Look me in the eyes
And tell me if you think
I like being the one
Who's dead inside
At least for now, "I" am the subject of the song, being the only one (thus far) who is dead inside.
Searching through my soul
Nothing but a hole
Daily sinking deeper
Down through my mind
Soul searching is common for the internally dead, so "I" am doing it, finding nothing, and sinking. I say "I" in quotes because this isn't strictly me; it can't be because I'm the one looking from the outside and criticizing "me".
Face like a stone
It's been years since I've grown
Any sort of update
To my conscience
"I" don't react to anything that anyone with a normal set of emotions would, and I've been this way for years.
Being all alone
With attention all around
Do you think I like it?
Do I want this?
I've gained attention for being "that guy" who's always alone and seems to feel nothing. Like many who acquire fame, "I" have begun to question whether "I" like it; whether or not it's at all worth the price of "my" emotions.
Everyone knows
My heart is blind
(Do you think I like it?)
Everyone knows
I hate my mind
(Do you think I like it?)
Everyone knows
My soul is vile
(Do you think I like it?)
These first three, "everyone" is the people "I" have gained fame amongst, stating some typical symptoms of the internally dead.
Everyone knows
But they're in denial
(Do you think I like it?)
For the last one, "everyone" represents a different group of people: the people who actually know and care about "me", who are in denial about "my" state of mind.
(I won)
(He lost)
(I paid)
(the-)
Do you think I like it?
This refers to the previous song on the album, It's A Competition. "I" won that competition, and I paid the price. The word cut off by the title from "(the-)" is "cost".
All smoke no fire
I can smell my blood
No reaction when
The place burns down
The first line alludes to "my" unperturbedness not being complete or legitimate. That line is also represented on the cover of the song by the brightened smoke cell.
Electric wire
And a great big fall
Never to faze me
I stand my ground
Back to full unperturbedness; the electric wire is also represented on the cover of the song by the wiring symbol chart cell.
And when everyone sees
They appreciate me
For being the one
Who's dead inside
A benefit of being dead inside is that you can work with a clear head no matter the pressure.
If only they knew
What thoughts really grew
Inside my mind
Crawl down my spine
What those who appreciate "me" for being dead inside don't know is what really goes on in "my" head, as described in the chorus.
Everyone knows
My heart is blind
(Do you think I like it?)
Everyone knows
I hate my mind
(Do you think I like it?)
Everyone knows
My soul is vile
(Do you think I like it?)
Everyone knows
But they're in denial
(Do you think I like it?)
And the worst part is not that I'm alone in this infinite void of the state of being quote-un-quote dead inside, it's that I'm not.
I wasn't even the first one.
It seems like almost everybody is also here, and I followed one or more of them because they made me think (whether they meant to or not) that it would be good, and that others would in turn follow me.
But an even worse part that only the least fortunate of us are aware of is that this void is an illusion.
It's not real.
None of us are dead inside, we only think we are.
In the words of somebody, wise or not, we all think we would run into the burning building.
Internal death isn't real, even if we wish it was.
A final, self-explanatory dissertation on the nature of internal death.