Since kindergarten, we are taught to respect our elders. Or so we think. What we are subconsciously taught is to obey the demands of those in the dominant position. Is this fair? Not in my opinion. My homeschool tendencies tell me this is the result of abused power on the part of the adults.

This power is abused not only in the school systems, but also in the workplace. This conditioned blindness starts when children are most impressionable. It starts as soon as children are enrolled in school. This is not to be mistaken for simple behavioral conditioning, I don't mean to suggest that guidance from parental figures is a bad thing, I am not talking about adults teaching manners. That is a whole different story.

To give an example using the school system, take the nasty case of discrimination that took place at a local middle school. Students who wore black were forced to open their lockers so security could search them for razor blades. They were then asked to pull up their sleeves to check for cut marks. They had no reason to check these students, they were simply singled out because they looked a bit different. This search was illegal not only because they did not have probable cause to conduct a search and seizure, but also because they profiled the students. While these actions were appalling to me, what was even more shocking was the fact that the students willingly complied with the unfair demands without a moment of question or hesitation.

It makes sense that this illegal activity did not raise a red flag in their minds, they have already been conditioned to comply with whatever the authority figures demand. This is not the first time I've encountered this nor will it be the last. I would provide you with other examples but I really shouldn't go there. I might get in trouble with my authority figures.

Sometimes I feel as though I have a devil and an angel on my shoulder, only, the angel has been replaced with a second devil. It's as though the angel died in a pool of cynical gray matter. But my devils are different, one is the badass homeschool chick who goes against the grain, and the other is the caged animal with the pasted on smile pretending to have the utmost respect for everyone and their actions. Not to sound overly dramatic, but dealing with incompetent authority figures hurts me in a way that I cannot describe. I think a piece of my soul dies every time I witness this unfortunate situation.

Trapped is what we are. Escape, though we may dream about it, is not an option. This experience is not an isolated incident. This state of mind is present in most work environments as well as most academic institutions. There are a few ways to cope with this agitating truth, I use my cynicism as a shield against the chaos and stupidity of the things I cannot change.

How can I be expected to respect people who have no respect for me? We all know who has the power, it is the person holding the paycheck or the red pen to the grade book. I may not be able to take charge of situations, but I can learn to deal with the incompetence of those who do.

Most everyone calls themselves Green, but no one is really Green. Recycling a bottle is not going to make a difference. The planet is collapsing one oil rig at a time. My throwing away a can of Monster is not going to kill the earth, it may not be great for the earth, but it's not going to make a big difference. Everyone has seen the news, everyone knows how devastating the oil spill in Louisiana is, that is what makes a difference on the environment.

But pretending to be Green is easier than outwardly saying it is out of my control. Let's all just pretend and carry around our cute little Recycle Tote Bags around. What the hell.

A friend of mine came to me with his own theory today. He said that our generation should be called The Blue Generation. He said that this generation is the over-diagnosed, over-medicated generation. It seems as though everyone has a diagnosis nowadays, if you're not Bipolar, you're ADHD. If you're not suffering from Major Depressive Disorder, you're suffering from Narcissistic Personality Disorder. When we're blue, we run to the psychiatris or the psychologist. It's almost as if people need to have a disorder to blame their behavior on.

Whenever it's exam time for my Abnormal Psychology class and I pull out my DSM-IV-TR--the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders--I can't help but feel like this is a little overboard. Sure, there are people who are legitimately mentally ill, I don't deny that, but there is a fine line between being unique and quirky and being mentally ill. I swear, there is a disorder for every strange behavior on earth. If I got a diagnosis for every quirk I had, my psychiatrist would have enough money to retire after an hour long session with me. Then I would be taking a bottle of pills everyday. Pull out the Benzodiazepines, the Thorazine, the Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors, the Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors, get the pharmacist pumped and ready for a lifetime of business from me!

Maybe in a few months when I'm strung out on Benzos and Opioids I can go see a new psychiatrist in rehab. Let me tell you, The Green Generation is bullshit. We are the Blue Generation. Our moto is "Drown yourself in meds to get you out of bed". Feeling sad? There's a pill for that. Can't sleep? There's a pill for that. Loss of sexual appetite? Ask your doctor about those pills you saw on TV.

For more information, see your doctor.