Is this a test?

[ThreeDeviations]

Is this a test? It has to be.... otherwise I can't go on... draining patience, drain vitality.... this act's a little old.

To paraphrase the author...
Is life a test? Please don't tell me I'm here on Earth for no real reason... that there's no Light at the end. If that's the case... I don't care to keep living anymore... because all this life does is frustrates me to the point that its drained my inspiration to even be alive.


So the whole song hinges on the question of "Is this a test?" (life, being alive)

Are our lives as humans merely a test... is there something after our time on Earth that will make enduring humanity worth the pain and frustration?

Me- You can detect frustration and possible skepticism when he explains that "this act's a little old"
The frustration and skepticism is directed toward life, humanity and God. Despite his uncertainty/skepticism, about the actual reality of a rewarding "life after death" ..... he's still right here on Earth, being a human... giving blood and keeping faith that there is something... Bigger, more meaningful.
And you notice he says "And I'm still right here."
then he says...
"But I'm still right here...."
The word "and" suggests he's grudginlgly enduring time...
The word "but" suggests that although frustrated and possibly skeptical.., he's going to wait it out. (his life)

"If there were no rewards to reap.
No loving embrace to see me through
This tedious path I've chosen here
I certainly would've walked away by now.."

Me- I think this could have a couple interpretations..
If life had no reward for the hardship... if there wasn't a loving embrace from his Spirituality... then it would be impossible for him to continue on this "tedious path" as a human.
My other interpretation of this part of the song is that it's a "thank-you" to all of the true fans out there who support the band, who help give him (or them) a source of inspiration occasionally.


"If there were no desire to heal
The damaged and broken met along
This tedious path I've chosen here
I certainly would've walked away by now..."

He wants to heal as a human being.... human.
The damaged is him. . . Maynard.
The broken.... well, that's You and Me. the Fans.
So the music has served as a medium to allow the damaged and broken to meet along this tedious path.
Tedious because he, and the band mean so much, to so many... and he knows it... and that reality on his conscience can feel like more of a burden than reward. Despite their "think for yourself" suggestions... he knows that so many people look specifically to him for inspiration..... information... enlightenment and perspective. As if his own life isn't hard enough... as if he doesn't have enough of his own problems to deal with... he has been elected to be the voice of reason and the source of inspiration for a mini-society.
Anyhow, the point is... despite the fact that life is tedious.... and that there are peripheral disadvantages that go along with being the prominent person in Tool. (yeah, I know.. you'll say no member of Tool is above the other... nice theory, but it's crap- whether you/we want to admit it or not.
Without Maynard, you wouldn't be here reading this... I would've never written it... and this page wouldn't exist.)

Anyhow.. where was I? The point is, the song is a subtle thank you to the fans.... but on a larger scale... it's about him (or you/me) enduring life. He perceives life as a test issued by God. The potential reward for believing, being a good human.. and sticking out this difficult "test" as a human potentially has a great reward in the end. He realizes this and has decided to wait it out to see if his persistence will be rewarded through his patience...

[slowmo]

I kinda feel Maynard is illustrating the song through the eyes of a fan. Perhaps the song portrays a fan thinking Tool's music is a test; it has to be. (otherwise I can't go on)

Maybe Maynard is explaining that most Tool fans believe his lyrics/music is a test, some sort of puzzle that must be solved. Solved in order to gain what? Maybe some sort of relationship with the man himeself?

Maybe there is a test, and Maynard begs for fans to be patient. Maybe there is no test, Maynard is telling fans to grow up.
Just some radical residue floating around in my noggin.

[ThreeDeviations]

I kinda feel Maynard is illustrating the song through the eyes of a fan. Perhaps the song portrays a fan thinking Tool's music is a test; it has to be. (otherwise I can't go on)




HUH?! A fan thinking Tool's music is a test? That's drains patience and vitality too? I don't think so.

[Anonymous Unknown]

Three Deviations: I have the exact same opinion as you.

I'll tell a little story to put this in perspective. Very to the point. I have always felt like something was wrong, I didn't care about what others did. I was always facintated with the uknown. In 2001 I listened to Fiapp de Oiad. Aside from freaking my out it got me really interested in what the hell was going on on the track. Well cutting through the crap and details I found metaphysics. Early this year I was drawn again to Tool and upon listening to the lyrics I found that the very deep topics in Metaphysics matched very closely to the concepts covered in Tool's songs. I don't know if I can describe Metaphysics much better then the Bill Hick's quote on "Third Eye" does.

