The Sentient
The Agonist Lyrics
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One hundred million species
Undiscovered until extinction
Here once stood
Unnatural amounts of pretty turned product
Mechanized slaughter
The sentient flaunted their machinist superiority
Millennia of ancestry
Plowed down for modern industry
The solution to their housing crisis
Was in fact the cause
So, why not humanity for habitats?
Because they are damned if they do
And damned when they can't!
Euthanasia is a crimeless death penalty
But it's still better than what they get
When tortured, brutally murdered,
'Cause some fucking coward can't make a clean living
So he picks on the voiceless children
"Well, they're not smart like us
They won't feel a thing!"
That's a fact! Please explain!
Why should we even care?
The things we destroyed did not need to be there (And we know what is right!)
It's survival of the selfish
The bi-pedal tyrant goes down with his ship in the end
Here once stood
Invented laws and morals
Applicable to selective followers
And as such, rules reserved the right
To control matters of death and life
...Oxygen and oceans...
Metal rusts, cement crumbles
To err is human, not divine
Prayers are so intently mumbled
When proud man is forced to decline
Why should we even care?
The things we destroyed did not need to be there
It's survival of the selfish
The bi-pedal tyrant goes down with his ship in the end
The lyrics to The Agonist's song The Sentient are powerful and thought-provoking. The first verse highlights the destructive nature of humanity and how it has led to the extinction of millions of species. The second verse references the ways in which humans have justified their actions through ideas of superiority and progress.
The refrain, "why should we even care?" is repeated throughout the song, forcing us to confront the reality that as a species, we often prioritize our own comfort and advancement over the wellbeing of other forms of life. The final verse juxtaposes the fleeting nature of human power and the enduring presence of the natural world, reminding us that our legacy will be one of destruction unless we start to care.
Overall, The Sentient is a call to action, urging us to recognize the impact of our actions on the world around us and to reevaluate our priorities before it's too late.
Line by Line Meaning
Here once stood
This line represents the past and what used to exist
One hundred million species
There used to be a large number of species that roamed the earth
Undiscovered until extinction
They were not discovered until they became extinct
Unnatural amounts of pretty turned product
A lot of produce was created in unnatural ways
Mechanized slaughter
Slaughtering was done using machines
The sentient flaunted their machinist superiority
The society that created machines boasted about their superiority
An ersatz compensation for real instincts lost
The machines were created to compensate for instincts that were lost because of technological advancements
Millennia of ancestry
Many generations that came before us
Plowed down for modern industry
They were destroyed for modern industries
The solution to their housing crisis
The solution to the housing crisis of some people
Was in fact the cause
The cause of the issue was the solution itself
So, why not humanity for habitats?
Why don't we destroy human habitats?
Because they are damned if they do
If humans destroy their own habitats, they will suffer the consequences
And damned when they can't!
If humans can't destroy their own habitats, they are also condemned
Euthanasia is a crimeless death penalty
Euthanasia is a painless way to kill someone, but it is still a death penalty
But it's still better than what they get
Euthanasia is still better than the alternative
When tortured, brutally murdered,
When they are killed brutally and brutally tortured
'Cause some fucking coward can't make a clean living
Because some cowardly people cannot make an honest living
So he picks on the voiceless children
They pick on those who cannot speak up - children
"Well, they're not smart like us
They are not as intelligent as us
They won't feel a thing!"
They won't feel anything when they get killed
That's a fact! Please explain!
This is a fact, someone please explain
Why should we even care?
Why should we care about what happens?
The things we destroyed did not need to be there (And we know what is right!)
The things that have been destroyed were not important and we know what is right
It's survival of the selfish
Only the selfish can survive in this world
The bi-pedal tyrant goes down with his ship in the end
The tyrant, or any cruel person, will ultimately face the consequences
Invented laws and morals
Laws and morals that were created
Applicable to selective followers
Only certain followers followed the laws and morals
And as such, rules reserved the right
As a result, certain rules had the right to control things such as life and death
To control matters of death and life
To have control over things such as death and life
...Oxygen and oceans...
A pause or break in the song
Metal rusts, cement crumbles
Even the strongest materials will eventually break down
To err is human, not divine
Humans are imperfect, not divine
Prayers are so intently mumbled
People are desperate and pray with great intensity
When proud man is forced to decline
When a proud person has to accept defeat
Why should we even care?
Again, why should we care?
The things we destroyed did not need to be there
What we destroyed wasn't necessary to be there in the first place
It's survival of the selfish
Only those who care for themselves will survive
The bi-pedal tyrant goes down with his ship in the end
Those who are cruel will face their downfall
Contributed by Elena E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.