A song about religion in a Postmodern day and age and perhaps Win Butler's own view on religion (he did have a Mormon background, actually).
The first verse seems to be about Butler envisioning God in his mind. "I know you're living in my mind/but it's not the same as being alive" seems to indicate that, regardless of whether or not God is actually there, he feels that merely having to maintain a relationship with a being in his mind just isn't the same as having a physical, tangible relationship with someone.
The next verse seems to be about his view on "tolerance" of religion and belief in modern-day society ("If telling the truth is not polite/then I guess we'll have to fight"). Let's face it: we Americans (and virtually all Western civilization now) have come to view tolerance as the only virtue there is anymore. And this is the inherent problem with this mindset that Butler recognizes: if tolerance is the only virtue, then we haven't quelled any fighting, since now all we fight about is what's tolerant and intolerant and what obscure minority is getting beat up now. He can't stand "tolerance" because all it does is cause MORE fighting, not less.
The third verse could take on more than a few meanings, but perhaps the most accurate one is that it's about a family member or friend of his living on their faith ("You've lived for a year in a bed by the window/ reading books, better than memories"). "Reading books" could indicate reading the Bible, and how people of faith care more about prophecies and the world to come than the here and now ("better than memories"). All in all, it seems like a very distant idea to him, living on faith.
The last verse is the real killer here, though. "It's been a while since I've been to see you/ don't know where, but you're not with me/ I heard a voice like an echo, but it came from me" seems to be talking about how Butler's relationship with God has faded, and that every time he wants to envision that there is a God, he is just imagining things. That is why he describes God's voice like it is just an "echo" of his own.
The repetition of "supersymmetry" throughout the song emphasizes how Butler longs for some kind of "togetherness" with this world so broken over religion and tolerance, and, possibly, some kind of re-connection with God. He wants to find some kind of "supersymmetry" with religion and spirituality, but is frustrated by all the added complications people throw.
A song about religion in a Postmodern day and age and perhaps Win Butler's own view on religion (he did have a Mormon background, actually).
The first verse seems to be about Butler envisioning God in his mind. "I know you're living in my mind/but it's not the same as being alive" seems to indicate that, regardless of whether or not God is actually there, he feels that merely having to maintain a relationship with a being in his mind just isn't the same as having a physical, tangible relationship with someone.
The next verse seems to be about his view on "tolerance" of religion and belief in modern-day society ("If telling the truth is not polite/then I guess we'll have to fight"). Let's face it: we Americans (and virtually all Western civilization now) have come to view tolerance as the only virtue there is anymore. And this is the inherent problem with this mindset that Butler recognizes: if tolerance is the only virtue, then we haven't quelled any fighting, since now all we fight about is what's tolerant and intolerant and what obscure minority is getting beat up now. He can't stand "tolerance" because all it does is cause MORE fighting, not less.
The third verse could take on more than a few meanings, but perhaps the most accurate one is that it's about a family member or friend of his living on their faith ("You've lived for a year in a bed by the window/ reading books, better than memories"). "Reading books" could indicate reading the Bible, and how people of faith care more about prophecies and the world to come than the here and now ("better than memories"). All in all, it seems like a very distant idea to him, living on faith.
The last verse is the real killer here, though. "It's been a while since I've been to see you/ don't know where, but you're not with me/ I heard a voice like an echo, but it came from me" seems to be talking about how Butler's relationship with God has faded, and that every time he wants to envision that there is a God, he is just imagining things. That is why he describes God's voice like it is just an "echo" of his own.
The repetition of "supersymmetry" throughout the song emphasizes how Butler longs for some kind of "togetherness" with this world so broken over religion and tolerance, and, possibly, some kind of re-connection with God. He wants to find some kind of "supersymmetry" with religion and spirituality, but is frustrated by all the added complications people throw.