One day folks will realise that collectively, uniforms represent nothing but the demand for obedience and the absence of conscience.
Sadly, I have to disagree with you. On the first part of your sentence. The second part I don't disagree.
I doubt there will ever be a collective realization, right up to the day humankind finishes itself off.
But the "demand for obedience, and absence of conscience"....now THAT's exactly what I feared the most, forty some years ago. Especially the demand for obedience. And, I'd add, the absence of "think for yourself."
The draft lottery was the only lottery I ever "won". Number 12, I think it was. The four year college deferment was gone, they'd defer you only to the end of the semester you were in.
For reasons I never really understood, they didn't get around to sending me for my pre-induction physical until I was 19+ years old. And it happened a few days after the fall semester began. So I was deferred to the end of the semester in December.
Sure, being sent to Viet Nam worried me, but what I really struggled with was figuring how I was going to cope with being told to toe the line, turn off my brain, close my mouth, and quit thinking for myself.
I pretty much just tried to resign myself to the fact that my world as I knew it was over for the time being, and I needed to become a brain dead robot. I promptly had the only bad semester of school I ever had. It just didn't matter anymore. My world was going to be on hold soon.
Come mid December, and end of semester, they already had their monthly quota. "We'll get you in January."
The draft ended at year end, and I did not end up in the army! But I had four months to ponder daily (hourly?) the issues of obedience, conformance, conscience, and no right to individual thinking.
I remember the feelings well to this day.
But I don't think humans will ever quit warring, and trying to conquer. And attempting to impose their beliefs on others.
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