Notes on the current state of being (ongoing thread, comments okay)

[Doktor Howl]

Think about this, for just a moment:  If the US government is no longer bound by the US constitution in any meaningful way, why are you?

What parts of the US Constitution would I have been bound to? The only bits I know of deal with how the government works, and how it is limited from interfering with a citizen's life.

You are required to:

1.  Answer the draft.
2.  Sit on a jury.
3.  Pay taxes.

You are also, by implication - and this is the important part - obey federal laws as passed by congress, in precisely the same manner the government "must" obey the constitution.  It's right there in black & white, in article VI.

So according to article VI, we can do anything we goddamn please.
To bad it isn't worth the paper it's printed on. 

Um, no.  According to article VI, you have to obey federal law.

Yes, that's what it says.
But in the same manner as the government "must" obey the constitution? Sounds like a lot of leeway...on paper, anyway.

This was exactly my point.  Only one side is upholding its end of the contract.

[Doktor Howl]

True, it's about conditioning them to be good WalMart^TM workers.
And making parents buy twice as many clothes.

It's about conditioning.  People in uniform act differently than people not in uniform.

[stelz]

True, it's about conditioning them to be good WalMart^TM workers.
And making parents buy twice as many clothes.

It's about conditioning.  People in uniform act differently than people not in uniform.

True. It feels different wearing a uniform, kind of repressive.

[Doktor Howl]

True, it's about conditioning them to be good WalMart^TM workers.
And making parents buy twice as many clothes.

It's about conditioning.  People in uniform act differently than people not in uniform.

True. It feels different wearing a uniform, kind of repressive.

The general feeling, believe it or not, is comfort.  Belonging.

Being part of something greater than yourself.

This is why gangs have colors, it's why they shave the heads of recruits in the military, etc.  More innocently, it's why high school bands have uniforms when they're playing in the pit.

[El Twid]

True, it's about conditioning them to be good WalMart^TM workers.
And making parents buy twice as many clothes.

It's about conditioning.  People in uniform act differently than people not in uniform.

Not only that, but people expect you to behave differently in uniform.

Referencing your messages thread- You expect a cop in blue to direct traffic, pull you over and bust criminals. You expect a cop in riot gear to direct the movement of people, pull you down and bust heads. You expect a cop dressed as a soldier to open fire.

[El Twid]

True, it's about conditioning them to be good WalMart^TM workers.
And making parents buy twice as many clothes.

It's about conditioning.  People in uniform act differently than people not in uniform.

True. It feels different wearing a uniform, kind of repressive.

The general feeling, believe it or not, is comfort.  Belonging.

Being part of something greater than yourself.

This is why gangs have colors, it's why they shave the heads of recruits in the military, etc.  More innocently, it's why high school bands have uniforms when they're playing in the pit.

It serves to develop an "us and them" mentality.

[Doktor Howl]

True, it's about conditioning them to be good WalMart^TM workers.
And making parents buy twice as many clothes.

It's about conditioning.  People in uniform act differently than people not in uniform.

Not only that, but people expect you to behave differently in uniform.

Referencing your messages thread- You expect a cop in blue to direct traffic, pull you over and bust criminals. You expect a cop in riot gear to direct the movement of people, pull you down and bust heads. You expect a cop dressed as a soldier to open fire.

Yep.

In NYC in the 70s, when there was trouble, people called the fire department.  Because they'd show up.  And when they did, they wouldn't beat the complainant bloody.

[Doktor Howl]

True, it's about conditioning them to be good WalMart^TM workers.
And making parents buy twice as many clothes.

It's about conditioning.  People in uniform act differently than people not in uniform.

True. It feels different wearing a uniform, kind of repressive.

The general feeling, believe it or not, is comfort.  Belonging.

Being part of something greater than yourself.

This is why gangs have colors, it's why they shave the heads of recruits in the military, etc.  More innocently, it's why high school bands have uniforms when they're playing in the pit.

It serves to develop an "us and them" mentality.

Precisely.

[El Twid]

True, it's about conditioning them to be good WalMart^TM workers.
And making parents buy twice as many clothes.

It's about conditioning.  People in uniform act differently than people not in uniform.

Not only that, but people expect you to behave differently in uniform.

Referencing your messages thread- You expect a cop in blue to direct traffic, pull you over and bust criminals. You expect a cop in riot gear to direct the movement of people, pull you down and bust heads. You expect a cop dressed as a soldier to open fire.

Yep.

