Not Paying The Fair Price

I was listening to my iPhone in the subway today when the song Mr. Brightside by The Killers came up. It's her favorite karaoke song and for me it's the song I'll forever associate with her - too bad for the band! But a particular line of the song struck a chord with me and somewhat inspired me to write this post: "But it's just the price I pay." The line sounds pessimistic and bleak, an act of surrendering to the fate one cannot change. It's like saying there's nothing I can do about this particular problem and I just have to accept the consequences.

I have two issues with regard to the pessimistic interpretation of this particular line. First, the price we pay is ALWAYS negotiable especially when we live in places where people bargain all the time like Malaysia and Indonesia. We don't always have to accept the price we're being asked to pay. We can negotiate the price down or just simply refuse to pay and walk away. So the price that we end up paying might not be as expensive as we thought it was going to be originally. With a bit of cleverness and determination all parties to the negotiation can be happy and satisfied with the price that they have to pay or receive in the end.

Second, in the context of the song the line actually has a positive meaning of change. Try to read the lines that follow it: "Destiny is calling me, Open up my eager eyes, Cause I'm Mr. Brightside." So, what it actually means is that the character in the song is looking to make some major changes in his/her life, which include leaving behind the old familiar routine and faces to embrace the highly exciting yet uncertain new destiny. In all, the line is not bleak at all; the person is just beginning to open up his/her eager eyes as he/she realizes that change is in the air and that he/she wants to be part of it because it's also part of his/her destiny.

Even the title "Mr. Brightside" speaks loudly of hope and optimism. If it's a pessimistic song the band should change the title to "Mr. Darkside" instead.