Just now, the strangest thought occurred to me, for absolutely no reason at all - a flashback from years ago, all the way to 7th grade. In Israel.

Brainwash, oh, sorry, indoctrination, is of course everywhere.

The only way to really get over it, I would say, is by a change of context. Possibly the best thing that could ever happen to anyone is to be torn away from where the were born and move somewhere else, I’m not kidding. To grow up one place and mature someplace else, just to get a proper perspective.

I was in 7th grade back in September 11 2001. A day known for one thing which will in turn change things as we know them - in the mind of the average republican anyway.

The average Israeli worships the US, anything to do with it, anything with the slightest relevance. Of course, after that day, it would seem to them, that the US became just a little more like Israel. To be honest, it probably did a little bit - hey, the conservatives did stay in office.

And so some teacher, I think, said something rather awkward in retrospect. “There’s been a conspiracy that the Jews sabotaged the world trade center,” she said, “but the reason why they were absent that day was because they all went to a certain funeral.”Wait a second, what? Citation needed, don’t you think? Of course there’s going to be conspiracies, but what kind of a crappy excuse is that?

Reminds me of something my history teacher at the time said, that “Jews were hated in Europe because they were” according to him, “better in every way.” It all just clicked in my mind: I was being very obviously brainwashed constantly. That’s education for ya’.

Among other things, this awful brainwash (that is, education) included: The bible (the old testament of) was taught as factual and true.

That polytheists are primitive. Give me a break, it’s all the same. Who am I to tell others that their religion is defective?

That circumcision is not only good, but it’s also required and does not reduce sexual pleasure; uncircumcised males will have problems at some point, it’s disgusting, etc. But of course, it’s not really endorsed by urologists (anymore, as far as I know) and is only done is certain cases of infection if anything - it’s rare anyhow and easily treatable.

Hey, but that’s education, I guess? Or is it just the horrible crushing majority of Jews in Israel? Pluralism will not exist for at least another 2-3 generations ahead.

I’m off the bandwagon, lucky for me. See you then, Israel.

The nationless drifter holds dual passports, one of which grants him government subsidies, and free tuition, the other which grants him the right to stay in a certain place for as long as he would like to. He uses local laws and takes advantage of EU policy. Nowhere is home for the proletariat drifter scum, as he lives on a part-time job and a subsidy.

He does legally hold two nationalities, and yet neither of them is in fact related to his current position on earth, or maybe just by a broad definition - “European.”

He makes attempts to learn the local language and fit in, presents himself as a local, or a “citizen of the world”, but hits the same brick wall - he does not fit exactly, but merely some of the time. He may hold two passports, but not want to have much with one nationality, and being very distant from the other.

His previous experiences in life, the language which he had acquired mean absolutely nothing in his current surroundings - a recently planted tree, significantly smaller than the rest in the forest. Will he ever bear fruits or repay society? That’s most certainly his plan, whether or not

Thanks to involuntary military service, a large Jewish orthodox sector, extreme weather, lack of respect for the environment and the beaurocracy’s helplessness facing these issues - I decided to take the plunge and be this proletariat drifter scum.

Luckily, I managed to get a hold of a German passport. Since Denmark is in the EU, I’m pretty much set. I am able to receive free tuition and even subsidy. Arrangements are being made, and the day slowly nears that I will come back, in 2009, or maybe even late 2008 and become a proletariat drifter scum.

To be honest, my life as a proletariat drifter scum can’t possibly be worse than my life as a local would have been in Israel. It’s just not going to work with me and Israel, we’re too different. Too different, and indeed, we must therefor break up, peacefully and quietly.

Socialism is definitely the way to go. Israel isn’t really my thing. The issue’s pretty much solved.

So that’s it, I’ll be living the next few years in Denmark, that’s for certain - most likely even the next few decades. And me, I couldn’t get any happier. I’m not alone as I am now, and knowing Danish (properly at least) would be even better.

May 2008, I finish IB. August 2008, I’m going to fight for my freedom in the battle against the involuntary military service in Israel. Then later in 2008, or even at late as 2009, back to Denmark.

So I won’t have the right to vote, like anybody cares. So long, Israel.

