Sheeple

[FLYcrash]

I saw that some pop writers used the term "Sheeple." It's #10 in this article on msn.com today.

Frankly, I like our definition (sheeple = NKP) better.

[aebfroman]

Well, his use of the word is more appropriate than the narrower use we sometimes see on knife forums. It is presumptuous for a knife fan to call a non fan a sheep just because they disagree on how scary knives are but a person that always goes with the crowd is deserving of the title.

[The Deacon]

IMHO, the terms sheeple and NKP are most defiinitely NOT interchangeable. Not everyone who who has no interest in knives beyond cutting food is a sheeple. In pure fact, the majority are not. To me, sheeple does not merely signify one who "goes with the herd" but one who, on the one hand, believes all people are basically good and, on the other, fears and demonizes objects such as knives and firearms. They also, almost inevitably, believe the government not only should, but can, protect them. It's the perfect circle really, they believe that because they need to believe it in order to be comfortable believing people can be safe without the means of self defense.

[Kuolema]

Here's a web comic that perfectly describes what most consider Sheeple:

http://xkcd.com/610/

[SlideTechnik]

Here's a web comic that perfectly describes what most consider Sheeple:

http://xkcd.com/610/

Haha, beat me to it. Everybody is a sheep in someone's eyes.

[quattrokid73]

hahaha that comic is great!

[FLYcrash]

Yeah, that's a hilarious xkcd comic! Thanks for posting it.

And thanks for the comments. They are really thought-provoking. It reminds me that the term "sheeple" itself is a mean, pejorative, elitist term and maybe also that I've loaded the term "NKP" with more than it means.

I still don't care for self-help and management writers, though. For all of the newfangled terms and anecdotes, they have very little to say.

Paul, do you really restrict your category of sheeple to those who think all people are basically good? I associate the category with folks with deep prejudices against others manifested in impotent fear and political correctness, for instance folks who flee their neighborhood just because its ethnic composition starts to change. I've met plenty for whom their professed fear of guns or knives is a proxy for a fear of "those people."

[The Deacon]

Yeah, that's a hilarious xkcd comic! Thanks for posting it.

And thanks for the comments. They are really thought-provoking. It reminds me that the term "sheeple" itself is a mean, pejorative, elitist term and maybe also that I've loaded the term "NKP" with more than it means.

I still don't care for self-help and management writers, though. For all of the newfangled terms and anecdotes, they have very little to say.

Paul, do you really restrict your category of sheeple to those who think all people are basically good? I associate the category with folks with deep prejudices against others manifested in impotent fear and political correctness, for instance folks who flee their neighborhood just because its ethnic composition starts to change. I've met plenty for whom their professed fear of guns or knives is a proxy for a fear of "those people."

Perhaps you're right, at least to the extent there can be mutiple reasons for the fear. The defining point is, that rather than making them seek means of self protection, their fear makes them search for protectors - the law and those who enforce it. Perhaps it's just that today it's more socially acceptable to legislate against objects than against behaviors.

At the same time, a certain level of paranoia is a life skill and not all negative stereotypes are without merit. Can't speak for anyone else, but I do not react the same way to a pit bull walking down the street toward me that I do to Labrador Retriever. To me, that's not irrational fear, it's common sense. Same with people, whether it's "politically correct" or not, the plain truth is that some groups represent a greater potential threat than others and the physical characteristics that define such a group can be a valid reason for heightened awareness. On the highway, that might mean giving little old ladies with purple hair a wider berth than other drivers. In other situations they would be the least credible threat.

[v8r]

I often use the term knuckle dragger for those people that don't use their head or common sense.As it turns out common sense isn't so common. I pesonally am not one of those "tactical guys" , but I almost always have a 1911 on my side (when the law permits) just in case the need may arise.It's sad that so many people believe the government or police are going to protect them.......it's kind of like herding cattle on to a cattle trailer going to the slaughter house.....they never see what is coming their way. For those people just say Baah!

[jzmtl]

I often use the term knuckle dragger for those people that don't use their head or common sense.As it turns out common sense isn't so common. I pesonally am not one of those "tactical guys" , but I almost always have a 1911 on my side (when the law permits) just in case the need may arise.It's sad that so many people believe the government or police are going to protect them.......it's kind of like herding cattle on to a cattle trailer going to the slaughter house.....they never see what is coming their way. For those people just say Baah!

