Most of the historical punishments you could think of are today considered modern fetishes. Some of that can be contributed to sadism, but it seems like even more can be considered pure contrary open-mindedness. They can, therefore they do. Slavery, Crossdressing, Chastity, Bondage, domestic discipline, beating (& subcategories), humiliation, castration, bloodletting, crushing... Please, tell me if I'm scaring you. We are a very strange society, though we try to hide it.

We are a society of individuals rather than a society as a whole. Most of the things we want, our motivations, are out of self interest rather than for our family, our friends, our community, our nation. There's nothing wrong with that; if people can become happy as individuals then they should. I don't believe we should lose sight of the whole, but we shouldn't be sacrificing ourselves for it. We are not ants.

Why does this matter? No, this is not a post about fetish, the Marquis de Sade, or the "cult" of individuality -- neither the jeans or the ideology. Our society is built in a way that the weakest of us; economically, socially, physically and mentally, suffer. We've seen poverty and crime rise where lack of education, lack of opportunity and lack of ambition thrive. Sociology tells us that even on a global scale, our society isn't built to allow everyone to thrive, some will always suffer and die, some painfully. We are an Omelasian(1) society, that requires we mistreat the weak in order to maintain our standard of living.

As I was driving to class the other day I started considering these things. There are people that live their day to day lives as willing slaves, did you know? In the United States, today, willingly and in many cases happily (2). Now, legally binding slavery is impossible; they still have their rights, they simply choose not to use them. Legally binding slavery would be absolutely unethical and it would cause so many problems we'd most likely collapse from the loss of moral integrity-- because absolute power for no matter how short a time creates absolute cruelty and lack of common sense (3).

However... If people can sell embryo's, virginity, if we pay for adoption services and the medicine we need to survive, if people believe it's all right to pay for the exchange of services (commonly called jobs), and people agree to marry and beget children for the sake of money, what about indentured labor?

Some might say we already have that. Many careers, teachers, lawyers, doctors, sign contracts that obligate them to work for a term of service. What about taking it a step further?

Imagine a distant, futuristic world where the higher echelons of our society were to contractualize all their servants, taking responsibility for them, taking on a system of patronage for artists, writers, musicians to live in their homes. We could have skipped over the next Mozart because he never had an opportunity to learn.

In Japan, companies often take responsibility for their workers; they're likely to hire the sons of their male employees because it's considered beneficial to aid their families and it inspires mutual loyalty. We have colleges and governments that take on writers in residence for years at a time.

But these things are considered extreme privileges, modern vanity, reserved for the most vogue figures of the time. An unknown writer will never become a poet laureate, and they probably shouldn't be...however people taking an interest in youth outside of their own family, church groups and community is considered strange; you'd think they were warped, pedophiles even. And if you tried to employ a homeless person of the street? They'd think you were trying to perform some strange science experiment on them and bury them in your backyard. Because most people don't believe that there's such a thing as good for goodness sake.

It's not expected. So a proposal: consensual, legally binding service in exchange for monetary compensation. Some people are incapable of functioning, so if they have worthwhile traits that could be put to good use, the upper echelon's could purchase them -- with their express agreement to a strict contract, so that both parties could benefit. This could possibly reduce crime and poverty.

You probably think I just spouted a bunch of BS; we already have that, or that's an idealistic view of things, or that's nothing spectacular. What if I were to say consensual slavery? Indentured servant? Live in whore? Houseboy? Sounds sort of victorian doesn't it? But why do some of those terms sound less savory? Is it the sex, the implication of the young being "used"? Lack of choice?

And yet....We hear stories all the time about the young housewife wanting the younger poolboy...

A troll is a person (hemhem... or bot) who posts inflammatory, argumentative or offensive content without provocation for the specific purpose of pissing people off and getting a reaction. Idle Hands.

This of course does mean that every person who is *mean to you* is a troll. Nor do most trolls mean you any harm. Trolling is done for the sake of boredom more often than not, and if you ignore, block or refuse to be angered they leave soon enough. But be warned, starting a fight with a troll can lead to battles of epic proportions, and should your troll enemy be one of the particularly menacing variety you may find yourself outwitted, outworded and outwinded. Not to mention slightly singed. Do not EVER argue topics of politics, religion, sex, or videogame play with a troll.

