US Politics the 2025 trump presidency thread

[notsmokeymcpot42088]

I’d also support a net worth requirement to be able to register for voting but that’s a separate discussion. Someone in a bunch of consumer debt who can’t even show you $25k in liquidity (plus or minus depending on location, I’m being stupendously generous with this number) should get zero say on anything economy related; which is the REAL issue the average person who doesn’t post on politics forums cares about. Not saying we go full blown medieval but everyone’s vote shouldn’t count the same in my opinion. It’s kind of wild that it does frankly.

A networth requirement. Should we need to be property owners too or why would we really care?

Everyone's vote should not count the same ---- don't worry it doesn't. Remember Trump and Bush being elected against the popular vote?? (That was some peoples votes counting more). 3/5ths sound about right? Weird no democratic president has ever gotten in against popular vote...

I think anyone over 10m should get no vote frankly.

I'm guessing the police have been doing nothing wrong murdering mofo's left and right and getting paid suspensions?

 

[tryptakid]

Poverty is not a choice. Systemic Poverty is more apparent than systemic racism even!

"We all have the same 24 hours in a day and free will to make things happen" --- But we weren't all born with equal resources and connections to get things done. Surely you agree that 1 hour of Donald Trump's Time has a higher opportunity cost than 1 hour of your time. You both have an hour and free will why can't you accomplish as much? (Forget titles)

"How come some people manage to beat all these talking points and still succeed? ---- Because there are exceptions to every rule. Are you arguing it is equally difficult for say a black kid from Harlem and Donald Trump to achieve success? Surely not.

"Most Millionaires are Self made" -- Source?

"Bro, one of the admins even updates the rules now to say you can’t promote “snitching” (reporting illegals to ICE) all because of me" You? tried to report someone on this site to ICE - You Snitching? "Choose your next words carefully Persian" lol

He's got your number @Voxide

 

[someguyontheinternet]

I would suck trump from the back if he eliminated the stock market, made all corporations worker owned and operated

but we all know he won't do anything to actually help people

Poverty is not a choice. Systemic Poverty is more apparent than systemic racism even!

"We all have the same 24 hours in a day and free will to make things happen" --- But we weren't all born with equal resources and connections to get things done. Surely you agree that 1 hour of Donald Trump's Time has a higher opportunity cost than 1 hour of your time. You both have an hour and free will why can't you accomplish as much? (Forget titles)

"How come some people manage to beat all these talking points and still succeed? ---- Because there are exceptions to every rule. Are you arguing it is equally difficult for say a black kid from Harlem and Donald Trump to achieve success? Surely not.

"Most Millionaires are Self made" -- Source?

"Bro, one of the admins even updates the rules now to say you can’t promote “snitching” (reporting illegals to ICE) all because of me" You? tried to report someone on this site to ICE - You Snitching? "Choose your next words carefully Persian" lol

we should also not forget that free will is not real

 

[tryptakid]

we should also not forget that free will is not real

Have you got a source for that?

 

[someguyontheinternet]

Have you got a source for that?

well first, the idea of free will is purely an assumption. there has never been evidence for it existing

where did the idea come from in the first place?

which part of the brain is nondeterministic? which part of the brain creates free will? why does that part of the brain not obey the same laws as the rest of the system?

neurons change responses based on stimuli, whether that is a chemical signal, change in electrical potential via change in ion concentration, or physical interaction causing change in protein conformation. even if we consider the stochastic activity of atoms and molecules from an energetic perspective there is no control. will implies control


so while that is considered, there have been studies done on awareness of decision making

"Preconscious Predictions about Conscious Will
First, the single-neuron data provide a reassuring confirmation of previous studies that recorded neural populations. A relatively small subset of medial frontal neurons showed a gradual ramp-like increase in firing rate before movement that recalls both EEG readiness potentials and recordings prior to memory-guided actions in trained monkeys (Shima and Tanji, 2000). The time of conscious intention could be predicted from small subpopulations of these neurons, using an integrate-and-fire model, well before the time that participants reported the experience of volition. Of course, the time of conscious intention is closely linked to the time of action itself, so it is difficult to separate the relation between medial frontal activity and conscious intention from the relation between medial frontal activity and voluntary action. In fact, these data give the impression that conscious intention is just a subjective corollary of an action being about to occur. Such models agree with previous accounts that voluntary actions begin unconsciously and enter into our conscious experience only when medial frontal activity has reached a given threshold level of activity (Matsuhashi and Hallett, 2008). In this sense, the current work is in broad agreement with a general trend in neuroscience of volition: although we may experience that our conscious decisions and thoughts cause our actions, these experiences are in fact based on readouts of brain activity in a network of brain areas that control voluntary action."

