Second Nature
Rush Lyrics

A memo to a higher office
An official note sent forth to a superior entity.

Open letter to the powers that be
Addressing this letter to those in authority or with the power to make changes.

To a God, a King, a head of state
Referring to individuals in positions of great power and authority.

A captain of industry
One who leads and directs a large-scale economic enterprise.

To the movers and the shakers
Referring to those who have great influence in their respective fields.

Can't everybody see?
Amazed at the fact that the problems at hand are visible to everyone, but no one seems to be doing anything about them.

It ought to be second nature
The resolution for the issues facing mankind should come naturally.

I mean, the places where we live
The environments that we occupy on a daily basis.

Let's talk about this sensibly
Having a straightforward discussion focused on logical reasoning and practical applications.

We're not insensitive
Acknowledging human emotion and avoiding creating unnecessary tensions.

I know progress has no patience
Recognizing the incessant urge for improvement, often at the cost of necessary steps and reactions.

But something's got to give
Signaling the idea of reaching a breaking point, and eventual change needs to happen.

I know you're different
Understanding that different people have different experiences and perspectives.

You know I'm the same
Acknowledging the similarities we all share regardless of differences.

We're both too busy
Having a hectic lifestyle might cause us not to appreciate the value of taking smaller steps to make this world a better place.

To be taking the blame
Refusing to take responsibility and growing from the lessons learned.

I'd like some changes
Expressing a strong desire to see progress and positive change.

But you don't have the time
The notion that time is precious and limited, and we must use it wisely.

We can't go on thinking
Acknowledging that the current mindset will not provide us with a sustainable forward trajectory.

It's a victimless crime
The inadvertent harm caused to others due to our lifestyle and consumption patterns.

No one is blameless
We are all guilty and culpable for our individual actions up to a collective movement.

But we're all without shame
Shame has slowly eroded, leading to detachment and apathy, and is an obstacle in achieving progress.

We fight the fire
Attempt at solving the problem, whether knowingly or unknowingly.

While we're feeding the flames
The actions we take in the present may lead to irreversible consequences in the future.

Folks have got to make choices
Individual choices are powerful and can change the course for everyone.

And choices got to have voices
The ability to create and project your unique voice and message is crucial to initiate change.

Folks are basically decent
The belief that people are fundamentally ethical and moral by nature.

Conventional wisdom would say
The fundamental ideals and thoughts that contribute to general public wisdom.

Well, we read about
News and media informs us regularly of the events happening in society.

The exceptions
Out of the norm happenings that occur in society.

In the papers every day
In the collective media consumed every day.

At least, that's what I feel
The belief that change should come naturally through wisdom and ethical thinking.

"Now I lay me down in Dreamland"
A reference to the nursery rhyme that transmits the idea of children's contentment and happiness before sleeping. A reminder of simplistic aims we should strive for.

I know perfect's not for real
The longing for a utopian ideal is misguided and impractical.

I thought we might get closer
A hopeful belief that we could bridge the gap, bring people together, and move towards a common goal.

But I'm ready to make a deal
A willingness to sacrifice something to achieve a common good or to establish a feasible plan.

Today is different
Every day is a new opportunity, a chance for change, and a fresh start.

And tomorrow the same
Acknowledging that every day will have its unique challenges and ways to make the world better.

It's hard to take the world
Finding the right balance between acknowledging the good and wanting to change the not-so-good aspects of the world around us is a difficult task.

The way that it came
Referring to the current state of the world and the ongoing events; acknowledging that it itself poses both opportunities and challenges for the future.

Too many rapids
Like a river that flows fast, events and situations keep happening faster than we can keep up.

Keep us sweeping along
The idea that we are flowing along with the events, unable to control or make a change in our direction.

Too many captains
Referring to the leaders of events, the power structures responsible for the direction in which we are flowing.

Keep on steering us wrong
Claiming that the patterns established are doing more harm than good, causing the situation to worsen.

It's hard to take the heat
Taking responsibility, being accountable, and acknowledging any issues is a difficult task that requires humility.

It's hard to lay blame
It is challenging to assign responsibility without causing unnecessary tensions and conflicts.

To fight the fire
To attempt and solve the issue at its core, using practical solutions and collective effort.

While we're feeding the flames
While trying to solve the problem, we tend to ignore or exacerbate the issues that lead to its emergence, as we often overlook the details and focus more on the bigger picture.