I agree with what ladybug87 said. (Especially about it not being about math...)
But yes I agree the song seems as if it's meant to warn against the dark philosophical/existential holes one can encounter when finally confronting impermanence, particularly nihilism. Which is even worse than Christianity in my opinion... at least you can reason your way out of that hole.
The children laughing at the end seems like an (intentional or not) callback to "Those to Come" and the way he feels about the mysterious nature of existence/life. That sense of mystery/wonder is hard for an intellectual to understand/concede to but it's necessary to have some sense of it to avoid slipping into some form of apathy/nihilism.
If you gloss over Nietzsche's idea of the dionysian experience you miss the only glue that can hold his philosophy together, IMO that's what "lost their eyes on the finer points" is referring to. I'm not trying to place the Shins in a box or anything but their songs are often heavily laden with Nietzschean references.
I agree with what ladybug87 said. (Especially about it not being about math...)
But yes I agree the song seems as if it's meant to warn against the dark philosophical/existential holes one can encounter when finally confronting impermanence, particularly nihilism. Which is even worse than Christianity in my opinion... at least you can reason your way out of that hole.
The children laughing at the end seems like an (intentional or not) callback to "Those to Come" and the way he feels about the mysterious nature of existence/life. That sense of mystery/wonder is hard for an intellectual to understand/concede to but it's necessary to have some sense of it to avoid slipping into some form of apathy/nihilism.
If you gloss over Nietzsche's idea of the dionysian experience you miss the only glue that can hold his philosophy together, IMO that's what "lost their eyes on the finer points" is referring to. I'm not trying to place the Shins in a box or anything but their songs are often heavily laden with Nietzschean references.
@Dragnox I think your explanation makes the most sense, thank you
@Dragnox I think your explanation makes the most sense, thank you