I think this is about how things are not as they appear always and appearance is deceptive. Gertrude Stein did say "a rose is a rose" and maybe they're disagreeing or maybe they are being critical of people that always try to read too much into things - perhaps Roddy is saying that sometimes things are what they are (although "I am what I am not" would then be a total contradiction of this song!). He says "you'll always be dissatisfied", so why force ourselves into that? Why not just learn to accept that some things are that black and white and things are easier to deal with when you raze it down to a more simplistic level?
I think this is about how things are not as they appear always and appearance is deceptive. Gertrude Stein did say "a rose is a rose" and maybe they're disagreeing or maybe they are being critical of people that always try to read too much into things - perhaps Roddy is saying that sometimes things are what they are (although "I am what I am not" would then be a total contradiction of this song!). He says "you'll always be dissatisfied", so why force ourselves into that? Why not just learn to accept that some things are that black and white and things are easier to deal with when you raze it down to a more simplistic level?