https://www.cell.com/neuron/fulltext/S0896-6273(11)00076-6

 

[someguyontheinternet]

this is actually a topic I have a lot of passion for. I've had conversations with psychology professors who told me to be careful when discussing it because of how uncomfortable it can make people, I've had conversations with neuroscience faculty where I simply asked them the question "which part of the brain is nondeterministic?" and they came back the next day declaring free will does not exist

the idea that we don't have free will doesn't take anything away from human experience in my opinion, but rather adds to it. there is such incredible, beautiful complexity in the systems that make up who we are. it exposes more complexity in the larger system that we live in

we aren't individuals, we are all part of the same system and are inseparable from other humans and the rest of nature

the hyper-individualistic ideology of our current political system is absolutely antithetical to human existence and the damage being done is clear testament to that

 

[tryptakid]

well first, the idea of free will is purely an assumption. there has never been evidence for it existing

where did the idea come from in the first place?

The ontological argument would suggest that because the concept of free-will can be considered, then it must be possible to exist. I would suggest that the simple idea of free will is evidence that it is not out of the question.

which part of the brain is nondeterministic? which part of the brain creates free will? why does that part of the brain not obey the same laws as the rest of the system?

The answer isn't in the brain, but in the mind. You're looking for an objective answer to a subjective question.

neurons change responses based on stimuli, whether that is a chemical signal, change in electrical potential via change in ion concentration, or physical interaction causing change in protein conformation. even if we consider the stochastic activity of atoms and molecules from an energetic perspective there is no control. will implies control


so while that is considered, there have been studies done on awareness of decision making

"Preconscious Predictions about Conscious Will
First, the single-neuron data provide a reassuring confirmation of previous studies that recorded neural populations. A relatively small subset of medial frontal neurons showed a gradual ramp-like increase in firing rate before movement that recalls both EEG readiness potentials and recordings prior to memory-guided actions in trained monkeys (Shima and Tanji, 2000). The time of conscious intention could be predicted from small subpopulations of these neurons, using an integrate-and-fire model, well before the time that participants reported the experience of volition. Of course, the time of conscious intention is closely linked to the time of action itself, so it is difficult to separate the relation between medial frontal activity and conscious intention from the relation between medial frontal activity and voluntary action. In fact, these data give the impression that conscious intention is just a subjective corollary of an action being about to occur. Such models agree with previous accounts that voluntary actions begin unconsciously and enter into our conscious experience only when medial frontal activity has reached a given threshold level of activity (Matsuhashi and Hallett, 2008). In this sense, the current work is in broad agreement with a general trend in neuroscience of volition: although we may experience that our conscious decisions and thoughts cause our actions, these experiences are in fact based on readouts of brain activity in a network of brain areas that control voluntary action."

https://www.cell.com/neuron/fulltext/S0896-6273(11)00076-6

 

[someguyontheinternet]

The ontological argument would suggest that because the concept of free-will can be considered, then it must be possible to exist. I would suggest that the simple idea of free will is evidence that it is not out of the question.

The answer isn't in the brain, but in the mind. You're looking for an objective answer to a subjective question.

the mind arises from the brain, computations are not subjective. these things are only a mystery because we don't fully understand the circuitry yet

if any concept is a possibility then why is the earth not destroyed by an asteroid every 5 minutes and then rebuilt by the loch ness monster? because the constraints provided by the fundamental physical laws of the universe do not allow for it

we can consider similar constraints when thinking about the brain as well. the current leading models of neural computation says that the brain is a complex dynamical finite state machine. there are 86 billion neurons, 7000 synapses per neuron, 250 receptors per synapse to use for some back of the napkin math. this equates to over 100 quadrillion different states but the brain can't arbitrarily be in any of those states, they are constrained

when we examine the mathematical representations of neuronal networks based on electrophysiology data the patterns are apparent, in line with the geometrical theory of dynamical systems we see attractors emerge due to biophysical and network constraints

if you think the mind is the answer but the brain is not, that is a metaphysical argument not based on empirical data. the mind is an emergent property of the complex dynamical system that is the brain, constrained by our physical reality

 

[someguyontheinternet]

I would also have to ask, if the mind is the seat of free will separate from the brain then why do drugs change behavior?

why does psychology and behavioral research uncover clear patterns based on neuronal correlates?