The main difference between a troll and your average malcontent is that a troll is there for his/her/it's masters own amusement. In the case of bots, one lowly person with minimal computer abilities decided to unleash a mindless little brainchild in order to annoy the community en masse. A troll doesn't want to fight, or prove you wrong, or even make you look stupid, they don't have any particular affiliation to one belief or another, but may pretend to in order to create discontent. They just want to play more often than not. Beware of teeth, though.

If you do decide to indulge a troll, or react in any way, be aware that other trolls may begin to swarm. In the right environment Trolls thrive in groups. They are very social creatures and with the right incentive may be coaxed into normal dialogue. Chocolate is the preferred method of coaxing.

However, a troll once tamed is still not your pet. These creatures are very destructive, prone to fits on anger and depression (whichever receives the most reaction). Do not give a troll, even the most well behaved troll, your email or any way to contact you. Trolls will follow you home and once they're onto your scent they are notoriously hard to shake off.

Lets review. Trolls post for the distinct purpose of gaining reactions, not because they believe what they're saying but because they hope you will disagree. Name calling is an act permissible from trolls. People who disagree with you are not trolls by definition. Do not argue philosophy with a troll. Though trolls may appear nice, they do not make good housepets, and should be approached with caution. And lastly...

Trolls are people too. Don't take them too seriously. ;)

One day they might be you.

(Okay...Not really. But we're going to stick with the format.)

Dear Mr. President,
     You are still my president. Despite the approval ratings, despite the debt, despite congress. The reasons I voted for you still hold true. I still think that people deserve affordable healthcare, and I still think that the free market has failed us there. I realize that it's not your job to get things done, the healthcare plan in congress isn't yours, though you probably have the quicknotes version handed off to you by a senior aid. It might help if you didn't stick your foot in your mouth during the speeches, though.
     I still think you're more openminded, more civil minded than John McCain or any of the others would have been. But I don't expect Gay marriage to be passed anytime soon. Passing benefit coverage for government employees was one more step towards equality though. And that's what we need right now. Just a little more fairness. That doesn't take too much to do, does it?
     I can't say I know much about the environment. Most people don't actually, and I know that if you and 20 experts tried to explain cap and trade to people they probably still wouldn't understand it. They might willfully decide not to. or have you already tried to? I couldn't say, I can't remember for all that CNN and MSNBC like to tag after you like puppies. I can get behind an environmental initiative, but not at the cost of our economy. Too many people have lost jobs as it is...
     I'm waiting, patiently.

I didn't vote in 2008 because I thought that the next day, the next month, the next year everything was going to magically "change". I remember when Obama spoke at Kerry's inauguration address, and I'd looked at my little brother and I didn't want to say it because I hated to be wrong, but I told him that guy would be president one day. Yeah, that sounds cheesy, doesn't it? Like saying "I always knew he'd go somewhere!" But there's only so many ways that kind of energy can go.

I didn't vote because it was popular, and I'm not a sheep. I believed than and I believe now that the power of inspiring people, making them believe is a powerful ability. People saw things in that election that weren't true. People thought for a while that the sun shone out of his ass. And on the night the results come out there were people dancing in the street saying that everything would be wonderful now. As though he was the magic bullet.

Well, I'm sorry if you were one of the people disappointed. But I'm not one of you. And I'm sorry if you blame all the bad things happening on Obama. But the fact is, you can stand there in the streets on Bel Air, chanting and holding signs. You can post to your facebook how Obama should be Impeached with a less than 50% approval rating. You can point fingers at whoever the hell you want. But it won't make anything better, it won't give you your change.

If you want change, if you want hope then how's about taking up a little bit of that personal responsibility I heard so much about during the election? Get down off your high horse and do something useful. Write to your congressman with an idea and not a list of complaints. Do a little research so that you know what you're talking about before you place it on cardboard for channel 12 to air Monday nights. We have Town Hall meetings going on across the nation, if only people would take advantage of them and not just go there to hurl your obscenities.

Anyone that knows me knows that I hate absolute statements. But here's one for you. If you're an American take a little interest in your nation, in the people beyond yourself and your family. I'm not talking about sacrifice, but Taking responsibility for your America. You can't lay these problems at the feet of Obama, they were here before he ever was. We cannot stop living to repay debts, and we can't bulldoze through the issues without any concern for the opposition.

Life is Change. And the word No isn't enough.