I Don't Like The Drugs (But The Drugs Like Me)

Marilyn Manson's song "I Don't Like The Drugs (But The Drugs Like Me)" is a scathing critique of modern society and its norms. The lyrics delve into the superficiality and emptiness that Manson perceives in contemporary life. The repeated line, "I don't like the drugs but the drugs like me," suggests a paradoxical relationship with substances, where the individual may not actively seek out drugs, but the societal conditions make them almost inevitable. This line can be seen as a metaphor for various forms of escapism that people turn to in order to cope with the pressures and emptiness of modern life.

The term "Norm life baby" is used repeatedly to highlight the conformity and mediocrity that Manson sees in society. He describes a world where people are "white and oh so hetero," engaging in "missionary" sex, and living lives that are devoid of true passion or individuality. The lyrics also touch on the idea of being "raised to be stupid, taught to be nothing at all," suggesting that societal norms and education systems are designed to produce obedient, unthinking individuals rather than free thinkers.

Manson also critiques religious and moral hypocrisy, as seen in lines like "Our God is white and unforgiving" and "We're talkshown and we're pointing just like Christians at a suicide." These lines suggest that societal norms are often enforced through judgment and shame, rather than understanding and compassion. The song's dark, almost nihilistic tone is a call to question and resist these norms, to seek deeper meaning and authenticity in life. The repeated refrain about drugs serves as a powerful metaphor for the various ways people numb themselves to the pain and emptiness of modern existence.