 

[tryptakid]

I would also have to ask, if the mind is the seat of free will separate from the brain then why do drugs change behavior?

why does psychology and behavioral research uncover clear patterns based on neuronal correlates?

There is an interface between tendency and context that can lead to predictable patterns (standard deviations from the mean and all that) however we can only ever ascribe measurability within 1 or 2 confidence intervals - there is always some degree of uncertainty as to whether any measurable outcome is emblematic of the system preference. I believe free will is one of the elements at play in whatever exists beyond the 95 and 99 percent confidence intervals. Since we can be mostly correct using 1 or 2 SD when measuring a pattern we are capable functioning mostly well on said assumptions.

Why do drugs change behavior? Drugs are chaos agents that outcompete endogenous neurotransmitters for activity at neuronal sites. They change the color and tone of the piano key of our existence which creates a feedback loop letting us know that such colors and tones exist. This creates emergence phenomena in drug users where we question the paradigm construct we operate within. To me, that is one of the possible seeds of free will itself. It was for me anyway.

not destroyed by an asteroid every 5 minutes and then rebuilt by the loch ness monster? because the constraints provided by the fundamental physical laws of the universe do not allow for it

No idea. Probably because that hasn't been what has happened.

we can consider similar constraints when thinking about the brain as well. the current leading models of neural computation says that the brain is a complex dynamical finite state machine. there are 86 billion neurons, 7000 synapses per neuron, 250 receptors per synapse to use for some back of the napkin math. this equates to over 100 quadrillion different states but the brain can't arbitrarily be in any of those states, they are constrained

when we examine the mathematical representations of neuronal networks based on electrophysiology data the patterns are apparent, in line with the geometrical theory of dynamical systems we see attractors emerge due to biophysical and network constraints

if you think the mind is the answer but the brain is not, that is a metaphysical argument not based on empirical data. the mind is an emergent property of the complex dynamical system that is the brain, constrained by our physical reality

I agree. I cannot think about these things anywhere but the metaphysical. Empiricism is too finite and restrictive for my perspective to work comfortably. There's a reason I'm a psychotherapist - I am a benevolent agent of chaos who exists comfortably in the relative and subjective issues that arise within people and groups of people. I don't need to find the answer, I just need to find direction.

 

[4DQSAR]

When it comes to true poverty, this is a wonderful example of survivorship bias. A third of the people on the planet have no internet access whatsoever but on closer examination, that includes basic phones (remember those, kids?) that run Javacard applets that allow 'on-line banking' which I question as being true internet access - the applet sends an encrypted code via an SMS to a server that is connected to the internet... but it only performs that one specific function yet hundreds of millions of people counted as having internet access have only that.

Less then 80% of US homes have internet access. In the UK it's more than 94% because the government has more or less made life impossible without it. My wife is an outreach worker and knows people who are part of The National Databank. They provide free SIM cards that allow people to access the internet due to homelessness and/or poverty. They even have a team who fix 'broken' mobile phones and give them to people. The goal being that everyone has proper internet access. You cannot call friends but most people text anyway, so for the important things such as prescriptions, bank transfers and payments, everyone who can do... can do.

But if you are sat in your home using a computer setup you or someone else paid for and have an internet package that provides high quality streamed videos and audio on demand, you are in a minority.

Unless you have spend a decent amount of time somewhere like Sub-Saharan Africa, The Middle East or similar, you haven't really seen what true poverty looks like on a national scale. No electricity*, water comes from well or river, heating is whatever the ambient temperature is adjusted by appropriate clothing.

*If one has a little capital and/or access to microloans, various nations have seen little booths where, for a price, someone will charge your phone. Someimes it's solar, sometimes it's a little generator, sometimes it's a battery and sometimes it's a kid with a bicycle dynamo. Hence people wanting simple phones that use less energy.

