Choker

Twenty One Pilots' song 'Choker' delves into themes of self-doubt, isolation, and the internal struggle of dealing with one's own limitations and fears. The lyrics paint a picture of someone who feels overwhelmed by life's pressures ('Chokin' on the circumstance') and is prone to self-sabotage ('Self-sabotage is a sweet romance'). The repeated line 'I was born a choker' suggests a deep-seated belief in one's own inability to succeed or cope with challenges, as if choking under pressure is an intrinsic part of the narrator's identity.

The song also touches on the concept of loneliness and the feeling that no one is coming to help ('Nobody's comin' for me'). This sense of abandonment reinforces the narrator's resignation to their struggles. However, there is a glimmer of self-awareness and a desire for change, as indicated by the lines 'I know I need to move right now' and 'Sooner I can realize that pain is just a middleman.' These suggest that the narrator understands the need to take action to overcome their circumstances, even if they feel stuck.

The metaphor of a splinter buried in the skin represents the persistent, nagging pain of unresolved issues. The idea that someone else can remove it, but the individual has the power to push it further in, illustrates the control one has over their own suffering. The song concludes with an image of growth and moving forward, despite the past casting a shadow. The message seems to be that while the past may shape us, we have the power to grow beyond it, even if the journey is painful and fraught with self-doubt.