we learn from our mistakes

Song Meaning

The lyrics paint a picture of a relationship caught in a frustrating loop. The narrator repeatedly finds themselves in familiar territory, acknowledging past mistakes and a lack of appreciation. There's a palpable sense of stagnation, despite the desire for change. A core tension emerges from the contrast between the narrator's deep-seated self-awareness and the other person's seemingly more casual approach to their shared struggles. While the narrator admits to being "so righteous" and "fuck[ing] it up," the "you" character offers a glib mantra: "We lie, we touch, we think too much / We get bored a little but we change it up." This highlights a fundamental disconnect in how they perceive their problems and their capacity for growth. The repeated phrase "I've been here before" anchors the narrator's feeling of being trapped, but it's the rhetorical question "We learn from our mistakes, right?" that truly cuts. This isn't a confident assertion but a plea or a sarcastic jab, immediately undermining the very idea of progress. The narrator's blunt admission, "I'm never taught what I got to lose," directly contradicts the chorus's hopeful sentiment, revealing a profound internal struggle to internalize lessons, despite repeated experiences. These lyrics resonate because they capture the messy, often cyclical nature of human relationships and personal growth. The narrator's candid self-critique, from not liking "your hair when you dyed it" to acknowledging "I mean well, but no use," grounds the emotional struggle in relatable, imperfect details. By juxtaposing the narrator's deep introspection with the "you" character's more surface-level optimism, the writing effectively conveys the frustrating reality of trying to evolve when patterns feel impossible to break, leaving the listener to ponder if "we learn from our mistakes" or merely repeat them.