BTW IF I ever came into serious money. I mean say £1 million. I've figured out that the ARM Cortex M0+ processor running at 32MHz is not only able to encode/decode 2G mobile signals in real-time, it's also able to decode MP2/MP2.5/MP3 audio streams in real-time. It's also capable of decoding DAB radio. Now the key detail with DAB is that it uses a fixed datarate but you can send different types of data. So late at night when the national radio station is just repeating the news, that could be sent in mono at a low bitrate while other data is also sent. I mean lesson-plans for teachers or audiobooks or whatever. ANY type of digital data. As long as it's open-source but there is a robust system for allowing new 'applications', people could find more uses. Lastly, it's possible to use mobile phones as repeater stations so even if the phone masts are damaged or the power is down, it would still be possible for emergency messages to be sent huge distances. I've spent a decade thinking about this and one of the two things I can do very well is to write hand-optimized assembly-language code. So when I say a 32MHz M0+ can do all of this, I mean that I can do all of this and I obviously wouldn't be drawing a wage. But I am always aware that their is certain to be someone better than me. So I would simply seek to getting it all to work and then allow others to optimizedthe code. I figure that it IS something that would fulfil all the existing functionality i.e.

-Extremely low power consumption
-Extremely low cost of hardware production
-Relatively simple hardware production so could provide jobs within the nation
-Scope for expansion

and as long as there is sufficient space on the flash-RAM, an assembler so everyone who owns one of the phones is able to write applications FOR the phone.

BTW I figure a 256 x 128 pixel monochrome screen. It's practical to make a readable character-set that is no more than 6 pixels wide but obviously I would employ kerning so the number 1 would only be 3 pixels wide including a space down one edge.

We all have a dream - that is mine.

 

[someguyontheinternet]

as a neuropharmacologist who was trained in electrophysiology, I think of drugs in a very different manner. drugs are extremely predictable in their action, I have personally observed this. when I slice a mouse brain and attach an electrode to a cell I can observe the currents from channels opening and I can see the quantized synaptic responses from vesicular release. a vesicle contains a specific amount of transmitter and we can observe that finite activity via step-wise changes in the membrane potential, I can see the measurement of the current from the channel opening and closing.

I have observed a live animal with an electrode in its brain with channels attached to the electrode to deliver drug directly to the recorded neuron in vivo, the stimuli in control can be observed and then the change when the drug is applied and stimuli given again. these are deterministic mechanisms of neuronal function

the complexity of the entire network greatly obscures the determinism but it is observable with the right experiments. yes drugs do have action at many different places but that action is still deterministic whether acting on a synaptic or somatic receptor. the receptors are deterministic depending on their own modification state. but all of these tiny changes lead to larger network level changes, the changes in network activity are emergent from the direct changes caused by the drug on the cells and the changes in thought patterns and behavior are a result of those network changes

why does degradation of dopaminergic terminals in the basal ganglia cause a Parkinson's patient to be unable to control their movements? because of opposing direct and indirect circuits guided by the intrinsic pathway properties of the D1 and D2 receptors in those circuits, this is determinism. physiology and biology is all bottom up, it only gives an illusion of top down due to the regulatory planning abilities of our brains

psychotherapy absolutely has a place in a deterministic view of behavior as an external feedback agent with prior knowledge of tools which are able to modulate neuronal networks through behavioral means

I hold the view that empiricism isn't finite and restrictive, but rather that our universe is. empiricism is just the way we examine and describe our universe and that understanding gives rise to incredible beauty that is difficult to fathom

I think chaos is a good word here as it has a very real connection with complex dynamical systems

I would highly, highly recommend this book for anyone interested in complex dynamical systems. it tells the story of the birth of a new field of study to gain an understanding of complex systems inspired by weather prediction. it isn't heavy on jargon or science but rather takes the reader on a journey of discovery

Chaos - James Gleick

around.com

 

[tryptakid]

as a neuropharmacologist who was trained in electrophysiology, I think of drugs in a very different manner. drugs are extremely predictable in their action, I have personally observed this. when I slice a mouse brain and attach an electrode to a cell I can observe the currents from channels opening and I can see the quantized synaptic responses from vesicular release. a vesicle contains a specific amount of transmitter and we can observe that finite activity via step-wise changes in the membrane potential, I can see the measurement of the current from the channel opening and closing.