"Tody a young man on acid realized that all matter is merely energy condensed to a slow vibration, that we are all one consciousness experiencing itself subjectively, there is no such thing as death, life is only a dream, and we are the imagination of ourselves." -Bill Hicks

Which brings me to this song. I became depressed after getting into metaphysics to put it simply. I wanted to know why I came here (Incarnated here). I hated this place (earth), and all of the fucking trials tribulations, hate hurt, etc. When I looked at the lyrics to the Patient i was like "Holy fucking shit". I could have written the lyrics to the song (If I was poetic). The contents were exactly what I was dealing with.

Why did I come here. "Is this a test? It has to be otherwise I can't go on" In other words unless this is a test to see if I could hack it I don't want to be here.

The song talks about how there is a reward at the end, after passing the test, and that we have to be patient through this struggle, the reward will come. He always has the option of ending the struggle (life) but he must remind himself to be patient. The reward will come. By far my favorite line from the song, possible my favorite line from any song as I use it as a Mantra is "Must keep reminding myself of this" I say that over and over when ever the struggle gets to be too much, and I feel myself sinking. I must keep reminding myself of the reasons to go on. To make it through.

This is an oversimplification of the scope but it would take infinately long to explain this all.

[AMF]

Three Deviations: I have the exact same opinion as you.

I'll tell a little story to put this in perspective. Very to the point. I have always felt like something was wrong, I didn't care about what others did. I was always facintated with the uknown. In 2001 I listened to Fiapp de Oiad. Aside from freaking my out it got me really interested in what the hell was going on on the track. Well cutting through the crap and details I found metaphysics. Early this year I was drawn again to Tool and upon listening to the lyrics I found that the very deep topics in Metaphysics matched very closely to the concepts covered in Tool's songs. I don't know if I can describe Metaphysics much better then the Bill Hick's quote on "Third Eye" does.

"Tody a young man on acid realized that all matter is merely energy condensed to a slow vibration, that we are all one consciousness experiencing itself subjectively, there is no such thing as death, life is only a dream, and we are the imagination of ourselves." -Bill Hicks

Which brings me to this song. I became depressed after getting into metaphysics to put it simply. I wanted to know why I came here (Incarnated here). I hated this place (earth), and all of the fucking trials tribulations, hate hurt, etc. When I looked at the lyrics to the Patient i was like "Holy fucking shit". I could have written the lyrics to the song (If I was poetic). The contents were exactly what I was dealing with.

Why did I come here. "Is this a test? It has to be otherwise I can't go on" In other words unless this is a test to see if I could hack it I don't want to be here.

The song talks about how there is a reward at the end, after passing the test, and that we have to be patient through this struggle, the reward will come. He always has the option of ending the struggle (life) but he must remind himself to be patient. The reward will come. By far my favorite line from the song, possible my favorite line from any song as I use it as a Mantra is "Must keep reminding myself of this" I say that over and over when ever the struggle gets to be too much, and I feel myself sinking. I must keep reminding myself of the reasons to go on. To make it through.

This is an oversimplification of the scope but it would take infinately long to explain this all.

And how is that thinking any different than the radical Muslims who kill themselves because they will get a reward of eternal life and 72 virgins in heaven? This is your only life, the only existence you will ever remember anyhow, regardless how many times your soul is incarnated or whatever you choose to believe; make use of it or wither away. The body, mind, and soul need to be unified and balance as one being, in my way of thinking anyways.

[Anonymous Unknown]

And how is that thinking any different than the radical Muslims who kill themselves because they will get a reward of eternal life and 72 virgins in heaven? This is your only life, the only existence you will ever remember anyhow, regardless how many times your soul is incarnated or whatever you choose to believe; make use of it or wither away. The body, mind, and soul need to be unified and balance as one being, in my way of thinking anyways.

I suppose this differs mainly in the perspectives that are taken. Especially in that every thing you do in this life has some Karmic effect. Killing a lot of people in a suicide attack would stir up some pretty heavy Karmic debt for yourself to pay. I am not advocating anyviewpoints here, just sharing a perspective on what "The Patient" could possibly be about.

[ThreeDeviations]

By far my favorite line from the song, possible my favorite line from any song as I use it as a Mantra is "Must keep reminding myself of this".


That's one of my favorite parts in any Tool song too. The Patient is definitely one of my favorites.. musically and lyrically.

Circling guitars.