The whole song seems to be a comparison — between what is real, and what isn't. It's quite simple really, but at the same time, there seems to be a complexity to the representation of each.
"in the pretend world
we all are very awake
in the pretend world
we all look sterile and fake
in this atmosphere
we all could chatter for days
in the pretend world
we never admit our mistakes "
This is hinting at pretending to be perfect, awake, aware and intelligent. It's about being fake, not real, completely inhuman.
"but in the real world
we're hiding alone and ashamed
and we can't live well
because we're addicted to pain"
Quite explanatory, and it seems to talk to the human condition — constantly looking at the negatives, focusing on our pain and suffering rather than our successes, thus not living fully. In the end, we're all alone with nothing to name, and because of the way society is structured, everyone is taught to be ashamed of themselves — we aren't perfect, not like in the pretend world.
"in the pretend world
we gaze into empty eyes
we amuse ourselves
with tawdry tales and white lies"
This seems to be talking to the negatives of the pretend world — emptiness, shallowness and no substance. Everything that is said is just tasteless and trashy — but we try to dress it up, despite the truth behind it all.
"but in the real world
we're fools tormented for sport
we stitch up our mouths
so we can't admit or retort "
This, again, seems to talk to the human condition — people tend to be cruel and vindictive. No matter how far up the food chain you are, we are all just 'fools'. Through this we silence ourselves, either through people not wanting to believe us, or through our own shame at saying anything worth while.
"you see I cannot feel this
no matter how you try
in the real world
we can't deny
you see I cannot say this
please don't ask me why
in the real world
we can't deny "
This two stanza practically say the same thing — someone wants the narrator to feel something that she doesn't, she doesn't want to tell the truth, but when it comes down to it, we can't pretend — we have to tell the truth, or it will come out. That is the real world, that is the real truth and curse of reality, truth and lies are always revealed.
"in my pretend world
we all are very awake
in this atmosphere
we all look starstruck and vague"
you see I never loved you
no matter how you tried"
This entire stanza seems to be performing two functions — showing the downside of pretend, again, and also showing that reality creeps into the fantasy sooner or later. Even though she's struggling with the advances of this other person, both reality and fantasy bring about the same outcome.
"in the real world
there's no goodbye"
This is kind of confusing, but to me, this could mean a few things. The first — you always have to return to the real world, there is no goodbye to the pain and suffering, no matter what, whereas the pretend world has an end, you can leave it behind. It could also mean that even if you say goodbye to person, they are still with you, so there is no real goodbye. It is the most confusing part.
All in all, the narrator seems to be showing that no matter which world you chose to exist in, there are always flaws, and the truth always comes out. At the end of the day though, reality will always win out.
Good work. I would add that some choose to reside in a 'pretend world" because it's safe and easy and they think they not only deserve nothing better, but that they cannot either obtain it or retain it once they have something more. They tossed in the towel long ago, but they use lies to convince themselves that they are free and that their way of life makes them happy. It's all a game they have played on themsevles, along with dragging unknowing and unwitting others in on it with them. We each, at times, reside in pretend world; we...
Good work. I would add that some choose to reside in a 'pretend world" because it's safe and easy and they think they not only deserve nothing better, but that they cannot either obtain it or retain it once they have something more. They tossed in the towel long ago, but they use lies to convince themselves that they are free and that their way of life makes them happy. It's all a game they have played on themsevles, along with dragging unknowing and unwitting others in on it with them. We each, at times, reside in pretend world; we pretend that something exists when it no longer does; that we are actually strong enough to have more if we really wanted it; that love will always remain; and that we have a future either alone or with someone else. We delude oursevles in our pretend world. Delusion is much easier than reality, and we've become someone who takes the quickest and easiest way out...
Ugh. I was venting and hit "post reply" out of habit. I did not intend to post my opinion (feelings). Oh well. Wish I could delete it, but I can't. It's there and maybe some of us can find ourselves w/in the lines...within the games. Games are not half as exciting and eye-opening as real life.
Ugh. I was venting and hit "post reply" out of habit. I did not intend to post my opinion (feelings). Oh well. Wish I could delete it, but I can't. It's there and maybe some of us can find ourselves w/in the lines...within the games. Games are not half as exciting and eye-opening as real life.
