☝️ Key Points
- The text addresses inner struggles and self-doubt caused by overwhelming thoughts and feelings.
- The protagonist tries to hide their emotions and hide from the world, which only leads to more internal conflicts.
- It is revealed that the protagonist is in a constant internal battle with themselves, always ending up losing.
- The protagonist is trapped in anger and negativity, which makes them feel unfree and unable to breathe.
- The text is a call for honesty with oneself and others, and to seek help instead of facing internal battles alone.
Interpretation
The lyrics of 'Fighting Myself' by
Linkin Park are about internal struggles and self-doubt. The protagonist describes their thoughts and feelings, which are so loud that they burden them and cause pain and doubt («Now, sometimes these thoughts in my head speak so loud / Every little thing that I think about / Just built on top of the pain and doubt»). They try to hide these feelings and hide from the world («Try to act like I don't mind it, try to keep my mouth so quiet»), but the silence seems to only amplify their internal conflicts («But sittin' there in my silence, just seems to amplify it»).
They describe how they fight themselves and always lose («Fighting myself, I always lose»). They are aware that they could have changed the situation from the start («Knowing I could've changed it all from the start»), but their anger and negativity keep them trapped («I can't breathe, I need to break free / From the anger that is constantly inside of me»).
The lyrics address the human tendency to suppress and hide negative emotions, and the negative effects this can have. It is a call to be honest with oneself and others, and to seek help instead of fighting internal battles alone.