Rise Against: Disparity by Design Meaning

Disparity by Design Lyrics

all the way at the bottom
of the barrels we cry out
so ashamed of our tears that
we blame only ourselves
and that’s when they win
they keep us convinced
to lift up our chins
these playing fields are level
we all have a chance
with that...

1. 1TOP RATED

   #1 top rated interpretation:
   anonymous

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   Apr 21st 2011 !⃝

   I believe this song is about the state of social mobility and the class system in modern America. America was founded on the principle that all people are equal and have equal opportunity to move up in the world, and to improve themselves. America was also praised for having no class system, with everyone, regardless of income, being treated equally, shown by "These playing fields are level
   we all have a chance."
   This song, however, explains how we seem to have forgotten or forsaken these ideals today, due to how the rich and media portray success in life. They portray that life is only best if your rich, and that the poor deserve their lives, and that they are inferior to them.
   "We pulled on these bootstraps so hard that they broke," relates to an old saying, "Pull yourself up by your bootstraps," which was the idea that everyone could raise themselves up out of poverty. But, sometimes effort is not enough. The breaking of the bootstraps shows how one can try as hard as they can to escape poverty and sometimes still fail.
   "The fast lanes they rode, in which access depends, on who you know, or where you came from
   whose daughter are you? whose fortunate son?"
   This shows how today, effort is not all that's required to achieve success. People also need connections to be recognized, instead of being able to improve themselves solely through the sweat of their own brows, as it used to be. But this is not all that's important.
   "Perhaps the man in the gutter is not so different from you," seems to me to sum up the idea of the song. We need to remember how it used to be, despite how important income and money is thought of today, we are all still equal. We need to disregard what the rich and the media tell us about what success means, that we need the connections and hard work and money, and remember that deep down, we are all equal, rich or poor, and success is relative to what we wish it to be.
   
   "We’re fed these empty fairy tales and I’m through believing," seems to show this, we need to stop relying on others to tell us how our lives should be to be successful, and work for ourselves. The song seems to say how we need to believe the founding principles of America and not the "new modern principles" of this age.
   
   We should remember that everyone is still equal, rich or poor, and to not be condescending towards those less fortunate than oneself, because sometimes people have not had the opportunities the rich have had, and should not be treated differently because of it, unlike the ideas we hold today.
2. anonymous

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   Nov 17th 2012 !⃝

   I agree with everything that the #1 interpretation says, except one thing. I don't think America used to be any better. First we had, and finally eradicated, slavery. Then women received the right to vote with the 19th amendment in 1920. This was followed by a great depression, the largest war ever, years of nuclear threats, and gay rights and environmental issues are finally starting to gain momentum. While the world is still a long way form perfect, we can't really say it was better in the past. I do strongly believe it will be better in the future however.
3. anonymous

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   Mar 16th 2012 !⃝

   About communism and capitalism.
4. anonymous

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   Apr 19th 2011 !⃝

   My guess is that is it about terrorism
   "from the towers, high glass ceiling tombs" idk but thats my guess, about how the US is fighting about 9/11 and then how we just get overly involved in affairs overseas

   This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway

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