I have a habit/hobby/obsession of rejecting fashion. If more than 50% of the population does it - there’s gotta be something wrong, right? The evils of society - sneakers, popular music, short hair, MySpace layouts, Windows, World of Warcraft, and of course to top it off with the ultimate manifestation of solidarity: Jeans.

Jeans are sickly widespread. By that I mean 80% of the population around you is probably wearing Jeans right now (unless you’re at the office most likely, but possibly even then.) Seriously, next time you’re sitting somewhere, just do a little count of how many people around you are not wearing Jeans. You’d be amazed.

And so, for possibly even two years (I can’t remember), I wore no jeans at all whatsoever. None. Interesting part is, nobody actually noticed until I told them. “So you don’t have any Jeans?” - “Nope.”

There is, however, a certain level of conformism I sort of owe to society. I could go about rejecting standards when they’re more common and such, but otherwise, no go. And I, being male, faced a certain problem when it came to Jeans alternatives.

There simply are almost no Jeans alternatives for men. Sure, you have corduroy, and that stuff they have all over the place, suit pants, surfer pants (you won’t see me wearing those), ordinary old-man pants and of course kilts. Kilts aren’t very widespread in northern Europe, so I figured I’m not going to wear any. Suit pants and ordinary old-man pants aren’t really my taste, and surfer pants are fucking disgusting. In other words, I’m kind of left with corduroy and that generic undefinable stuff they use.

I could cross over and start wearing skirts, of course, but as I said, there is a certain level of conformity I owe to society. So as much as I do want to wear skirts and make-up (honestly), I simply can’t. Not a good idea in job interviews, school environments and around your parents

Fine! You got me! I surrender, society! You know what, you got me. You win, majority. I’m willing to buy Jeans, and wear them with pride.

And so, on the 3rd of June I went to the nearest mall to get myself some Jeans, under three restrictions. They must not be blue-blue, faded blue is good enough, really dark blue, fine. Additionally, the waistline must be sane and shouldn’t cause any problems for a person actually walking in them. Then lastly, they must not cost over 300 Danish Kroner (~ US$53).

I, wearing black pants and a buttoned shirt, together with a fellow community member, Simon, who was wearing surfer pants and a glaring pink hoodie that could frighten small children made our way through the dungeon of stores at Field’s on an open Sunday.

It became very obvious how much of a misfit I actually was. Although I had three whole years to adjust to life in the urban jungle, Simon was way ahead of me in terms of cultural understanding and social behavior. Switching off the analytical mind of his in exchange for the more socially acceptable mask of politeness. The funny part is, he had only moved to the city two weeks earlier. Some people just have it in them.

At H&M, the IKEA of clothes, I couldn’t find anything even remotely reassembling what I was looking for. The Mini-Magasin store did in fact have an interesting pair, but for 900 Kroner (~ US$161), they were doomed to stay where they were for a very long time if it depended on me. Eventually, I lost track of where we were heading, and we had reached a section neither of us knew. In fact, I doubt it was even mapped. And to think Field’s looks like a simple place from the outside. Like two explorers, finding natives far away where no white man had gone before, we found ourselves surrounded by locals carrying bags embedded with various logos. “It’s hard to find clothes when your style is based on irony.” He said, but it’s even harder to find clothes when you have no idea where you are or where you might be heading.

“Where are we?” Neither of us knew. Eventually, a lucky turn in the path revealed the familiar sight of the stairs and Jack & Jones. At last, mapped territory.

I remember looking for non-Jeans pants in Jack & Jones that one time. Of course, to no avail. They simply did not have that item. It was like walking into a Chinese restaurant seeking to buy condoms. It is just not going to work out. And so, looking through the stacks of Jeans, I found myself a faded gray pair. The waistline made sense, and the size was good enough. For 200 Kroner (~ US$35), I could afford them. I put them on, looked okay, good enough.

So there you have it, society. I’m wearing Jeans. But, hey, at least I haven’t cut my hair yet, and yes, I still want to wear make-up. Maybe I’ll make a statement of going to prom wearing a dress. Although in order to do that and be excused, it might be better to at least act dangerously drunk, high, or temporarily insane.