How Men Are

The lyrics describe love being damaged by cruelty, lies, and people’s unwillingness to face what is happening. The speaker asks why it takes a woman’s tears for others to recognize harmful behavior. The mood is frustrated and sorrowful, but it also turns toward hope: love is presented as generous and capable of teaching a different way to live.

The repeated spelling of “perspective” emphasizes the need to look clearly at a situation rather than avoid it. The idea that damage happens “by degrees” suggests harm can build slowly, so it may be hard to notice at first. Love as “a giving with no need of return” contrasts care with money or transactions: affection is not meant to be measured as a debt or bargain.

The phrase “how men are” could refer to patterns of men’s behavior, especially cruelty or dishonesty, but the lyrics do not explain exactly which actions are meant. The repeated question may criticize not only those who cause harm, but also people who ignore it until someone suffers visibly. The song’s hopeful lines suggest change is possible, while its references to history and slow belief leave open whether that change will come easily.