I have observed a live animal with an electrode in its brain with channels attached to the electrode to deliver drug directly to the recorded neuron in vivo, the stimuli in control can be observed and then the change when the drug is applied and stimuli given again. these are deterministic mechanisms of neuronal function

I ask you this as a sincere question - have you ever done the drugs you're referring to? Have you experienced what happens when the interaction you are observing occurs in you?

Pat of my drugs have been such a force of liberation in my own life is that I got to experience the changing of my own mind and found the avenue for superuser access. This isn't to say that drugs are a cheat code for life, though they certainly can be used in remarkable and varied ways to overcome challenges that might not be possible without them.

I have used nicotine and dissociatives to condition myself into improved enjoyment and capacity for cardiovascular exercise. I have used varieties of amphetamines to tighten or loosen the lens of my mind depending on the task (dextro for tasks requiring intense focus, meth for tasks requiring mental flexibility).

the complexity of the entire network greatly obscures the determinism but it is observable with the right experiments. yes drugs do have action at many different places but that action is still deterministic whether acting on a synaptic or somatic receptor. the receptors are deterministic depending on their own modification state. but all of these tiny changes lead to larger network level changes, the changes in network activity are emergent from the direct changes caused by the drug on the cells and the changes in thought patterns and behavior are a result of those network changes

I would also argue that drugs serve as a silent signal to the broader networks within which we operate - drug users find one another and build relationships because of their drug use - drug culture evolves to attract and create systems that are favorable for drug use and the type of enlightenment (or decay) that can along with it.

why does degradation of dopaminergic terminals in the basal ganglia cause a Parkinson's patient to be unable to control their movements? because of opposing direct and indirect circuits guided by the intrinsic pathway properties of the D1 and D2 receptors in those circuits, this is determinism. physiology and biology is all bottom up, it only gives an illusion of top down due to the regulatory planning abilities of our brains

psychotherapy absolutely has a place in a deterministic view of behavior as an external feedback agent with prior knowledge of tools which are able to modulate neuronal networks through behavioral means

I hold the view that empiricism isn't finite and restrictive, but rather that our universe is. empiricism is just the way we examine and describe our universe and that understanding gives rise to incredible beauty that is difficult to fathom

I think chaos is a good word here as it has a very real connection with complex dynamical systems

I would highly, highly recommend this book for anyone interested in complex dynamical systems. it tells the story of the birth of a new field of study to gain an understanding of complex systems inspired by weather prediction. it isn't heavy on jargon or science but rather takes the reader on a journey of discovery

Chaos - James Gleick

around.com

 

[4DQSAR]

One of my greatest regrets is that I do not have a natural flair for advanced mathamatics.

I remember reading that Ramanujan ALMOST found a formula that would calculate the partition number of an interger. But it would return a fraction and while rounding down always returned the correct answer, he never got it quite right. Someone later found the correct formula but Ramanujan didn't live to see it.

I have a sense that in some way, partition numbers might represent another way to solve the 'key-distribution problem' but sadly I know however hard I try, I will never have the felicity to work in that science.

 

[someguyontheinternet]

I ask you this as a sincere question - have you ever done the drugs you're referring to? Have you experienced what happens when the interaction you are observing occurs in you?

Pat of my drugs have been such a force of liberation in my own life is that I got to experience the changing of my own mind and found the avenue for superuser access. This isn't to say that drugs are a cheat code for life, though they certainly can be used in remarkable and varied ways to overcome challenges that might not be possible without them.

I have used nicotine and dissociatives to condition myself into improved enjoyment and capacity for cardiovascular exercise. I have used varieties of amphetamines to tighten or loosen the lens of my mind depending on the task (dextro for tasks requiring intense focus, meth for tasks requiring mental flexibility).

I would also argue that drugs serve as a silent signal to the broader networks within which we operate - drug users find one another and build relationships because of their drug use - drug culture evolves to attract and create systems that are favorable for drug use and the type of enlightenment (or decay) that can along with it.

I have, but of course only some of them due to toxicities etc

our experience with any drug is partially shaped by our previous experiences which shape our neural networks through various mechanisms such as LTP and LTD. each of our own internal experiences would be subjectively different based on network differences in development and experience but the action of the drug on the networks is the same, ketamine will antagonize the NR2B subunit in both Sally and Joe even if they were born on opposite sides of the planet. of course experience and genetics can mean that they have different expression levels of NR2B in different circuits but all of that is still deterministic even though its incredibly complex

I'm glad you mentioned human networks, because that's yet another large piece of the puzzle which ties into our economic and political systems. we all exist as nodes in a larger interacting network, this is why I say we aren't truly individuals because none of us could exist in isolation. sadly I'm not a sociologist so my conceptualization of these networks is likely lacking

 

[Voxide]

" You tried to report someone on this site to ICE

uhhh

No. Never happened

"Most Millionaires are Self made" -- Source?

