And to Posterity a Plague

Song Meaning

The lyrics paint a grim picture of humanity's legacy, starting with a stark declaration: "And to posterity we sent a plague." This opening immediately establishes a tone of profound regret and self-inflicted ruin. The narrator grapples with an overwhelming sense of guilt over "crimes we daily commit," questioning if absolution is even possible for the widespread destruction and "decay" they've wrought. The imagery of blood on hands, a classic motif of guilt, underscores the inescapable nature of their transgressions. The central tension lies in the conflict between awareness and inaction. The "faceless screams of misery" and the "catalogue of pain" are presented as undeniable evidence of suffering, so profound it "should make the stones weep." Yet, despite this overwhelming evidence, the narrator laments that "our wrath is choked." There's a powerful paradox articulated: "You can't enlighten the mind without blackening your soul," suggesting that progress or knowledge comes at a terrible moral cost, a cost that seems to paralyze rather than motivate. The repetition of "This silence is false / The silenced are falsed" is particularly striking. It implies a deliberate suppression of truth and a denial of the suffering endured by others. This manufactured quiet is not peace but a cover-up, a way to avoid confronting the reality of the "plague" they've unleashed. The dual meaning of "falsed" – both made false and perhaps even executed or silenced – amplifies the sense of profound injustice and the deliberate erasure of victims' experiences. Ultimately, these lyrics resonate because they tap into a deep-seated anxiety about collective responsibility and the consequences of our actions, both present and future. The writing doesn't offer easy answers but instead forces a confrontation with the uncomfortable truth that progress can be built on a foundation of suffering, and that acknowledging this truth can be a paralyzing burden. The cyclical nature of the plague and the choked wrath leave the listener with a lingering sense of dread and unresolved guilt.