The whole song seems to be a comparison — between what is real, and what isn't. It's quite simple really, but at the same time, there seems to be a complexity to the representation of each.
"in the pretend world we all are very awake in the pretend world we all look sterile and fake in this atmosphere we all could chatter for days in the pretend world we never admit our mistakes "
This is hinting at pretending to be perfect, awake, aware and intelligent. It's about being fake, not real, completely inhuman.
"but in the real world we're hiding alone and ashamed and we can't live well because we're addicted to pain"
Quite explanatory, and it seems to talk to the human condition — constantly looking at the negatives, focusing on our pain and suffering rather than our successes, thus not living fully. In the end, we're all alone with nothing to name, and because of the way society is structured, everyone is taught to be ashamed of themselves — we aren't perfect, not like in the pretend world.
"in the pretend world we gaze into empty eyes we amuse ourselves with tawdry tales and white lies"
This seems to be talking to the negatives of the pretend world — emptiness, shallowness and no substance. Everything that is said is just tasteless and trashy — but we try to dress it up, despite the truth behind it all.
"but in the real world we're fools tormented for sport we stitch up our mouths so we can't admit or retort "
This, again, seems to talk to the human condition — people tend to be cruel and vindictive. No matter how far up the food chain you are, we are all just 'fools'. Through this we silence ourselves, either through people not wanting to believe us, or through our own shame at saying anything worth while.
"you see I cannot feel this no matter how you try in the real world we can't deny
you see I cannot say this please don't ask me why in the real world we can't deny "
This two stanza practically say the same thing — someone wants the narrator to feel something that she doesn't, she doesn't want to tell the truth, but when it comes down to it, we can't pretend — we have to tell the truth, or it will come out. That is the real world, that is the real truth and curse of reality, truth and lies are always revealed.
"in my pretend world we all are very awake in this atmosphere we all look starstruck and vague" you see I never loved you no matter how you tried"
This entire stanza seems to be performing two functions — showing the downside of pretend, again, and also showing that reality creeps into the fantasy sooner or later. Even though she's struggling with the advances of this other person, both reality and fantasy bring about the same outcome.
"in the real world there's no goodbye"
This is kind of confusing, but to me, this could mean a few things. The first — you always have to return to the real world, there is no goodbye to the pain and suffering, no matter what, whereas the pretend world has an end, you can leave it behind. It could also mean that even if you say goodbye to person, they are still with you, so there is no real goodbye. It is the most confusing part.
All in all, the narrator seems to be showing that no matter which world you chose to exist in, there are always flaws, and the truth always comes out. At the end of the day though, reality will always win out.
Good work. I would add that some choose to reside in a 'pretend world" because it's safe and easy and they think they not only deserve nothing better, but that they cannot either obtain it or retain it once they have something more. They tossed in the towel long ago, but they use lies to convince themselves that they are free and that their way of life makes them happy. It's all a game they have played on themsevles, along with dragging unknowing and unwitting others in on it with them. We each, at times, reside in pretend world; we...
Good work. I would add that some choose to reside in a 'pretend world" because it's safe and easy and they think they not only deserve nothing better, but that they cannot either obtain it or retain it once they have something more. They tossed in the towel long ago, but they use lies to convince themselves that they are free and that their way of life makes them happy. It's all a game they have played on themsevles, along with dragging unknowing and unwitting others in on it with them. We each, at times, reside in pretend world; we pretend that something exists when it no longer does; that we are actually strong enough to have more if we really wanted it; that love will always remain; and that we have a future either alone or with someone else. We delude oursevles in our pretend world. Delusion is much easier than reality, and we've become someone who takes the quickest and easiest way out...
Ugh. I was venting and hit "post reply" out of habit. I did not intend to post my opinion (feelings). Oh well. Wish I could delete it, but I can't. It's there and maybe some of us can find ourselves w/in the lines...within the games. Games are not half as exciting and eye-opening as real life.
Ugh. I was venting and hit "post reply" out of habit. I did not intend to post my opinion (feelings). Oh well. Wish I could delete it, but I can't. It's there and maybe some of us can find ourselves w/in the lines...within the games. Games are not half as exciting and eye-opening as real life.