• UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    5
    ·
    6 months ago

    It’s frustrating, because there’s a kernel of truth to all this. Government identities exist to manage credits and debts. If you’ve got a driver’s license and you’re caught speeding (or merely accused of it by a cop with a quota to fill), then you can be assigned a debt that can be used to garnish wages or seize property.

    But… there’s no secret cheat code to avoiding these debts by simply denying the identity a government has on file isn’t yours. And while we can argue the fairness of the system, I don’t think there’s any doubt of its efficacy. A sheriff and his deputies can absolutely collect, whether you consent or not.

    Roleplaying like this is how these folks are coping. It helps give them the courage and the self-determination to resist the guys in uniforms who do the dirty work of the system. Its irrational, sure. But when you get down to material conditions, its either “Believe a crazy mishmash of weird shit so you can justify fighting back” or “Accept the status quo and surrender”.