One of my clearest memories from schooldays is the way (most of) my cohort forced itself into compliance fetishism. There was a clear spectrum, ranging from aggressive neurotics to passive go-alongs. Not many were willing to take a leap into rejection of obvious bullshit. Those who did paid some dues. Most of those who did not ended up in some form of sales/perception management—which seems soul-crushing to me.
I appreciate that you can clearly remember your state of mind from your schooldays, James. That environment is designed to have us just go through the motions and it's an ideal time to start practicing mindfulness as self-defense.
My Czech exchange student found his "education" frightful, it being modeled on the German gymnasium, extraordinarily authoritarian. He had been taking English for years and had a tiny vocabulary. He was 18 and had never written anything for school. Here, in our poor rural school district, he got to take a writing class and he couldn't believe that he was actually allowed to talk to the teachers. My English exchange student got to take physics and other classes not available in Derby.
interesting ! I guess every country is different. I remember almost 50 years ago an exchange student from the US came to Belgium. She had only had 5 subjects in her US school and was very surprised we had so many more. She never had had but English and we had 4 languages. Her knowledge of science was almost nil, even though we had little. But she excelled at gym. The schools are now totally different in Belgium, no German anymore, and the nephew of my ex could not read English books even though he had English second and French third, and we had first French and then English. Probably depends on students as well.
Yes, Jiri had a pile of subjects for very short periods of time each day. Five subjects is plenty in my opinion, and every school I went to had classes in Latin, Spanish, and French at a minimum. My sister took Greek in high school in a working-class suburb.
When you don't have children yourself, you can often clearly remember how you felt when you were a child and a teenager! My first memories are from the age of two.
My family moved to a new apartment and that same year, I had two surgeries: hernia and tonsillitis. I can still feel the stress of those three experiences.
I bucked the system a lot, and got in some trouble, but not that much. I also remember my school days pretty well. At least a lot of incidents, feelings and situations... I guess a lot don't. That speaks volumes right there. Ever notice that the great writers always seem to remember so much of their childhoods and lives?
Now here's what's amusing. I slept and read my way through high school (left after eleventh grade), you know putting the book I was reading inside the textbook. However. I had a very right-wing history teacher in eleventh grade who would complain to me how having a discussion was impossible if I wasn't there (I also wasn't there a lot). I had already realized that most students in so-called advanced classes were just good at parroting what they were told, so they were bamboozled by the idea of a discussion.
As to the 94 year old still working, and at macdonalds, I think no one that age should be working still. I stopped at 62 and that is already too long! Someone I know said quite some time ago about her 80+ mom who had cancer, that she thought the bible said everyone should be working forever. I asked her if she knew that story where Jesus says that birds don't plant or harvest but still get fed. She did not seem to understand, but that is okay. She was younger than I and I have not seen her in a long time so may be she got the hint LOL
Our lobster lady here in Maine who works a couple days a week on her son's lobster boat must be 102 or 103 now. When asked when she planned to quit working, she said when she died. My partner is almost 71 and works two days a week at the grocery store. He likes to get out and be around other people whereas I could live in a cave. I would guess that the 94-year-old likes to get out and be around other people, and not just other old people.
cave woman here, too LOL. Peace and quiet. Seeing some people at the store is sufficient. Luckily we are all different ! It depends on the job too of course. If you love your job, why would you stop. But cleaning houses got old for me !
One day we got asked to test out a new perimeter fence for the nuclear base , that had all sorts of sensors that checked and measured and compared itself to other sections.
Unable to go over, through, or around, the only choice was to go under.
Within 10 minutes we were in.
The boffins in charge hadn't used ground sensors because of "animals" (us) digging.
1m of concrete would have defeated us, but when it came to clawing in the dirt, we reigned supreme.
I’m sorry, but I’m right there with the lady who works at MCD’s, I work at a cigar store on my off days because I meet a lot of interesting people. It’s not for the money, it’s just fun interacting with other humans I’ve never met. I can’t see myself ever retiring for good and disappearing from society. I like people too much.
I hear you, George, and I believe we interpreted the meme differently. I saw it as a celebration of work giving our lives meaning. To my ears, you're highlighting how it is actually socail interactions that can give our lives meaning.
Work does give our lives meaning. Says someone who wishes she could work maybe a day a week and can't even manage that. But I do work! I clean and cook and take care of animals, run errands, manage finances. I used to be a great believer in freeing people up from work, no longer. From what I have seen that only translates into bad behavior because it's not like people then use their time to do something meaningful.
