Ok well what I'm coming to there is the overall tone of the original hymn is one of hope and uplifting joy. The version created and used in the game takes that and shifts the tonal focus to the seemingly never-ending hardship the remnants of humanity face. The "questions" of the song are, in my opinion, rhetorical, in the sense that it was written with this sense that "of course", because to those who sing it, it's a no-brainer, that the positive answer is ingrained in their beliefs. In the alternate context, however, this changes from "of course" to doubtful. You've been climbing this mountain for so long, you begin to ask yourself if what you've been told is on the other side is worth it, or if it was ever there, and it's easy to fall into the negative side of that doubt.
To sum up, it's the general attitude toward life as the remnants of Humanity have come to know it. That's what I mean. Life has become even crappier than it has ever been before, and the people who have known and experienced the life that was better, what existed before, are affected so deeply that their attitude toward life in general can change drastically.
I know it's a Christian hymn, but I wasn't factoring that into my opinion of how appropriate it is here, just the lyrics.
Yes, lovely lyrics. I'm curious as to what you mean when you say this though:
Because as much as anybody would like to hope, in this n… moreew world, the answer likely to be most common in everyone's minds, whether they're honest or in denial, is "no".
Which "answer" are you referring to above? Apologies if none of this is new to you, but I'm just thinking out loud: The hymn has to do with loss, and it basically addresses the question between going to heaven to "join them in their bliss" for a "better home awaiting" or to stay on earth ("Or are songs of earth your choice?") I had to look it up, but apparently the "unbroken circle" refers to when friends and family sit in a circle around a campfire, and the passing of loved ones will break said circle (funny how Clem and the group sat in a campfire circle a couple times in 203, huh?). Eventually everyone will die (fact of life), though suicide ("Will you join them in their bliss?") cou… [view original content]
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Relax, I'm just being dramatic.
Ok well what I'm coming to there is the overall tone of the original hymn is one of hope and uplifting joy. The version created and used in the game takes that and shifts the tonal focus to the seemingly never-ending hardship the remnants of humanity face. The "questions" of the song are, in my opinion, rhetorical, in the sense that it was written with this sense that "of course", because to those who sing it, it's a no-brainer, that the positive answer is ingrained in their beliefs. In the alternate context, however, this changes from "of course" to doubtful. You've been climbing this mountain for so long, you begin to ask yourself if what you've been told is on the other side is worth it, or if it was ever there, and it's easy to fall into the negative side of that doubt.
To sum up, it's the general attitude toward life as the remnants of Humanity have come to know it. That's what I mean. Life has become even crappier than it has ever been before, and the people who have known and experienced the life that was better, what existed before, are affected so deeply that their attitude toward life in general can change drastically.
I know it's a Christian hymn, but I wasn't factoring that into my opinion of how appropriate it is here, just the lyrics.