I've been a fan of Linkin Park since I was a teen because I always related with the songs strongly but I don't think I fully understood why until Chester took his life and I listened again after having studied a great deal about social psychology and philosophy.
I don't think its about anyone in specific but rather society and its narcissistic habits, the tendency for people to elevate themselves whilst tearing down those around them. This isn't a conscious thing (we all believe we are 'correct' regardless of what we do) but rather a common trait of the masses and I think Chester was all too keenly aware of it, living a life of existential despair knowing just how ugly we were as a species and how it was reflected in our society... no amount of 'success' can overcome that kind of despair.
Even the great psychological philosopher Nietzsche who talked much of overcoming such despair instead of giving into the nihilism of the masses eventually suffered a breakdown and was said to have ran out to a collapsed horse that was being beaten to death by its master and yelled "I understand you!", he died a few years later from deep depression.
In a way I cant help but compare Chester to Nietzsche in a way... he dances chaotically between the line of giving in and overcoming in his lyrics in much the same way Nietzsche did in his perception. Eventually it became too much...
I've been a fan of Linkin Park since I was a teen because I always related with the songs strongly but I don't think I fully understood why until Chester took his life and I listened again after having studied a great deal about social psychology and philosophy.
I don't think its about anyone in specific but rather society and its narcissistic habits, the tendency for people to elevate themselves whilst tearing down those around them. This isn't a conscious thing (we all believe we are 'correct' regardless of what we do) but rather a common trait of the masses and I think Chester was all too keenly aware of it, living a life of existential despair knowing just how ugly we were as a species and how it was reflected in our society... no amount of 'success' can overcome that kind of despair.
Even the great psychological philosopher Nietzsche who talked much of overcoming such despair instead of giving into the nihilism of the masses eventually suffered a breakdown and was said to have ran out to a collapsed horse that was being beaten to death by its master and yelled "I understand you!", he died a few years later from deep depression.
In a way I cant help but compare Chester to Nietzsche in a way... he dances chaotically between the line of giving in and overcoming in his lyrics in much the same way Nietzsche did in his perception. Eventually it became too much...