My meaning of this song is that the world has gone insane. They try the same things over and over again, wanting different results, attempting to force different results. The insanity gets to you and once you realize it all, you realize the world has gone mad. How people look for the happiness in all the same places in their everyday lives, but are too stubborn to look elsewhere. How people are too selfish, to worry about other people, to busy thinking about advancing themselves, when not thinking about putting there hand down to pull you out, so you too can build your staircase. Most are too stubborn to realize this truth, to busy on focusing on optimism, a false truth. Once you realize that this world is not as good as you think, that everyone has evil somewhere inside them, you'll know that is world truly is a Mad World.