Okay, so there's this soldier, right? And he's been sent off to a foreign land to fight for our freedom our way of life. There's nothing new about that, nothing special, same old song that was playing when Smedley Butler was doing his thing. We don't ask the soldier to analyze this...As a matter of fact, it's actively discouraged, just as it is actively discouraged with respect to the general population.
The thing is, if you start analyzing it, you start to think "What exactly IS our way of life?" Is it baseball, mom, and apple pie? Nobody has taken that idea seriously since the 60s. No, it's a little grimmer than that, I'm afraid. The American way of life is a pipeline, a sort of Boolean logic diagram that runs from the home, where the first decision point is reached, to school, where the second decision point is reached.
For the well-off, the decision made at home is, "are we rich enough to send our children to college?" If the answer is yes, then congratulations...Your kid has a reasonable chance to be themselves. If no, go to the next paragraph.
For the poor, the decision made at school is, "Can the child run Kafka's Gauntlet, and avoid getting into enough trouble to go to prison?" If not, the story pretty much ends here, whether the kid screws up in school, or at some point later on. If yes, then the kid has the military as the only real alternative to some poverty-stricken drone existence that will almost invariably lead back to the prison thing.
So the kid's answers are, in order: No, yes. So there he is, in some horrible 3rd world nation, fighting for the sake of fighting, fighting so that future generations can have all the wonderful choices he had.
What it also means is that there is an ever-shrinking percentage of educated people, and an ever-growing number of people in the prison system and the military. This is not a new road...The British had this wonderful system at the turn of the last century. It was called "The Victorian Age", and it was a rich man's heaven and a poor man's hell. It was arguably the worst era ever for the common man.
So, of course, we're going to do it again. And the reason they CAN do it again is that by keeping the common man uneducated, most of the common people won't recognize what's happening.
Way to go, Monkey Boy.
Or Kill Me.
Spells the whole thing out pretty simply. I also like the comparison to the Victorian Era. Looking forward to part 2.
Quote from: Pippa Twiddleton on January 14, 2013, 03:56:26 PM
Spells the whole thing out pretty simply. I also like the comparison to the Victorian Era. Looking forward to part 2.
Yeah, part 2 is going to deal more with public perception.
Roger, they should teach you in school. When I'm teaching I'm going to give my students handouts of this stuff.
Quote from: M. Nigel Salt on January 14, 2013, 04:18:36 PM
Roger, they should teach you in school. When I'm teaching I'm going to give my students handouts of this stuff.
:oops:
I mostly got this idea from you, you know.
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on January 14, 2013, 04:19:57 PM
Quote from: M. Nigel Salt on January 14, 2013, 04:18:36 PM
Roger, they should teach you in school. When I'm teaching I'm going to give my students handouts of this stuff.
:oops:
I mostly got this idea from you, you know.
:lol: I guess that partly explains why I agree with it so hard.
Regardless, very well put.
Somebody told me the other day that fruit gives people intestinal polyps (as he crammed chickenfried steak into his gaping maw).
And this besides the stupid shit I see on the net and in the local paper. "Uneducated" doesn't begin to say it.
I guess I should have defined Kafka's Gauntlet, now that I think of it.
When I say that, I mean to coin a term for the fact that you cannot get through a single day without committing a punishable offense. This isn't because people are bad, but because the laws are so Byzantine that almost any human behavior is covered by one or more laws, that can be enforced or not at the whim of the police and/or court system.
So every day, you run the gauntlet. If you get through the day without being arrested for your "offenses", you win. Until the next day.
Great term for something I've been seeing evidence in support of for many years.
Quote from: LMNO, PhD (life continues) on January 14, 2013, 04:55:06 PM
Great term for something I've been seeing evidence in support of for many years.
I wanted to tip my hat to one of the two men who spent a lifetime pointing it out, and who pointed it out long before it was nearly this bad.
The other one, of course, is Ken DeVries, from the Church of the Subgenius.
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on January 14, 2013, 04:53:44 PM
I guess I should have defined Kafka's Gauntlet, now that I think of it.
When I say that, I mean to coin a term for the fact that you cannot get through a single day without committing a punishable offense. This isn't because people are bad, but because the laws are so Byzantine that almost any human behavior is covered by one or more laws, that can be enforced or not at the whim of the police and/or court system.
So every day, you run the gauntlet. If you get through the day without being arrested for your "offenses", you win. Until the next day.
This is the first time I've seen it named. Anywhere.
(http://www.gliffy.com/pubdoc/4223884/L.png)
Fucking BRILLIANT! :lulz:
Paes is my SDPS for the forseeable future.
One slight layout suggestion (non-pedantic): It would look better if the Meat Sack "NO" arrow started at the bottom corner and moved counter-clockwise to the leftmost corner.
