Les Yper-sound

During World War I Yper (flemish) or Ypres (french) was the site of some of the most intense battles between the German and allied forces. The city was almost wiped from the surface of the earth ("Just put it all flat"). The first time the Germans made use of poison gas was at Yper. During the Third Battle of Ypres alone about half a million men were killed on both sides.

sports as a socializing construct to promote war and nationalism...and adversarialism in general just compare the orientation of a battlefront to that of a football game

This is a song about a break-up. The inevitability of having to split up possessions. It's a mutual decision in this song, but they are looking for reasons to be mad at each other so that they can feel more justified in their decision to split.

I'm sorry malachi but you have no idea what you're talking about. This is about nationalism, Stereolab are deeply socialist... they sing in French, they're very very liberal. This song shows just how irreverent "national lines" are. They say that we are human that should be enough for us to get along. The idea taht we can't work together but rather "stimagatize" our national identities and try to coerce our nation's citizens into thinking that those not of our country are different, wrong, and opposites. Then we fight over the land, the goods, the wealth. When they say justification they mean that our countries' leaders justify any type of imperial duties for the benefit of our nation. I'm a pretty conservative guy, but the pure simplicity of this song really do make me think...

i think it can also be about ethnocentrism

All of the above.

i agree with youeatpoop

this song is my ringtone, just the instrumental intro.

Great Song!

I like both possibilities but does anyone else hear "Making more posits" rather than "Make 'em opposites" ? Both make sense