rather not do. Maybe it's me but this line isn't going anywhere...= meaning comforming to something you don't believe makes it hard to feel comfortable doing whatever it is your doing, so you feel like your going nowhere. Maybe if we looked hard enough, we could find a backdoor (find yourself a backdoor) = meaning we can escape what society says is "normal" and "quality" and do whatever it is we feel comfortable with (sorta like religion ) I see you in line, dragging your feet = that most of us comform to society without realizing it and comform to the ideals, maybe not on purpose, but were all so blinded, and sheltered from the rest of the world ( U.S ) you have my sympathy = sounds like brandon is saying that he feels bad for us that have gotten immuned to this egocentric society, and can't think for ourselves. The day you were born, you were born free = this means that we werent born with certain needs or thoughts, hopes, dreams, goals, etc...and that's why most of us are so hard on ourselves and negative, cause now we all worry and worrry, which means that were not free anymore. Another example...people aren't born evil, or full of hate...most of us grow hate or learn love and too love...but we all have free agency, which means we can make our own decisions, but concenquences will occur. and the rest of the song is basically the same message...i hope i made some sense...i love incubus cause they allow me to think and ponder about what they say and it's usually a message or revalation to me, and i absolutly admire and respect that...maybe some of you that like incubus should try thinking for yourselves...and not go by incubus's word and say how you relate to them...cause you don't...just try to get something out of their music...use it like a learning tool.

This song is actually super cryptic. It's a double metaphor.

Basically it's about how there is a better way for us to do things and how we have been forced into the worse way by the system we are too unaware of to even deny after our birth. The second part to the meaning is that our undeveloped minds enslave us to the hazard of limitations and incoherence until we figure out the better way of doing things. These two principles are fractals for the many different things we have to overcome in order to break free from the inner prison so that we can attain the consciousness and enlightenment required to understand that there is a better way we can go which is the path of freedom. You can't find that path unless you first realize that there is a prison inside the mind that makes us all prisoners to thoughts we must leave behind. This is what the lines and dragging your feet symbolize. The slower path to where we are all moving towards and also serving time like a prisoner for something you could have avoided.

The hook line has got to be the all time greatest hook line in a song ever written in history. Because the truth bomb is so unbelievably profound. Only those who understand the freedom we have that we quickly relinquish from birth know what I'm talking about. In my opinion this is the best written song of incubus lyrics wise. A master piece along with nice to know you. Off their best album make yourself. And this is the first track for a good reason. It essentially summaries the theme of every other track on the album. They are all different hindrances that this system makes us go through which we have the privilege from birth to change and turn from a curse/hindrance into a blessing/power. Why? Because authority is our privileged. Authority over so many things people are unaware they have authority to control because they are unaware they are prisoners to it. They don't know there is a backdoor to avoid the line hehe.

YOU'RE ALL FUCKING SLAVES

The point is simple...stop be slaves....you're all slaves. morrison said it best.

We are trapped in our ways of life only because we THINK we are trapped. There's always a way out, but we stay there, dragging our feet because we're too lazy to look for the backdoor. And then suddenly...you realize that this whole mess is pointless...then you look around and see the other schmo's are just as lost. In reality, we are all born free, but we ignore the freedom in exchange for safety and security of life's 'conveniences'.

the world today is screwed up by society and rules and government and all that crap, and not too many people notice it because of corruption. this is a song about how easy it is to look from a different perspective, and maybe look for a way out

I thought it could be about how people who have a privileged background complain about thier life being so 'difficult' when in fact they've never had it better.

we're all born free supposedly. but life sometimes is just one big line that never moves. the line can represents everything in our lives that is holding us back. but if we find a backdoor maybe we can escape all of that.

We're all sitting around waiting for something better to come along, but we don't know what or why. The "backdoor" is a way to take control of your own life, don't wait around, get up and find another way in.

I can imagine Brandon coming up with the idea to this song while standing in line at the bank, or something equally mundane and seeing it as a metaphor for life. I wish I could make abstract connections like that and then write songs about them. Ah well....

this idea to this song is so well put, and no one could put it better than incubus. when i hear this song, and i'm feeling upity about anything, i can even begin to feel that way anymore. i wish i could tell so many people to listen to this song, the unappreciative ones, but i don't think they would understand it.
and this song is even better live...