Greg said he wrote the song for his son. I think the whole part about finding true north and mapping et cetera is a metaphor for growing up, trying to find its goal in life. The song is about a kid trying to find it's true north, it's direction, dealing with questions like 'where do I want to go in life'. Everyone's having suggestions and expectations, but he doesn't know what he wants himself. He's trying to deal with daily life expectations, frustrations and temptations, but maybe (probably) making some bad decisions along the way, fucking things up and/or running into depression. It's as if he's realized life is much less fun as he hoped/thought/was said it would be and doubt's whether he wants to be part of society. Simply put: the song is about a kid trying to find its direction in life.
The video tells a similar story. The kid in the video is obviously inspired by a young Mike Ness (Social Distortion) as portrayed in the Another State of Mind documentary. The setting is so similar to the bedroom scenes when Mike writes the song Another State of Mind, it hardly can be a coincidence. At the time the documentary was shot, Ness was completely fucked up, addicted etc. Ness got out of it eventually, he found it's true north.
I think Greg is trying to tell his kid to keep searching for it's true north. Not in a parenting 'I tell you to' way, but as a loving father. Being a worried dad, he wishes nothing but the best for his son, but knowing that the kid has to go through this phase by himself.
Greg said he wrote the song for his son. I think the whole part about finding true north and mapping et cetera is a metaphor for growing up, trying to find its goal in life. The song is about a kid trying to find it's true north, it's direction, dealing with questions like 'where do I want to go in life'. Everyone's having suggestions and expectations, but he doesn't know what he wants himself. He's trying to deal with daily life expectations, frustrations and temptations, but maybe (probably) making some bad decisions along the way, fucking things up and/or running into depression. It's as if he's realized life is much less fun as he hoped/thought/was said it would be and doubt's whether he wants to be part of society. Simply put: the song is about a kid trying to find its direction in life.
The video tells a similar story. The kid in the video is obviously inspired by a young Mike Ness (Social Distortion) as portrayed in the Another State of Mind documentary. The setting is so similar to the bedroom scenes when Mike writes the song Another State of Mind, it hardly can be a coincidence. At the time the documentary was shot, Ness was completely fucked up, addicted etc. Ness got out of it eventually, he found it's true north.
I think Greg is trying to tell his kid to keep searching for it's true north. Not in a parenting 'I tell you to' way, but as a loving father. Being a worried dad, he wishes nothing but the best for his son, but knowing that the kid has to go through this phase by himself.
For Bad Religion - True North: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2u6DeXvLDM For the 'Another State of Mind' clip watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwnEznb7t4k