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Philosophy Of The Sickness

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The cover of The Sickness shows a man looking very much like David Draiman appearing to be smothered in a duffel bag, though the singer is quick to correct this misinterpretation.

"It's not really me," Draiman clarifies. "I think that it has my eyes, which is what I was told. In fact, I was very vehemently against having me on the cover. I don't like the pompousness that it suggests."

Instead, he says, "it shows the Monster being born. You can see the vaginal lips parted, and the head is peeking through, and he's pissed. This is the Monster that society has created by years and years of its efforts to subjugate the individual inside the womb, gestating. The unborn person, the person trying to truly develop himself."

What does society want that person to become?

"Another clone," is his response. "Another carbon-copy individual of what we believe that your typical, average, middle-class, good, law-abiding American citizen should be. The $40-60,000-a-year job in an office somewhere, who drives their SUV to work, with the carbon-copy condo or house somewhere decent, in pastel colors or some shit. I always thought that Edward Scissorhands was a wonderful movie, because of the surreal picture that it painted of all that."
Draiman says that the whole message of The Sickness is to point out the subjugation that we're oppressed by in the course of our daily routine. However, the singer feels that his efforts to not spell out the warnings implicit in such songs as "The Game," "Meaning Of Life" and "Down with the Sickness" have gone misinterpreted.

"We're not for death and destruction of anything," he reveals. "Just for keeping your mind open and not defining anything in terms of morals or preconceived value-systems. These songs have been horribly misconstrued because many people are used to taking things completely at face value, and not looking just a little bit deeper. Whether you are, as in "The Game,' an individual who toys with others' emotions, or, in "Meaning of Life,' someone who's pretentious or pretends not to be moved by certain things, and hides your emotion, or, in "Down with the Sickness,' if you're just another individual who is struggling against the artillery-fire of modern society that's trying to back you into the corner of subjugation... These are all the things that we fight against.
"I'm not out there to preach decadence and depravity," he says, quietly but firmly. "I'm out there to preach freedom and salvation."

- Scientists have discovered a new number. Bleem. it goes between six and seven. - I almost don't feel the way I do.. - I called a suicide hotline because i was feeling depressed. the guy asked why. i told him. he hung himself. - Ever pour glue on a bird? - Scientists discovered a new number today. Bleem. it belongs in between Six and Seven. - Do other dogs think poodles are in a religeous cult? - If PRO is the opposite of CON...whats the opposite of Progress? - Who is the asshole that put an S in the word Lisp? - What would the world be like without hypothetical questions? - If a guy is an obvious fruit, and he becomes braindead...is he still a fruit? or is he now a vegateble? Or is he like the tomato. its like a fruit, but more of a vegeatble? - I got into an arguement with my rice crispies. I distintcly heard "snap-crackle-fuck you" - Why do they call it a near miss? isnt it a near hit? I'd think a Collision would be called a Near Miss. - I dont wanna live in New Hampshire. their license plate says "live free or DIE". I dont wanna live anywhere where it mentions death right on the license plate. - If i painted my turtle black, would it be spooky? - If someone with multiple personalities threatens to kill himself, is it a hostage situation? - Eye boogers are cool. those crusty things. They're cool, cause you know, even the POPE gets eye boogers. - How come the voices in peoples heads always tell them to kill someone? These people are crazy right? Shouldnt the voices be crazy too? How come they never say crazy stuff like "Go Take a shit on the salad bar at Wendy's". - What wine goes withh Cap'n Crunch? - You know what would be an interesting Debate that would turn into a fistfight? Existentialists vs. Skepitcs - If the TV says "dont go away", and you ACTUALLY stay there, do you realize you are obeying a talking box? - Worship the Potato. seems like a good idea. why not? - If someone runs into you, i say take a 3 point football stance and tackle their ass. they deserved it - Fuck soccer moms - Why do they swab your arm with alcohol before they give you a lethal injection? - If I'm in a room, and something screeches through the air and latches onto a guys neck spewing pus, and the guy runs around screaming...I have to laugh because..What is that thing? ya know? - Sties are caused by watching your dog shit - Why is it a moment of silence? how bout a moment of screaming?! these people are dead! AHHHHH. how bout a moment of Muffled Convorsation...for those who were treated and released. - the average family household has 1.7 kids. So thats means Billy and his decapitated sister. - I HATE people who dont know what Amallagamoplasty means. they really annoy me. - If you are reading this, you have tooo much time on your hands. - The man who invented crest toothpaste died this week. 9 out of 10 dentists attended his funeral. - I find this funny. a group trying to fund president clintons legal bills after the lewinsky scandel actually sent a letter to Monica's dad because she was on the mailing list. - By the age of 18, the average child has seen 34,551 people murdered, killed in a violant way, or decomposing corpses, In Movies and Television. but if you break it down....its only like 3-4 a day - Tom Brokaw smells like Pie - I have a mixed dog. 1/2 rottweiler, 1/2 poodle. not a good attack dog, but a vicious gossip. - Whats your favorite planet? mines the sun. its like the king of planets. What? its not a planet? oh well planet or not when that thing burns out we are all gonna fry -