I feel like Seal is speaking of human nature in the context of our modern world and how life in our introverted, technologically-driven, hyper-individualistic society is so shamelessly competitive. He alludes to it being more dog eat dog now than ever before. People try to get ahead at any cost, and they generally do so with little to no regard for their fellow man. They trample over and exploit whoever and whatever necessary to get what and where they want to. And for what? To die with the most toys, to be on top for a day, to look down on others, to see others suffer. It's like a rat race to the grave, never stopping a second to enjoy what life has to offer...never stopping to smell the roses. This is present-day human nature, and Seal, in the song, is saddened by it. He says, "Desperate/It's destined/We're mere human beings we die." I think he means that as human beings we are fragile and desperate to survive. And in our desperation, we do things to hurt each other and ourselves. This competition is impersonal and unrelenting. He witnesses it when he sees people thrive off the vulnerability and despair of others, especially those who are having trouble or are in need. He say: "If you bleed/they will say it was destined/They'll be punchin' tickets/For the minute if you fall out of line"...basically saying, someone will be there to jump on your missed opportunities if you mess up just a tad...no empathy, no sympathy, no compassion for your present condition. Everyone is driven by a fear that dictates that what you have is never enough. It's a vicious, never-ending cycle of discontent. When will what we have ever be enough? Seal seems to think the answer is in the awareness of us having each other and loving each other and ourselves. He says, "It is only love I feel/That will give us peace of heart." This is in stark contrast to how he sees people operate at the moment. It's almost as if racing to their own death will relieve them of the burden which is their life. He says. "Tell me is it death you feel/That will bring you peace of life?" In our desperation as human beings, conquering another's life or extinguishing life itself sometimes seems like the only answer for life's problems. And in this, Seal is definitely questioning the western world's concept of living successfully. Perhaps, the way we live now is not a healthy obsession. I tend to agree with this sentiment.
I feel like Seal is speaking of human nature in the context of our modern world and how life in our introverted, technologically-driven, hyper-individualistic society is so shamelessly competitive. He alludes to it being more dog eat dog now than ever before. People try to get ahead at any cost, and they generally do so with little to no regard for their fellow man. They trample over and exploit whoever and whatever necessary to get what and where they want to. And for what? To die with the most toys, to be on top for a day, to look down on others, to see others suffer. It's like a rat race to the grave, never stopping a second to enjoy what life has to offer...never stopping to smell the roses. This is present-day human nature, and Seal, in the song, is saddened by it. He says, "Desperate/It's destined/We're mere human beings we die." I think he means that as human beings we are fragile and desperate to survive. And in our desperation, we do things to hurt each other and ourselves. This competition is impersonal and unrelenting. He witnesses it when he sees people thrive off the vulnerability and despair of others, especially those who are having trouble or are in need. He say: "If you bleed/they will say it was destined/They'll be punchin' tickets/For the minute if you fall out of line"...basically saying, someone will be there to jump on your missed opportunities if you mess up just a tad...no empathy, no sympathy, no compassion for your present condition. Everyone is driven by a fear that dictates that what you have is never enough. It's a vicious, never-ending cycle of discontent. When will what we have ever be enough? Seal seems to think the answer is in the awareness of us having each other and loving each other and ourselves. He says, "It is only love I feel/That will give us peace of heart." This is in stark contrast to how he sees people operate at the moment. It's almost as if racing to their own death will relieve them of the burden which is their life. He says. "Tell me is it death you feel/That will bring you peace of life?" In our desperation as human beings, conquering another's life or extinguishing life itself sometimes seems like the only answer for life's problems. And in this, Seal is definitely questioning the western world's concept of living successfully. Perhaps, the way we live now is not a healthy obsession. I tend to agree with this sentiment.