An Atmosphere of Obedience (Zen)

Kungfuzed · #1 09-22-2007, 02:24 AM

www. Michael Righi .com » Blog Archive » Papers Please: Arrested At Circuit City

Quote:

I understand that my day would have gone a lot smoother if I had agreed to let loss prevention inspect my bag. I understand that my day would have gone a lot smoother if I had agreed to hand over my driver’s license when asked by Officer Arroyo. However, I am not interested in living my life smoothly. I am interested in living my life on strong principles and standing up for my rights as a consumer, a U.S. citizen and a human being. Allowing stores to inspect our bags at will might seem like a trivial matter, but it creates an atmosphere of obedience which is a dangerous thing. Allowing police officers to see our papers at will might seem like a trivial matter, but it creates a fear-of-authority atmosphere which can be all too easily abused.
I can reluctantly understand having to show a permit to fish, a permit to drive and a permit to carry a weapon. Having to show a permit to exist is a scary idea which I got a strong taste of today.

What do you think? Is this guy just a troublemaker who can't handle authority? How complicit should we be with reciept checkers and police?

Sunstone · #2 09-22-2007, 02:33 AM

I need more details. What happened? Did he refuse to show his driver's license to an officer?

EDIT: Never mind, I just found the blog link, big as day (don't know how I missed it at first) and read the blog entry.

Buttercup · #3 09-22-2007, 02:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sunstone

I need more details. What happened? Did he refuse to show his driver's license to an officer?

Click on the link......

Buttercup · #4 09-22-2007, 02:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kungfuzed

www. Michael Righi .com » Blog Archive » Papers Please: Arrested At Circuit City
What do you think? Is this guy just a troublemaker who can't handle authority? How complicit should we be with reciept checkers and police?

Oh, I think it's good to show annoyance via defiance with standard operating procedures every once in awhile. I have on many occasions 'wished' to breeze past the receipt checker at Costco, Fry's Electronics, etc. but never have the nerve. It's such a pain and didn't used to be customary. The practice does make you feel like a criminal.

I just hope the whole event gives Michael some form of satisfaction....I doubt things will change though.

Sunstone · #5 09-22-2007, 02:46 AM

I can think of a couple thousand battles more important to me to fight than the one he chose for himself. Although I think he's in the right and I admire how calm he stayed when the incident occurred, I believe he's picked a battle that will really do very little to change the world for the better even if he wins it. It's a trivial affair.

ChristineES · #6 09-22-2007, 03:34 AM

Wouldn't it have been easier just to let them look at his receipt and file a complaint later? Sometimes I think people love to do things the hard way. His point was made, but at what cost?
But then, it is his life (as he made plainly clear). I think he was pretty stupid.

ChristineES · #7 09-22-2007, 06:51 PM

Something that hasn't been brought up is why some stores have this policy in the first place. There are a lot of people who think they deserve things and shouldn't have to pay for them. The store loses money, since they lose money they raise the prices-we are the ones who have to pay the higher prices. I think it may be worth a little inconvenience to try to catch a few shoplifters.

So you ask- Why should I suffer for another person's crimes? Because that is the way it goes. Live with it.

Kungfuzed · #8 09-22-2007, 10:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChristineES

So you ask- Why should I suffer for another person's crimes? Because that is the way it goes. Live with it.

We all end up paying when someone steals something, the company will just raise prices to cover what they loose. I'd rather show my reciept than pay more, but I just hope that doing so actually helps prevent shoplifting. I don't really see how it would help, but who knows?

Aqualung · #9 09-22-2007, 10:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kungfuzed

www. Michael Righi .com » Blog Archive » Papers Please: Arrested At Circuit City
What do you think? Is this guy just a troublemaker who can't handle authority? How complicit should we be with reciept checkers and police?

I agree with what he did. But, you're right, he can't handle authority. And that's a good thing, seeing as the authority that he couldn't handle was illegitamate.

In fact, reading the whole blog, I'm really quite impressed and am going to start doing that myself.