In NYC in the 70s, when there was trouble, people called the fire department.  Because they'd show up.  And when they did, they wouldn't beat the complainant bloody.

Damn. Didn't know that.

[stelz]

True, it's about conditioning them to be good WalMart^TM workers.
And making parents buy twice as many clothes.

It's about conditioning.  People in uniform act differently than people not in uniform.

True. It feels different wearing a uniform, kind of repressive.

The general feeling, believe it or not, is comfort.  Belonging.

Being part of something greater than yourself.

This is why gangs have colors, it's why they shave the heads of recruits in the military, etc.  More innocently, it's why high school bands have uniforms when they're playing in the pit.

Ugh.
Belonging is great, but at the expense of letting someone else dictate your appearance and persona, it sucks.

Ghaaa, I'm a freak. 

[El Twid]

True, it's about conditioning them to be good WalMart^TM workers.
And making parents buy twice as many clothes.

It's about conditioning.  People in uniform act differently than people not in uniform.

True. It feels different wearing a uniform, kind of repressive.

The general feeling, believe it or not, is comfort.  Belonging.

Being part of something greater than yourself.

This is why gangs have colors, it's why they shave the heads of recruits in the military, etc.  More innocently, it's why high school bands have uniforms when they're playing in the pit.

Ugh.
Belonging is great, but at the expense of letting someone else dictate your appearance and persona, it sucks.

Ghaaa, I'm a freak. 

That's why you're here.

[stelz]

True, it's about conditioning them to be good WalMart^TM workers.
And making parents buy twice as many clothes.

It's about conditioning.  People in uniform act differently than people not in uniform.

True. It feels different wearing a uniform, kind of repressive.

The general feeling, believe it or not, is comfort.  Belonging.

Being part of something greater than yourself.

This is why gangs have colors, it's why they shave the heads of recruits in the military, etc.  More innocently, it's why high school bands have uniforms when they're playing in the pit.

Ugh.
Belonging is great, but at the expense of letting someone else dictate your appearance and persona, it sucks.

Ghaaa, I'm a freak. 

That's why you're here.

GOOBLE GOBBLE, GOOBLE GOBBLE, ONE OF US! 

[navkat: navkat of...navkat!]

Think about this, for just a moment:  If the US government is no longer bound by the US constitution in any meaningful way, why are you?

Grrrrrrrrr!

I spend an inordinate amount of time thinking about:
College for Alex
Bug-out bags for both of us
Avoid the draft fund for Alex

I was in the Navy during the last years we ever had a president give a shit about not throwing warm bodies with guns at every problem. I don't want MY little monkey-muffin going. No siree.

If he works for NOAA, he gets a free pass.

One day, when the "selective service machine" has been running full-throttle for a few dozen years, one of us old timers will look up from the gruel they still let us eat if we're good and say
"You know, there was a time when 60% of the country didn't get tapped to do a tour before the age of 21."

And no one will know what the fuck we're talking about. That's like saying some dumb shit about there not being any internet. I mean, who cares? So then we'll say.

"Well, I guess it's a good thing you got that drinking age moved to 18, anyway, eh?"

[The Johnny]

In other words, they are trying to create a jello-mold linked to a mythical 1950s (in America, anyway), in which everyone is "normal" and well-behaved.

Thing is, the actual product of that system was the highest rate of juvenile delinquency in US history, and the highest number of teen pregnancies.

I expect the results will be the same in Mexico, as the driving factors are primate politics, not local cultural norms.

I dont agree with juvenile delinquency and teen pregnancy being the result of the education system, id think it'd be other factors.

Juvenile delinquency id chalk it up more to, i dont know really, identification with non-working role models in the media, or macroeconomic and family structure changes... or changes in the penalization of certain crimes, or even changes in the statistical recollection of data... i dont know much about this subject...

Teen pregnancies is weird, ive read stories about how girls after they have their babies are relieved of some kind of angst and makes them settle down, it even gives meaning to their life... so jeez i dont know, maybe something to do with the disintegration of traditional values and meaning of life that isnt replaced by anything modern?... one big question id have is that, do these pregnancies happen unwantedly, or are they wanted... dont really know about this either...

Here juvenile delinquency id say its more related to poverty and no jobs... one is more likely to peddle drugs if the alternative is to starve for a lack of prospect of jobs or education.

[El Twid]

I always figured that the change in attitude on becoming a parent is instinctual. "well gotta stop being a kid since i have to take care of one" this does not prevent the parent from continuing to make odd decisions only that their priorities have shifted beyond their own control.