I believe this song is about the "false hope" scientific research gives humanity, particularly to the extent it promises to replace religion as a social institution and provide "salvation" on Earth.
The song explores this concept through the lens of Cold War ideology (a frequent topic in BR's catalog). The "adolescent nation" of course refers to the USA, an overtly Christian nation "looking for salvation." The "beast of reason" refers to the godless, rational, and calculated utopian ideas which drove the USSR, and Communism in general. The "cradle of destruction" refers to the "mutually assured destruction" of the nuclear arms race (possibly a reference to "The Cat's Cradle" by Kurt Vonnegut). As a byproduct of the arms race, science and technology grew exponentially. At the same time, research institutions which drove these advances embraced utopian ideals espoused by the Communists (e.g. "everybody's got to try to lend a helping hand"). Eventually, these institutions indoctrinated new generations of students "with the poorest of instruction," and "the beast of reason reared its ugly head" stateside.
In the years since the fall of the USSR, intellectuals with utopian visions have gained major influence in the West. In their wisdom, they replaced jobs with technology. They replaced families with welfare. They replaced culture with economic growth. They replaced democratic institutions with top-down bureaucracy. They replaced individuality with collectivism. They declared "the age of faith was dead" and replaced it with an age of science. They did all of these things with little thought for the "forgotten man" and his humble human experiences.
Unfortunately, science has proven to be a poor substitute for religion as a social institution. Even though our research "department" promises solutions to human suffering on Earth, "the work is never done," and "the hungry are seldom ever fed." Those seeking personal gratification in the academy will ultimately find it to be a thankless "proving ground for dopes," which grinds the "tiny bones" of their research to "make their bread" (referring to money, or other ends). For the "forgotten man" with his "head up high," still proudly clinging to the remnants of his culture, "tomorrow" (the future) looks grim. In man's quest for truth through reason, he has discovered the futility of his human experiences - art, love, culture, tradition, faith, etc. Inevitably, he will discover that his feeble human brain is woefully ill equipped to deduce answers from the universe, and that he is obsolete for his own truth-seeking purposes. "For God and man, there is nothing more to do."
Note that the song's author (Graffin I presume) includes himself as a unit with the "forgotten man" ("tomorrow's not for me and you"). This is interesting given BR's pronouncements about religion. It makes sense given Graffin's background in the academic "proving ground." Could it be that Mr. Graffin is nostalgic for the "age of faith?"
I believe this song is about the "false hope" scientific research gives humanity, particularly to the extent it promises to replace religion as a social institution and provide "salvation" on Earth.
The song explores this concept through the lens of Cold War ideology (a frequent topic in BR's catalog). The "adolescent nation" of course refers to the USA, an overtly Christian nation "looking for salvation." The "beast of reason" refers to the godless, rational, and calculated utopian ideas which drove the USSR, and Communism in general. The "cradle of destruction" refers to the "mutually assured destruction" of the nuclear arms race (possibly a reference to "The Cat's Cradle" by Kurt Vonnegut). As a byproduct of the arms race, science and technology grew exponentially. At the same time, research institutions which drove these advances embraced utopian ideals espoused by the Communists (e.g. "everybody's got to try to lend a helping hand"). Eventually, these institutions indoctrinated new generations of students "with the poorest of instruction," and "the beast of reason reared its ugly head" stateside.
In the years since the fall of the USSR, intellectuals with utopian visions have gained major influence in the West. In their wisdom, they replaced jobs with technology. They replaced families with welfare. They replaced culture with economic growth. They replaced democratic institutions with top-down bureaucracy. They replaced individuality with collectivism. They declared "the age of faith was dead" and replaced it with an age of science. They did all of these things with little thought for the "forgotten man" and his humble human experiences.
Unfortunately, science has proven to be a poor substitute for religion as a social institution. Even though our research "department" promises solutions to human suffering on Earth, "the work is never done," and "the hungry are seldom ever fed." Those seeking personal gratification in the academy will ultimately find it to be a thankless "proving ground for dopes," which grinds the "tiny bones" of their research to "make their bread" (referring to money, or other ends). For the "forgotten man" with his "head up high," still proudly clinging to the remnants of his culture, "tomorrow" (the future) looks grim. In man's quest for truth through reason, he has discovered the futility of his human experiences - art, love, culture, tradition, faith, etc. Inevitably, he will discover that his feeble human brain is woefully ill equipped to deduce answers from the universe, and that he is obsolete for his own truth-seeking purposes. "For God and man, there is nothing more to do."
Note that the song's author (Graffin I presume) includes himself as a unit with the "forgotten man" ("tomorrow's not for me and you"). This is interesting given BR's pronouncements about religion. It makes sense given Graffin's background in the academic "proving ground." Could it be that Mr. Graffin is nostalgic for the "age of faith?"