I've always thought of the lyrics as Bono basically saying that humans continue to kill each other for all kinds of ridiculous reasons. Helpless lovers are left to contemplate this waste of human life "in the shade of a willow tree." When the "armor plated suits and ties" are running things.. well, sometimes you'd like for it all to just go away. With that perspective in mind, saying "rather go blind" is much like saying "ignorance is bliss." I have an issue of Rolling Stone (don't remember which - late 80s I think) where Bono or Edge says that U2 is "anti apathy without direction." If they didn't stick by that, then I think they would be staring at the sun. But King B and his men will never give in.
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"And I have seen the sunrise over the river, the freeway, reminding of this mess we're in.. and the city sun sets over me." PJ Harvey