The Fake Escape
Five Knuckle Lyrics

So it seems we all have a vice,
It appears that everyone has a habit or indulgence.

Every luxury has its price.
Every pleasurable experience comes at a cost, whether monetary or otherwise.

Methods of transcendence, methods of enjoyment,
There are various means to achieve altered states of mind or to find pleasure.

So what price are you prepared to pay?
What personal cost or consequence are you willing to accept in order to indulge in your vice?

So it seems, (So it seems,) if they can't tax it
It appears that if a particular indulgence is not taxable, authorities may choose to make it illegal instead.

They go ahead and they will criminalise it.
Officials may make a previously legal activity or substance illegal if they cannot tax it.

My society tells me what it thinks is acceptable:
The culture I live in dictates what is considered permissible behavior or indulgence.

Nicotine, caffeine and alcohol.
Specifically, my society sanctions the use of tobacco, caffeine, and alcohol.

And I've grown up in a society that's choice of drug is alcohol,
The substance most commonly used as a recreational drug in my particular society is alcohol.

But to have this drug legal and other drugs not is surely hypocritical.
It is contradictory to legalize one drug while making other, potentially safer, drugs illegal.

Especially when you compare the different situations that these different drugs can create.
It makes even less sense when you consider the varying consequences of different drugs.

I sense underlying goals, vibes of control, a cause for debate.
I detect hidden motives, a desire for control, and the need for discussion.

So it seems with every culture
Throughout history and across cultures,

There has been a drug of choice.
There has been a preferred substance for recreational use.

The indigenous tribes, the Victorian times,
This has been true for indigenous cultures as well as Western societies in the past.

Humans and drugs have always mixed.
Humans have a long history of using drugs for various purposes.

And I've grown up (I've grown up) in the age of the chemical,
Personally, I have been surrounded by synthetic substances and chemicals throughout my life.

If it's taught me anything, it's to be careful.
This experience has taught me to exercise caution and discretion when it comes to indulging in substances.

Don't let the substance over rule your judgement.
It is important to maintain control over one's actions and decisions, even when using substances.

Respect yourself and your weaknesses.
One should have respect for oneself and be aware of one's vulnerabilities when it comes to indulging in substances.

Now we get to the part, back to the message at the start.
Returning to the original topic at hand,

We all have a vice, but exactly at what price?
Everyone has their own indulgence, but what are the true costs of engaging in it?

You see, money is sure one thing but your health is quite another.
One's financial cost of indulging in a vice may be clear, but the health consequences can be less obvious.

And it becomes an issue when you inflict it upon others.
Problem arise when one's indulgence has negative effects on others, such as secondhand smoke or drunk driving.

Can you handle it? Take it? Or let things slip?
Can you manage your indulgence, or will it become unmanageable and potentially hurt you or others?

Are we simply searching from escape?
Are we indulging in our vices as a means of escaping from reality or dealing with our problems?

From what is it that we're escaping from?
What is the root cause of our desire to escape through indulgence, and how can we address that underlying issue instead?