Social Sterility
Napalm Death䐀 Lyrics

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[misprinted a "Social Security" (!) on the liner notes]

Time for my omittance
From a sterile existence
Where the weekend pays homage
To stereotypical perpetuation

Must inebriate my senses

Into a state of delirium
Before I turn to the meat-rack
For my penial selection

Apathy spreads
In unison with social disease
A scourge that infests
The cattle markets of youth

Unconscious, just promiscuous
Deprived of self-respect
In the selling of their bodies
All emotions dead!

Thoughts absorbed
Lost in sense of direction

It's time to sit down
And reassess my course of action

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Napalm Death’s song “Social Sterility” comments on the societal conformity that plagues individuality and breeds apathy. The first lines, “Time for my omittance / From a sterile existence,” convey a need to break free from a life where the weekends are the only escape from the monotony of daily life. Instead, the singer chooses to numb their senses with alcohol and drugs before succumbing to the expectations of society and becoming just another commodity in the meat-rack of sexual selection.

The lyrics go on to criticize the prevalence of promiscuity and lack of self-respect among the youth caught up in the cattle market of sexual exchange. The line “All emotions dead!” speaks to the idea that the dehumanization of individuals has led to an indifference towards one’s own body and feelings. The final verse, “Thoughts absorbed / Lost in sense of direction / It's time to sit down / And reassess my course of action” highlights the need for self-reflection and awareness in order to break free from the societal conformities that lead to a loss of individuality and autonomy.

Overall, the lyrics of “Social Sterility” serve as a powerful commentary on the dangers of societal pressures and conformity.

Line by Line Meaning

Time for my omittance
I need to step away from this situation

From a sterile existence
I need to step away from a life where nothing feels alive

Where the weekend pays homage
Where everyone repeats the same behavior every weekend

To stereotypical perpetuation
To uphold and repeat stereotypes

Must inebriate my senses
I need to get drunk

Into a state of delirium
To the point where I am confused and disoriented

Before I turn to the meat-rack
Before I turn to meaningless, casual sex

For my penial selection
For my selection of a sexual partner

Apathy spreads
No one seems to care

In unison with social disease
All people are infected with a kind of sickness that affects society as a whole