Quote from: LMNO, PhD (life continues) on January 14, 2013, 08:13:07 PM
One slight layout suggestion (non-pedantic): It would look better if the Meat Sack "NO" arrow started at the bottom corner and moved counter-clockwise to the leftmost corner.
Yeah, good call. Pedantic suggestions are probably worthwhile as well, if you have them. The layout is fairly 'meh'.
Roger, are you behind nannywall and able to see that? If so, uploading into a gliffy document might be a good way to show you pictures.
Quote from: Pæs on January 14, 2013, 08:04:42 PM
(http://www.gliffy.com/pubdoc/4223884/L.png)
This is too awesome! Mind if I put this on my site (with proper attribution of course)?
I'm beginning to have a real suspicion, here.
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on January 14, 2013, 08:18:06 PM
I'm beginning to have a real suspicion, here.
I think I know what you mean.
Quote from: Trisha Takinawa on January 14, 2013, 08:16:40 PM
This is too awesome! Mind if I put this on my site (with proper attribution of course)?
S'up to Roger. Most of the material is his.
Quote from: Pæs on January 14, 2013, 08:23:00 PM
Quote from: Trisha Takinawa on January 14, 2013, 08:16:40 PM
This is too awesome! Mind if I put this on my site (with proper attribution of course)?
S'up to Roger. Most of the material is his.
Thanks, Paes, you're a gent.
Got a feeling it might end up there, anyway. Because TGRR is not worth asking, you know?
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on January 14, 2013, 08:28:56 PM
Got a feeling it might end up there, anyway. Because TGRR is not worth asking, you know?
My apologies. When I said (with proper attribution) I honestly meant concerning both the graphic and text.
I really did not mean to step on any toes if I did. I just get excited by the cool stuff that come out from here. If you would rather it not show up there, it won't.
Seriously Roger, I am sorry if that pissed you off.
And I realize even that wasn't a good enough apology as I just failed to even ask you at all even with proper attribution.
Again, sorry. No, nothing will be on my site of yours until I ask you and you say it's ok. That goes for anything from here from anyone. I am very sorry if I have done that in the past and it won't happen any further.
Again Roger, I am sorry if I pissed you off.
Quote from: Trisha Takinawa on January 14, 2013, 08:32:14 PM
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on January 14, 2013, 08:28:56 PM
Got a feeling it might end up there, anyway. Because TGRR is not worth asking, you know?
My apologies. When I said (with proper attribution) I honestly meant concerning both the graphic and text.
I really did not mean to step on any toes if I did. I just get excited by the cool stuff that come out from here. If you would rather it not show up there, it won't.
Seriously Roger, I am sorry if that pissed you off.
It takes more than that to piss me off. I mean, any more than I'm pissed off by virtue of being awake. You can use it, as far as I'm concerned, provided that it's attributed to Paes and I, respectively.
The concern I expressed above (the suspicion thing) is more along the lines of "Is Trisha here to be a member of the board, or just to create an alternate site for the content?"
I mean, it's not like traffic isn't suffering already, but on the other hand, it's not like shit here is organized. On the gripping hand, it seems kinda creepy having someone who just sieves through the content without saying much, and who self-promotes on the rare occasion of posting.
We've had that before, you see. It didn't end well.
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on January 14, 2013, 08:55:49 PM
Quote from: Trisha Takinawa on January 14, 2013, 08:32:14 PM
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on January 14, 2013, 08:28:56 PM
Got a feeling it might end up there, anyway. Because TGRR is not worth asking, you know?
My apologies. When I said (with proper attribution) I honestly meant concerning both the graphic and text.
I really did not mean to step on any toes if I did. I just get excited by the cool stuff that come out from here. If you would rather it not show up there, it won't.
Seriously Roger, I am sorry if that pissed you off.
It takes more than that to piss me off. I mean, any more than I'm pissed off by virtue of being awake. You can use it, as far as I'm concerned, provided that it's attributed to Paes and I, respectively.
The concern I expressed above (the suspicion thing) is more along the lines of "Is Trisha here to be a member of the board, or just to create an alternate site for the content?"
I mean, it's not like traffic isn't suffering already, but on the other hand, it's not like shit here is organized. On the gripping hand, it seems kinda creepy having someone who just sieves through the content without saying much, and who self-promotes on the rare occasion of posting.
We've had that before, you see. It didn't end well.
I understand. And your concern is seriously noted. It wasn't my intention to "siphon" off the content although I easily see how that comes across. I completely want to be a member of the board, and I will do my best to prove that. If you like (and I am aware you are not asking me to do it), but I can take down the site in the mean time until I establish myself here more.
The community here means more to me than the site, but the site is meant to be for the community here as the majority of the content has come from here... I think. Judas and I just wanted an easier location to house all the content. Hell, if you want the site could go down and still leave all the links up just through this forum alone.
