Choreography. Paint by numbers.
Exchange hollow greetings with someone who'll do the same.
Smile appropriately for the right kinds of people,
with the right kinds of capital, financial or social.
Craft your character, rehearse your performance.
See which you sells the best and reinforce habits.
Walk to the altar, read from the prompter,
smile for your picture, and clap like a seal.
(chorus)
Is everyone looking at me?
Are they nodding their heads in approval?
Does this convince you? It never convinced me... it never convinced me.
Years don't teach anything if you're not listening...
or plugging your ears with bargain priced fantasies that are cheap to adopt,
but will surely break down right when you need a real understanding.
Choreography. Don't think critically.
It's all been figured out for you, and nothing means anything.
(chorus í—2)