What Uniform Do YOU Wear?

[Don Coyote]

So this is topic that caught my eye and I still haven't fully developed how I feel about this, BUT

For me, I have ALWAYS hated uniforms and labels. Which is partly why I never fit into the Army. I hate the idea that my worth to an organization and the people in it is based on superficial things about me, rank and unit primarily. There is a lot of baggage that goes along with that. The pressure, especially for someone who gets the label of being a great soldier and smart soldier, to advance in rank, which honestly isn't that bad, but for me the manner in which said advancement happens soured me but that is not related to this. There is also the unit cohesion and the pressure to take pride in your unit, to participate in post sport tournaments on the unit team, to attend family group readiness meetings, to be ENTHUSIASTIC about unit enforced fun days, which generally are fun unless you are only there because you were ordered and are thus not having fun to be contrary.
BUT that is only one side of that. You can't really tell how OUTSIDERS, whether those outsiders are other soldiers, or members of other services, or civilians, view you as soldier. For many people it is comforting, and indeed for a brief moment it felt fucking great wear my uniform for literally and figuratively. I lived the Army Values, and would feel I let myself down when I didn't live up to those ideals in all circumstance, which is not to say that these ideals aren't good but they were ARMY VALUES^TM.
More to point, because the Army has a lot of great things about it, and because it also shaped who I am today, I can't get rid of the bits of it, but I also find myself hesitant to make mention of even in a context inwhich is would make sense. ALSO, it to an extent sickens me when I see my battles, slang for friends uniform, wrap themselves whole cloth in Army^TM. Because that is so limiting.

Or am I just rambling because my brain is cramping from studying about Japanese personal identity topics.

[Triple Zero]

I am all about trying new "reality tunnels", but there's no need to become a style in order to experience it.

It's not? I always thought that the Reality Tunnel thing, the way RAW et al described it, was also partly about overcoming the fear that by *really* adapting a certain world view/tunnel, you might not be able to get back. And the surprise bonus being that you can get back, because personality styles are additive and don't completely replace eachother (unless I suppose you get into some sort of brainwashing cult type of thing). Except that the person that returns, is not quite the same, but one that is an experience richer. Even if the experience is about what not to do, feel or be.

I do realize that's not exactly what you meant, btw. Nor have I ever intentionally tried to "become" a style, in that fashion. It's kind of hard after all, with all those people and responsibilities getting in the way. I did, however, "try on" a couple of different styles of Discordia, over the years, inspired by the many takes on it of people on this board. None of them fit, but I did end up with all sorts of bits and pieces that I like and consider my own to this day. (I do try to give attribution though :P)