Meaning of "A Poor Recipe for Civic Cohesion" by Western Addiction

The lyrics of "A Poor Recipe for Civic Cohesion" by Western Addiction delve into the internal conflict between the desire for connection and the disillusionment with societal expectations. The narrator grapples with the idea of patience as a virtue, contrasting it with their own temperament for temperance, suggesting a lack of tolerance for the insincerity and superficiality they perceive in social interactions. The portrayal of partitioning stems and seeds, slicing sharks and porcelain pedestals, and being socially graceless reflects a sense of alienation and a rejection of the norms that govern relationships. The reference to being wedlocked to rivers and tides, and arrangements as passionate wives, hints at a deeper connection to nature and solitude as opposed to human companionship. The concept of catastrophe of the highest order and feigned composure conveys a sense of internal turmoil and conflict with the facades people present in society. The narrator ultimately rejects conformity for the sake of unity, deeming it a poor recipe for civic cohesion, and instead embraces their own individuality and unconventional ways of navigating the world.