I think it is about hippies. That is, about ecological crisis etc. I think it's kind of meant to be a bit ironic/cynical, about how humanity has finally woken up to what we've done to this place, and remembered that we're part of nature and not just in it, but despite giving lip-service to these ideas and getting terribly upset about it, most of us have no intention of doing anything different ('you're in our headlights, frozen, and no, we're not stopping'). We talk sentimentally as if we give a damn about the rest of the world, calling the birds and the bugs our 'cousins', and as if having them 'in our talons (i.e. control)' is meant to be a good thing for everyone, but I feel that the implication is that we still want dominance ('talons' is a loaded word - has negative connotations, I think). The whole last verse I take to mean something like 'don't worry, world, we still know what's best for you. Sorry it hurts so bad but at least we understand, right?' i.e. pretty patronising and arrogant. So the song is implicitly criticizing that attitude.
I think it is about hippies. That is, about ecological crisis etc. I think it's kind of meant to be a bit ironic/cynical, about how humanity has finally woken up to what we've done to this place, and remembered that we're part of nature and not just in it, but despite giving lip-service to these ideas and getting terribly upset about it, most of us have no intention of doing anything different ('you're in our headlights, frozen, and no, we're not stopping'). We talk sentimentally as if we give a damn about the rest of the world, calling the birds and the bugs our 'cousins', and as if having them 'in our talons (i.e. control)' is meant to be a good thing for everyone, but I feel that the implication is that we still want dominance ('talons' is a loaded word - has negative connotations, I think). The whole last verse I take to mean something like 'don't worry, world, we still know what's best for you. Sorry it hurts so bad but at least we understand, right?' i.e. pretty patronising and arrogant. So the song is implicitly criticizing that attitude.
Something like that :) Just my opinion.