Crossing the lines.

Most people who are reading this are doing so because of an idea my daughter gave me earlier. In a few moments, you're going to feel stupid, I hope. Not because you are, but because you've been duped. I hope what I present will make you think about just how predictable, contorollable, and common every single one of you are. Note that I say YOU, and not me. Being aware of the systems in place to manipulate our predictable behaviors, I avoid those controls.

Global Warming! Catholic Priest! Obama! Tea Party! Liberal! Conservative! Christian Right! Education! New World Order! Home Grown Terrorist! Recession! Demi Lovato! Justin Bieber! Lindsay Lohan! Afghanistan! Corporate America! Socialism! Obesity! Economics! Foreclosure Rates! Deals!

That's right, you were googling one of those terms weren't you? You typed in a phrase, a software algorithym analyzed your search patterns and listed this blog for your perusal.  Google, and other noteworthy search engines are doing their job, and probably doing so with honor and integrity. In throwing in those keywords, however, I'm manipulating the system to get you to read this.

The above is just a small example of how stupid people are ,and how easy they can be manipulated by simple controls and quiet suggestions. The lines in a parking lot tell you where to be, and despite a completely empty lot in the middle of the night, you obey those lines. Your favorite politician or, of all things, political commentator says the sky is green above Washington, and you swear it before God (I'm mostly refering more to you Tea Party guys there). Whenever a government official, usually under the puppet strings of a powerful elite, wants to invade your privacy, take away your freedoms, or control every small behavior (seat belts? really?), all he has to do is whisper the magic words; security threat, public safety, health epidemic.

And every damn one of you get dragged down by these controls because not one of you out there can think for yourselves. You align with this group or that, you obey all the little laws, you accept obediently what's in your face because that's your norm. You were taught conformity and adherence. You were rasied to accept that the fork goes on the left, that the hard work for the powers that be will lead to success, and that you could buy a 500,000 house on a 100,000 budget. Well look where that conformity got you dumbass.

Try, just once, to look at the subtext. Research the links, not the content. Listen to opinions not your own. And the next time you find yourself in a vacant mall, go ahead and do it, cross the lines. I promise they won't come out and bite you.

My Daughter and I.

This is an odd first post, but it stems from a conversation my daughter and I were having earlier. You see, my little girl is a 14 year old High School freshman with an above average IQ, whose deeply interested in the world around her. Of course this makes her omniscient, {let's go with that}. She does write a fascinating blog herself though called squarebracelets.blogspot.com. The following description of our conversation is merely an example of the fascinating talks we have that I just don't recall having with my parents.

She tells me she had a conversation with a friend about the recent (and in my opinion, insidious) attempt by Texas conservatives to change history books to promote certain views and omit others. Her friend, parroting her parents "conservative" opinions, compared this to passing out pamphlets to 8 year olds about gay penguins. My daughter, at least to her friend, was speechless. Funny, she doesn't have that problem with me.

Said daughter argues that those activities are nothing alike, and I point out that, in as much as they are both designed to influence young minds toward a particular viewpoints, similarities do exist. She concedes that argument, but (and you'll see that statement a lot), The "Texas Conservative" activity is worse because it doesn't forward new thoughts, it tries to ommit truths. While I agreed that this was possibly the case, neither activity shold be tolerated.

I firmly believe social beliefs should be taught at home, not the school. Even if I detest those beliefs. Way too often are parental and family values preempted by the local socio-political forces in strength in a given area. Conservative Christians hold sway in Texas, and Liberal zealouts tend to hold sway in most metro areas. This area of New Jersey provides awards for civic responsibility. What my daughter should and shouldn't believe needs to be determined by her mother and I, not the school, not social education programs, and certainly not altered histories.

Please..Share your thoughts!!!