Vocalist/guitarist Vic Bondi was originally a protest singer with decidedly leftist views. He went on to form the bands Alloy and Jones Very after AoF's demise. At the time of AoF's original breakup, Bondi was working as a History instructor at the University of Massachusetts. Bondi's subsequent day jobs included working on Microsoft's Encarta, where he was Managing editor of the Encarta Interactive English Learning edition (Bondi's comments on this fairly ironic form of employment can be found here). Alternative Tentacles Records released the complete discography of the band in 2002. Bondi resurfaced with another politically charged band, Report Suspicious Activity, in 2006 and was featured prominently in the documentary "American Hardcore".
Acceptance
Articles of Faith Lyrics
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issued from inside the citadel and
Codes
of conduct for all personel
Accepting
those who march in the regime and
I'm exiled
for possession of illegal dreams
A vote
is taken to decide what's true
it's final
results are on the evening news
instructions
for what is bought and what is sold
accept them
I don't want to be out in the cold
Don't you feel inside
It's so cramped and tight
of course you must be wrong
and everybody's right
Hard eyes
burn a hole into your face, that spells out
Fashion
run so fast to stay in plce, or maybe
Fission
with commandments to embrace my own
Destruction
and I'm gone without a trace
Searching
out a sea I see the shore there is a
Signpost
and a price tag on the door with no
Admittance
I'll eat the gore and drink the bile I'll get
Acceptance
It makes life so worth while
Acceptance
Acceptance
The song "Acceptance" by Articles of Faith delves into the themes of conformity, obedience, and acceptance. The lyrics speak about the authoritarianism of society and how it forces individuals to accept the norms and rules imposed on them by the higher authorities. The song portrays a dystopian society where people are expected to fall in line and suppress their individuality. The first stanza talks about the codes of conduct and edicts issued by the government, compelling everyone to march in the regime, and those who don't conform eventually get exiled. The second stanza speaks of the media and how it manipulates people to conform to societal norms by instilling fear in them. The third stanza talks about how people must sacrifice their dreams to gain acceptance in society.
The song critiques the society that doesn't offer individuals the freedom to express themselves and forces them to accept the status quo, making it a powerful commentary on the inherent flaws of authoritarianism. The phrase "acceptance" is repeated several times in the song, which highlights the key message that resonates through each stanza. The song encourages listeners not to be blinded by the ideology of acceptance and to stand up for their individuality.
Line by Line Meaning
Edicts
Guidelines issued by those in power
issued from inside the citadel and
These guidelines come from a position of secure power
Codes
Sets of rules for everyone involved
of conduct for all personnel
These are ethical expectations for all involved parties
Accepting
To understand and support those in favor of the status quo
those who march in the regime and
Supporting those who support the current power structure
I'm exiled
Being ostracized from those in power for disobedience
for possession of illegal dreams
Being punished for holding unauthorized aspirations
A vote
Determining what is believed to be true through a democratic process
is taken to decide what's true
A means of coming to agreement about what should be universally believed
it's final
This voting process is definitive
results are on the evening news
The results are publicly broadcasted
instructions
Commands
for what is bought and what is sold
Guidelines on what transactions are permitted
accept them
Follow these commands
I don't want to be out in the cold
I don't want to be alienated from society
Don't you feel inside
Do you not feel this way internally
It's so cramped and tight
Things feel constrained and repressive
of course you must be wrong
The status quo insists that any opposition is misguided
and everybody's right
The person in power always claims to be correct
Hard eyes
Unsympathetic gazes
burn a hole into your face, that spells out
This creates a clear understanding of disapproval
Fashion
Fast-moving trends
run so fast to stay in place, or maybe
Attempting to keep up feels futile
Fission
Being divided
with commandments to embrace my own
Being forced to accept the opinions of those in power
Destruction
Termination of one's wellbeing
and I'm gone without a trace
Being eradicated with no evident cause
Searching
An exploration
out a sea I see the shore there is a
Looking from the ocean, identifying a destination and observing a
Signpost
A direction to follow
and a price tag on the door with no
There are costs to pursuing these aspirations
Admittance
Being allowed to enter
I'll eat the gore and drink the bile I'll get
I will endure any hardship necessary to attain this goal
Acceptance
Acknowledgement from others that a differing perspective is valid
It makes life so worth while
It creates purpose and meaning in an otherwise monotonous existence
Acceptance
Acknowledgement from others that a differing perspective is valid
Contributed by Lillian M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.