Google. Easy

 

[Cheshire_Kat]

@Voxide

Try looking at the thread in N&SAD named

Is there a big portion of the MAGA crowd that uses narcotics?​

post number 3

And I quote:

Voxide said:

On subs now, but yeah lol. I call the ICE tip line weekly with the location of illegals. They’ve actually hit one of the locations I called and shipped 7 of em back to the Dominican Republic


And no lmao, I don’t think legalizing heroin and meth isn’t a good idea. I think you’ll find even mostly democrats in America agree with me on that don’t forget this is a fringe website and mostly a political hugbox last time I ventured into that sub forum

I turned right wing in 2020 after years of being in the center and getting treated like trash by liberals when I’d say both sides make valid points lol.

Thread

Now maybe you were just bullshitting there, maybe not...
How about it?

 

[4DQSAR]

'On Subs now'

Dope!

'I don’t think legalizing heroin and meth isn’t a good idea'

Nothing says 'remedial English' better than the use of a double negative.

'I think you’ll find even mostly democrats in America agree with me on that...'

I spoke too soon.

 

[Voxide]

"Most Millionaires are Self made" -- Source?

@Voxide

Try looking at the thread in N&SAD named

Is there a big portion of the MAGA crowd that uses narcotics?​

post number 3

And I quote:


Thread

Now maybe you were just bullshitting there, maybe not...
How about it?

Ok now point where I said I reported someone on this site to ice


Lol

'On Subs now'

Dope!

Nope not on dope. It’s Buprenorphine actually, but sure go head with irrelevant comments about my sobriety. I do not care about your thoughts on subs and whether or not it’s the same thing as dope

 

[tryptakid]

Google. Easy

So google may return some data which suggests the immediate channels through which current millionaires obtained their wealth - according to one result 21% of current millionaires inherited their wealth while the vast majority did not. That seems on its face like your assertion that most millionaires are self made is on point.

One thing to consider - how many were born into resource deficits such as poverty, community violence, racial prejudice, childhood immigration, divorced parents, sexual abuse, or families with addiction? How many were born into positions of stability and privilege? Social derminants of health is a model we use to look at the likelihood of certain health conditions occuring based on social circumstances. For instance - opioid addiction occurs across all social strata in American society - Yale to Jail, black white chinese mexican trans straight and nonbinary people have become opioid dependent. Rich people and poor people become addicted, people with jobs and lifelong criminals.

The caveat to all of this is that there are certain stressors that are more likely to result in someone being exposed and developing an opioid addiction. If I grow up around drugs or in a neighborhood where drug use is prevalent, that increases my risk. If I was sexually abused as a kid, or played certain sports which put me at risk for injury I could see my risk increase. If my parents divorce and I have a difficult time adjusting to shared custody, that my increase my risk. Public health has studied and followed these patterns to explore what circumstances increase the risk of a likely social determinant of health manifesting into various health conditions..

When it comes to millionaires, there is also social determinants that can predict this. What resources and connections were available to the individual that was self made. Perhaps they had family connections or went to a school that was particularly good at college prep. Perhaps they grew up during a time when real estate bubbles were about to occur and happened into an industry that lead to quick windfalls of wealth - I had friends in the 90s who just happened to be hackers at a time when Sun Microsystems and IBM were looking for young talent to train as sysadmins. I had a friend who was making 200k/year at 16 years old doing network security. Right time, right place. Was he self made? Absolutely. Was it all his doing? Certainly not.

Luck, circumstance, perseverance and privilege all factor into this equation. As a heroin addict and a white guy from the suburbs that looked like a nerd, I wasn't hassled by police when going in and out of the neighborhoods to cop dope. I got pulled over for erratic driving with needles in my pocket but was able to talk my way out of it because I looked like I could just be an overtired college kid. If I was black or looked like I came from a rural area, my privilege wouldn't be the same - the police might've searched me and found my paraphernalia which would have prevented me from getting student loans to go back to school.