Regardless, I want to be a regular member here, contributing like anyone else.
Quote from: Trisha Takinawa on January 14, 2013, 09:01:43 PM
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on January 14, 2013, 08:55:49 PM
Quote from: Trisha Takinawa on January 14, 2013, 08:32:14 PM
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on January 14, 2013, 08:28:56 PM
Got a feeling it might end up there, anyway. Because TGRR is not worth asking, you know?
My apologies. When I said (with proper attribution) I honestly meant concerning both the graphic and text.
I really did not mean to step on any toes if I did. I just get excited by the cool stuff that come out from here. If you would rather it not show up there, it won't.
Seriously Roger, I am sorry if that pissed you off.
It takes more than that to piss me off. I mean, any more than I'm pissed off by virtue of being awake. You can use it, as far as I'm concerned, provided that it's attributed to Paes and I, respectively.
The concern I expressed above (the suspicion thing) is more along the lines of "Is Trisha here to be a member of the board, or just to create an alternate site for the content?"
I mean, it's not like traffic isn't suffering already, but on the other hand, it's not like shit here is organized. On the gripping hand, it seems kinda creepy having someone who just sieves through the content without saying much, and who self-promotes on the rare occasion of posting.
We've had that before, you see. It didn't end well.
I understand. And your concern is seriously noted. It wasn't my intention to "siphon" off the content although I easily see how that comes across. I completely want to be a member of the board, and I will do my best to prove that. If you like (and I am aware you are not asking me to do it), but I can take down the site in the mean time until I establish myself here more.
The community here means more to me than the site, but the site is meant to be for the community here as the majority of the content has come from here... I think. Judas and I just wanted an easier location to house all the content. Hell, if you want the site could go down and still leave all the links up just through this forum alone.
Regardless, I want to be a regular member here, contributing like anyone else.
I don't see why you'd have to do anything to the other site. Plenty of people archive stuff they've found here (hell, there's a book of my sermons floating around on bittorrent that I had no idea about until a couple of years ago, and Cram & LMNO's stuff is everywhere).
But yeah, contributing in any sense is important...Otherwise, you're standing outside of the glass, gawking at the weird, instead of rolling around in it like a proper biped.
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on January 14, 2013, 09:09:17 PM
Quote from: Trisha Takinawa on January 14, 2013, 09:01:43 PM
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on January 14, 2013, 08:55:49 PM
Quote from: Trisha Takinawa on January 14, 2013, 08:32:14 PM
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on January 14, 2013, 08:28:56 PM
Got a feeling it might end up there, anyway. Because TGRR is not worth asking, you know?
My apologies. When I said (with proper attribution) I honestly meant concerning both the graphic and text.
I really did not mean to step on any toes if I did. I just get excited by the cool stuff that come out from here. If you would rather it not show up there, it won't.
Seriously Roger, I am sorry if that pissed you off.
It takes more than that to piss me off. I mean, any more than I'm pissed off by virtue of being awake. You can use it, as far as I'm concerned, provided that it's attributed to Paes and I, respectively.
The concern I expressed above (the suspicion thing) is more along the lines of "Is Trisha here to be a member of the board, or just to create an alternate site for the content?"
I mean, it's not like traffic isn't suffering already, but on the other hand, it's not like shit here is organized. On the gripping hand, it seems kinda creepy having someone who just sieves through the content without saying much, and who self-promotes on the rare occasion of posting.
We've had that before, you see. It didn't end well.
I understand. And your concern is seriously noted. It wasn't my intention to "siphon" off the content although I easily see how that comes across. I completely want to be a member of the board, and I will do my best to prove that. If you like (and I am aware you are not asking me to do it), but I can take down the site in the mean time until I establish myself here more.
The community here means more to me than the site, but the site is meant to be for the community here as the majority of the content has come from here... I think. Judas and I just wanted an easier location to house all the content. Hell, if you want the site could go down and still leave all the links up just through this forum alone.
Regardless, I want to be a regular member here, contributing like anyone else.
I don't see why you'd have to do anything to the other site. Plenty of people archive stuff they've found here (hell, there's a book of my sermons floating around on bittorrent that I had no idea about until a couple of years ago, and Cram & LMNO's stuff is everywhere).
But yeah, contributing in any sense is important...Otherwise, you're standing outside of the glass, gawking at the weird, instead of rolling around in it like a proper biped.
Understood and done. :) Besides, I think I will enjoy rolling around in the weird.
Quote from: Pæs on January 14, 2013, 08:04:42 PM
(http://www.gliffy.com/pubdoc/4223884/L.png)
BEAUTIFUL
I can't wait to start annoying people with it on Facebook!!!