Becoming One Of You
Cloud Cult Lyrics

When you were born, you were the earth
When you were brought into this world, you represented the entire planet

Uprooted and screaming
You were born with feelings of discomfort

Your mind as clear as the ocean
You were pure and innocent

You were ready to be carved
There was an opportunity for growth and learning from the beginning

Now there's a lot to be learned
As one grows, they have an opportunity to learn about the world

From those first words
Learning begins with language

Those first steps
Then comes movement and physical exploration

Those first thoughts:
And then comes the realization that one has the capacity for thought

"Who am I?"
A major question people ask themselves

And "Do I belong?"
The need for connection with others

By third grade you start to feel like
As children grow up, they feel like

Something's horribly wrong with you
They are different from others and feel that difference keenly

You know you're all different
People begin to acknowledge and understand their differences

But you're taught to fit in
And they are taught to conform

So you try to talk, breathe, dress, act
People try to act in accordance with what is expected of them

And think like the others:
To avoid standing out

"I would do anything
People say they would do anything

If you would let me be
To fit in

One of you"
To feel like part of the crowd

I just wanted to be
The need for fitting in is strong

And as we grew older, I watched you all pretend
As life goes on, people pretend to be something that they are not

To be the same person
And conform to societal norms

Rarely standing for who you really are
People do not stand up for themselves and their true nature

Never living your own truth
And rarely embrace their true selves

And all the while, I kept on struggling
The idea of conformity does not apply to everyone

To fit in with you fuckers
There are others who do not fit in and are rejected

After all, we're of the same earth
Though different, we are all human

We're made of the same dirt
Originating from the earth

You say you're who you wanna be
Despite this, some individuals claim to be who they are meant to be

But tell me, are you happy?
Though conforming to societal norms, many may feel unfulfilled

You finally fit in
But fitting in with society is not enough

But only as wheels in the machine
People become cogs in a larger system

Now you're the ones ripping down
People who conform to societal norms end up engaging in damaging behavior

Rainforest trees
Such as destroying the rainforest

To know my heart to be dust
This behavior leads to the destruction of our environment

I watched you fuck your pretty little secretaries
And even when acknowledged, conformity rules

To make one just like another
Conformity is the goal

To make them all alike
Regardless of individual differences

(All... alike)
Lost in the system

(All alike)
Overlooked as an individual

I never wanted to be one of you
The desire to conform is not universal

I never wanted to be
Individuality is important

Never wanted to be one of you
There are other who choose not to conform

(All alike, all alike, all alike...)
The cycle of conformity that occurs throughout life

(All alike, all alike, all alike...)
Despite individual differences

"Mother, wouldn't it be slick if we had an electric ironer? Like Sally's mother has?"
A conversation about technology's impact on domestic life

"Of course it would. And I'm looking forward to having an electric dryer, too. Wee!"
Hopes and dreams for technologically-advanced home appliances

"No matter what the job is, there are machines to take the hard work out of it."
The desire for technological advancement to make life easier

"There's no trick to do the wash with this baby, and we can go right on playing cribbage."
Convenience is a major benefit of technological advancement

"Automatic, eh?"
The automation of household jobs is greatly desired

"Oh, you betcha."
The benefits of technological convenience are clear