"When I criticize capitalism, the knee-jerk response is to assume I’m a socialist. This reaction displays an alarming paucity of imagination."
My politically formative years were the Reagan 80s and I feel even a little guilty speaking ill of capitalism. But this globalist abomination we call "capitalism" now, isn't. Not sure what to name it but it sure isn't capitalism.
But it's the logical outcome of capitalism. Just as what the medical-industrial complex is doing is pretty much the logical outcome of what came before.
It's the logical outcome of any normal human society given enough time. Wealth and power are the common denominators which corrupt all economic systems.
love these. The Che Guevara quote is one I hadn't heard-- and so true, especially now, with so called lefties defending these billionaires without even really being aware of it.
Yes, our so called “education“ system is totally broken, on purpose for a purpose. My husband and I finally recognized that and started homeschooling our 2 youngest kids. I work for myself and am teaching my children how to do the same. As in everything, always question the systems that have been given to us. They are often slave systems, keeping us ignorant and poor (by the standards they give us). I also love Bob Moran’s artwork! #idonotconsent
We also do not vaccinate our kids and have stopped injuring our pets this way too. I cannot change things I’ve done in the past, but can certainly change my future actions and train my kids to think for themselves.
Thank you 🙂
One of my clearest memories from schooldays is the way (most of) my cohort forced itself into compliance fetishism. There was a clear spectrum, ranging from aggressive neurotics to passive go-alongs. Not many were willing to take a leap into rejection of obvious bullshit. Those who did paid some dues. Most of those who did not ended up in some form of sales/perception management—which seems soul-crushing to me.
I appreciate that you can clearly remember your state of mind from your schooldays, James. That environment is designed to have us just go through the motions and it's an ideal time to start practicing mindfulness as self-defense.
I just read an amazing Substack on that very thing. I recommend this author unreservedly. He's got a good soul.
https://garysharpe.substack.com/p/teaching-kids-psychological-brain
Thanks for the suggestion...I just subscribed!
it seemed the European system was less disheartening at the time. We were still allowed to think. But that is a long time ago.
My Czech exchange student found his "education" frightful, it being modeled on the German gymnasium, extraordinarily authoritarian. He had been taking English for years and had a tiny vocabulary. He was 18 and had never written anything for school. Here, in our poor rural school district, he got to take a writing class and he couldn't believe that he was actually allowed to talk to the teachers. My English exchange student got to take physics and other classes not available in Derby.
interesting ! I guess every country is different. I remember almost 50 years ago an exchange student from the US came to Belgium. She had only had 5 subjects in her US school and was very surprised we had so many more. She never had had but English and we had 4 languages. Her knowledge of science was almost nil, even though we had little. But she excelled at gym. The schools are now totally different in Belgium, no German anymore, and the nephew of my ex could not read English books even though he had English second and French third, and we had first French and then English. Probably depends on students as well.
Yes, Jiri had a pile of subjects for very short periods of time each day. Five subjects is plenty in my opinion, and every school I went to had classes in Latin, Spanish, and French at a minimum. My sister took Greek in high school in a working-class suburb.
When you don't have children yourself, you can often clearly remember how you felt when you were a child and a teenager! My first memories are from the age of two.
Likewise! I have clear memories as a two-year-old!
Tell me what you remember!
My family moved to a new apartment and that same year, I had two surgeries: hernia and tonsillitis. I can still feel the stress of those three experiences.
How about you?
I bucked the system a lot, and got in some trouble, but not that much. I also remember my school days pretty well. At least a lot of incidents, feelings and situations... I guess a lot don't. That speaks volumes right there. Ever notice that the great writers always seem to remember so much of their childhoods and lives?
Now here's what's amusing. I slept and read my way through high school (left after eleventh grade), you know putting the book I was reading inside the textbook. However. I had a very right-wing history teacher in eleventh grade who would complain to me how having a discussion was impossible if I wasn't there (I also wasn't there a lot). I had already realized that most students in so-called advanced classes were just good at parroting what they were told, so they were bamboozled by the idea of a discussion.
^ relatable content
Merry Sun Day Mick !
💖🌞💖
I love that 'live the life you want'.
