I heard that Maynard used to be a cadet at the West Point Preparatory School. The term 4 degree is used for the freshman their first year at the Academy. (UMA is one of the oldest structures in our nation and looks like a 'castle'). If the song does express " the forcing of his peers to believe in something that he doesn't", then what better self experience to use than the time he spent at a military instituion. I think the metaphor of rape in his lyrics is used to better describe the feeling of forced beliefs- spiritual, idealistic or whatever... by the way, i think he left after a year at the school.
I heard that Maynard used to be a cadet at the West Point Preparatory School. The term 4 degree is used for the freshman their first year at the Academy. (UMA is one of the oldest structures in our nation and looks like a 'castle'). If the song does express " the forcing of his peers to believe in something that he doesn't", then what better self experience to use than the time he spent at a military instituion. I think the metaphor of rape in his lyrics is used to better describe the feeling of forced beliefs- spiritual, idealistic or whatever... by the way, i think he left after a year at the school.