24 Hours
Devil Ate My Son Lyrics
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That binds our eyes to a numb sympathy 24 hours
365 days possessed by the cash crop
Indifference becomes an esteemed virtue
Again information has been withhold
To ensure trademark stability
Exporting war- medical research
The benefit is based on slavery
Pharmaceutical efforts
The glory sold as wisdom
Though we swallow pins and nails
Perverted abstract patterns
That place the pistol on our temples
Bodies 've been buried under the footprints of
Pharmaceutical efforts
Where amnesty leaves heroin graves
In a land where names disappear in the deserts
And profit is obtained by thieves and snakes
In "24 Hours" Devil Ate My Son appears to be criticizing the societal emphasis on efficiency and the resulting isolation it can create. The lyrics suggest that this focus on efficiency has led to a numb sympathy, where indifference is seen as a desirable trait. The song then delves into how this attitude affects the medical industry, specifically the exploitation of people for the sake of profit. The pharmaceutical industry is accused of burying bodies in its pursuit of new drugs and treatments, leading to heroin graves and disappearances in the desert. The lyrics ultimately suggest that we swallow the "pins and nails" of this brutal system, and the pistol is being placed at our own temples by the perverse and corrupt forces that are driving it.
Line by Line Meaning
Focused on efficiency it ?s the path of isolation
Our current focus on efficiency and productivity has led us to become isolated and disconnected from others.
That binds our eyes to a numb sympathy 24 hours
This isolation has made us unable to feel sympathy or empathy, even for 24 hours a day.
365 days possessed by the cash crop
Our society is consumed by the pursuit of money and profit, every single day of the year.
Indifference becomes an esteemed virtue
We have come to value indifference and apathy as desirable qualities in order to succeed in this profit-driven world.
Again information has been withhold to ensure trademark stability
The withholding of important information has become a common practice in order to maintain stability and profits for companies.
Exporting war- medical research
The exploitation of war and medical research for profit has become a common and accepted practice.
The benefit is based on slavery
These practices benefit from the exploitation and oppression of others, similar to the system of slavery.
Bodies 've been buried under the footprints of pharmaceutical efforts
The pursuit of profit in the pharmaceutical industry has led to the loss of human life, and the disregard for the value of human life.
The glory sold as wisdom
The achievement and success of these practices are marketed as virtues rather than being recognized as the result of exploitation and oppression.
Though we swallow pins and nails
We are willing to harm ourselves in order to achieve success and profit, even if it goes against our own well-being.
Perverted abstract patterns that place the pistol on our temples
The system of exploitation and oppression has become so ingrained in society that we are forced to participate in it, with the threat of harm hanging over us.
Bodies 've been buried under the footprints of pharmaceutical efforts
The pursuit of profit in the pharmaceutical industry has led to the loss of human life, and the disregard for the value of human life.
Where amnesty leaves heroin graves
Even when there are attempts at amnesty or reform, the damage has already been done, and there are still those who have been harmed and lost because of the pursuit of profit.
In a land where names disappear in the deserts
In a society that is so focused on profit and efficiency, individual identities and values are lost and forgotten.
And profit is obtained by thieves and snakes
The pursuit of profit has become associated with deceit and exploitation, creating a system that is fundamentally corrupt.
Contributed by Charlotte B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.