The problem is your common sense may not be the same as the next guy's common sense. They are probably saying the same about your on some other forum.

[Water Bug]

Could be that the definition of "common sense" has changed with the times, as well as change with where you are at a given time. A colleague of mine once saw my Leatherman Super Tool 200 and seriously asked, "Why do you even need that?"

To her, even though we are both in the military, we are, after all, in "staff positions" in a big, major, metropolitan city. Leatherman tools and their likes are only meant for the field, right? They have no place in the big city, right? You don't need anything like that to fix things. That's why you have contractors to come and fix everything. No need to do it yourself. And, that Leatherman has a knife in it! Why carry a knife? You don't need a knife in the big city. Knives are bad! Those Leathermans aren't allowed in a lot of places in the big city. You better not be carrying that thing here or anywhere else in the big city.

Well... I've used that Leatherman to fix A LOT of things in that office in the "BIG CITY" from the front door to the paper shreader to the paper towel dispenser to the bracelet worn by the custodian to the loose sunglasses my colleague came to me with to tighten up! She certainly didn't mind me having a Leatherman tool when SHE needed something fixed right there and then.

I mean it's gotten to where another office colleague who typically EDCs a multitool has stopped packing his because of what others of the big city have said about it. He "rediscovered" just yesterday how useful that multitool of his was when he needed tools to remove this rather elaborate picture mounting from the wall, had nothing available, and watched as I retrieved my Leatherman and took care of the task within a few minutes. His only response was, "I used to carry one of those until I got here and was told I shouldn't."

Sigh.

Ya know, there's something to be said about being self-sufficient and not having to count on, depend upon, or expect someone else to come to your "rescue," whatever that "rescue" may be.

[v8r]

The problem is your common sense may not be the same as the next guy's common sense. They are probably saying the same about your on some other forum.

That's probably true. I came to that understanding long ago.

[Clawhammer]

It's sad that so many people believe the government or police are going to protect them.......

I love that line in the movie DieHard 4.0, when Bruce Willis thinks the authorities will look after things and the kid explains:

"It took FEMA a week just to get water to the superdome!.."

We recently had bushfires in (Victoria) Australia which hopefully showed those watching that you can't rely on the authorities. A lot of people died waiting to be saved or told what to do...nobody came. (poor souls)

Hope for the best
Prepare for the worst
Expect something in between

[Clawhammer]

His only response was, "I used to carry one of those until I got here and was told I shouldn't."

Sigh.

Ya know, there's something to be said about being self-sufficient and not having to count on, depend upon, or expect someone else to come to your "rescue," whatever that "rescue" may be.

It's for that reason I don't help/lend or use my EDC 'stuff' with others. Self sufficiency is just that about the self. As long as no one knows, then there's no problem...and if there's no problem...there's no problem. Know what I mean? Sure. it's selfish...but I'm sorry, people these days are stupid.

These walking zombies around you define themselves by their adversity and problems. "Hi I'm Jane and I'm an alchoholic, Hi I'm Mick and I'm a claustrophobe or I'm Tarquin and I'm a real estate agent...and I'm really, really sorry." They'll stop you using your leatherman even though it helped them out of a tight spot, because it'll make their life more of a needless struggle.

Let the sheeple bounce off the walls about global warming, smoking cigarettes & whatever distraction the mass media has given them this week to take their attention off the lousy job their government is doing.

It's your job to look after yourself, Jesus will take care of the meek.

[v8r]

It's your job to look after yourself, Jesus will take care of the meek.[/QUOTE]

I believe Jesus will take care of me and the meek also, but the good Lord also gave us a brain and instinicts for a reason.

[jimbo@stn24]

Agree with alot of what is posted. One thing that annoys me to no end is how in my country many of our rights to protect oneself and family have been voted away by individuals without the werewithal to do what is necessarry to protect themselves and their loved ones when needed.

When it's time to defend yourself, I would prefer to do it myself rather than hope somehow a LEO is on the way. If someone else wants to wait, hope and pray some magical knight is going to save them, that's their perogative. When someone uninvited is in my house at 2am, there's going to be trouble and if the person gets out alive, it was their lucky day. Or that's how it should be.

Ever since I was young I've enjoyed the satisfaction of looking after myself and loved ones, solving lifes little problems and paying my own way. It's not that hard to do but it does require some effort and preparation.