This stanza gives the impression of what happens when the revolution begins; no one will have a peaceful night at home. When he claimed to be unable to tune in, tune in, and switch off, Scott-Herron was referring to LSD promoter Timothy Leary's basic phrase, "turn on, tune in, and drop out." The explanation of the use of "plug in" refers to the connection of electronic devices, particularly television in this case. The phrase "You won't be able to get lost on skag and pop out for beer during commercials" A "skag" is a slang term people use for heroin, which is a slight foreshadowing of when Gil Scott-Herron will get addicted to heroine later in her life. The joke about beer would be like saying that it's normal for people to sit around watching television and go get a beer when the commercial comes on.