Today I am thankful for assholes and TV shows.
The other day I had a conversation with a former foster child. He's recently become an adult.
He wasn't just thrown out on the street when he hit the age of majority. That's typically what happens to kids that age out of the foster care system.
His foster parent is really trying to help him move forward in life. His foster parent is middle class. His biological parents are working class.
The foster parent is trying to get him to go to college. His parents are against it.
So, I explained how different classes tend to see college.
People seem to see time differently.
Middle class people see college as necessary. They see it as an investment in the future. A college education will go a long way to helping you find and keep a good job.
Working class people respect people who are educated but often feel it is too expensive of a commitment. They tend to be focused on survival in the now. Why go to class two hours today when you can get a second job and make $16 and some change?
This gentleman is caught up trying to find where he stands on his timeline. Focus on the now? or Invest in the future?
******
This young man and his foster brothers have issues with the law. They do stupid crap like drive too fast and get caught with drugs.
I explained that it is natural for children to rebel against their parents. The government is the parent of foster children. There are numerous ways to rebel against the government; you can break laws or you can fight bad laws.
If you choose to break laws, you are giving value and credence to the system. You're paying their fines. You're paying the price for the laws whether or not you believe in them. You're not doing anything to help yourself. You're helping the system.
On the other hand, if you truly want to rebel, you educate yourself and fight for change.
Then I told him that I am a former foster child who chose to rebel by fighting tax hikes.
I saw a light bulb go off in his eyes.
I think he may wind up fighting victimless crime laws or speed limits some day. Laugh if you will, but there are studies which suggest that speed limits are dangerous. Google is your friend.
******
There are assholes in government. It's almost as though bureaucracy appeals to them. It's probably not the bureaucracy but the non-accountability and power that appeals to them.
Most assholes like to posture. They like to threaten. They like to ask annoying questions in an attempt to size you up.
My favorite asshole questions are
Who in hell are you?
-and (when caught doing something illegal or wrong)
What in the hell are you going to do about it?
I finally found my answer.
It's a one word answer.
SPOILERS!
Yes, I stole that from Dr. Who.
It's better than telling these assholes that they're asking the wrong question. The question they need to be asking themselves is 'how long can we get away with this shit?"
This answer will save me a lot of time.
I'm going to practice my River Song face now. I have a dark auburn version of the hair. We're about the same age (at least I feel like I'm 200 years old).
I can't do a British accent to save my life. I'll say it like a cowgirl.....by dragging out the o. Dragging out the o- drags out the fun.
It'll sound like Yeehaw but be Sp-oyyyy-leerrrs!.
It would be funnier if I could get away with carrying a crop whip or wearing spurs. Ladies don't get away with that so much in 21st Century Denver. In the eighties, we could get away with it on the western part of the metro area. Now....not so much.
I'll have to settle for my concealed piece, rope and pepper spray....well hidden so that they are not so much of a conversation piece.
Love ya,
S.