As to the 94 year old still working, and at macdonalds, I think no one that age should be working still. I stopped at 62 and that is already too long! Someone I know said quite some time ago about her 80+ mom who had cancer, that she thought the bible said everyone should be working forever. I asked her if she knew that story where Jesus says that birds don't plant or harvest but still get fed. She did not seem to understand, but that is okay. She was younger than I and I have not seen her in a long time so may be she got the hint LOL
💕
Our lobster lady here in Maine who works a couple days a week on her son's lobster boat must be 102 or 103 now. When asked when she planned to quit working, she said when she died. My partner is almost 71 and works two days a week at the grocery store. He likes to get out and be around other people whereas I could live in a cave. I would guess that the 94-year-old likes to get out and be around other people, and not just other old people.
cave woman here, too LOL. Peace and quiet. Seeing some people at the store is sufficient. Luckily we are all different ! It depends on the job too of course. If you love your job, why would you stop. But cleaning houses got old for me !
Excellent stuff Mickey.
Especially the AI vs marines story.
I used to be in the UK Marines a long time ago.
One day we got asked to test out a new perimeter fence for the nuclear base , that had all sorts of sensors that checked and measured and compared itself to other sections.
Unable to go over, through, or around, the only choice was to go under.
Within 10 minutes we were in.
The boffins in charge hadn't used ground sensors because of "animals" (us) digging.
1m of concrete would have defeated us, but when it came to clawing in the dirt, we reigned supreme.
I love this story! The human spirit overcomes systemic hubris!
Thanks, Harry...much appreciated.
I’m sorry, but I’m right there with the lady who works at MCD’s, I work at a cigar store on my off days because I meet a lot of interesting people. It’s not for the money, it’s just fun interacting with other humans I’ve never met. I can’t see myself ever retiring for good and disappearing from society. I like people too much.
I hear you, George, and I believe we interpreted the meme differently. I saw it as a celebration of work giving our lives meaning. To my ears, you're highlighting how it is actually socail interactions that can give our lives meaning.
Work does give our lives meaning. Says someone who wishes she could work maybe a day a week and can't even manage that. But I do work! I clean and cook and take care of animals, run errands, manage finances. I used to be a great believer in freeing people up from work, no longer. From what I have seen that only translates into bad behavior because it's not like people then use their time to do something meaningful.
"When I criticize capitalism, the knee-jerk response is to assume I’m a socialist. This reaction displays an alarming paucity of imagination."
My politically formative years were the Reagan 80s and I feel even a little guilty speaking ill of capitalism. But this globalist abomination we call "capitalism" now, isn't. Not sure what to name it but it sure isn't capitalism.
I hear you, David, loud and clear. Thanks!
But it's the logical outcome of capitalism. Just as what the medical-industrial complex is doing is pretty much the logical outcome of what came before.
It's the logical outcome of any normal human society given enough time. Wealth and power are the common denominators which corrupt all economic systems.
Thanks, Mickey Z. Made my morning. Really good stuff there (and your commentary, of course).
Thank YOU for making Post-Woke a regular stop during your day!
I love it! Can't thank you enough! I wish I was employed again (oh the irony) so I could afford to subscribe with $$. Hopefully, soon. :)
Thank you for such kind words and I fully trust that abundance will flow into your life (in the best possible way) soon! 💖
love these. The Che Guevara quote is one I hadn't heard-- and so true, especially now, with so called lefties defending these billionaires without even really being aware of it.
You said it! It was said that irony died when Kissinger was awarded a Nobel Peace Prize.
You have to kill lots of people in order to get the peace prize, thinking Obama here.
Che knew what to do with people who are not rehabilitatable.
Some of these are really powerful - sharing! - Thanks Mickey!!! Love your comments on them also - poetic, trenchant, and often revelatory.
Thank you, Will! Much appreciated... 🙂
Yes, our so called “education“ system is totally broken, on purpose for a purpose. My husband and I finally recognized that and started homeschooling our 2 youngest kids. I work for myself and am teaching my children how to do the same. As in everything, always question the systems that have been given to us. They are often slave systems, keeping us ignorant and poor (by the standards they give us). I also love Bob Moran’s artwork! #idonotconsent
Bravo to you for protecting your kids like that! 👏👏👏👏
We also do not vaccinate our kids and have stopped injuring our pets this way too. I cannot change things I’ve done in the past, but can certainly change my future actions and train my kids to think for themselves.
You are a true role model. 🙏
Ah ha! Memes! https://frederickrsmith.substack.com/p/memes-and-mentally-physically-mutilated
That stuff about the Marines walking around in boxes to fool the robot is the best thing I'll read all day.
Right?