short interpretation

[Bhikkhu]

The first couple of times I've played this song, I've thought that it's about a guy who's girlfriend has been raped by some Jerk-Off. She is so emberrased of it that she doesn't want to go to the police, because she's ashamed. She lives in a small town and doesn't want everybody to know.This so called Jerk-off robbed her of her pride (which was more like some sort of false pride). Without her confession the police can't do anything about it.
Now her boyfriend knows who did it and goes to the police and explains the situation. They have arrested the Jerk-Off, but he denies the crime and is released from jail. The police tell the boyfriend that they can't do anyting without a confession from his girlfriend. She still doesn't want to go to the police. The boyfriend, who is now so frustrated (he knows the rapist is not going to jail or anything) decides to play God and fuckin' shoot this guy himself.

After I've gotten to know and hear more song from Tool and read some interpretations, I've started to think more about the (ethical) deeper meaning, although I think Maynard wasn't really an expert on ethics when he wrote the lyrics.

For me the deeper meaning holds a very clear message:
You should not base your actions upon the consequences it might have, but the intentions that you have, on which your actions are based, should be pure and ethical. I think no-one has the right to kill someone, regardless of what that person has done to you.

An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind. - Gandhi

[Ghostwriter]

I believe that "Jerk Off" is basically a "theme song" for all the assholes out there...

[Spiralysis]

For me the deeper meaning holds a very clear message:
You should not base your actions upon the consequences it might have, but the intentions that you have, on which your actions are based, should be pure and ethical. I think no-one has the right to kill someone, regardless of what that person has done to you.

An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind. - Gandhi[/QUOTE]

I think you're right on with this. Utilitarians believe actions should be based on creating the greatest good for the greatest amount of people. Which is an ethical view. Here, though, I think he is saying that because the antagonist is a "jerk-off", that greater good would be achieved by killing him. Utilitarians concern themselves with only the consequences of actions; and because Maynard seems sooo into philosophy at this stage of his writing I think philosophy played a major role in this song as well.

[MrMiffMoff]

thats an imaginative story you came up with, but it only puts in context, somewhat, what i think maytard is trying to get across: dont be a jerk off simply because you can