I am not a rule follower. I know that's not a pleasant thing to say and if you are someone who knows me personally, you would look down upon this statement. Don't come chasing after me if something wrong happens though. There are hundreds, thousands or possibly millions like me. There are too many systemic rules in this world. Rules, freaking rules everywhere. If you want to be different, you just can't. You have to do what you are asked to. It's like "to differ is to suffer".
Why am I complaining about rules? Because I have been getting all these random fines everywhere. What a way to force a free spirit to bow down to systemic rules and practices. Oh, you cruel world designed by social and cultural braniacs. You make me feel like a maniac for breaking rules and being an outlier. I borrowed a library book and returned the day after. Guess what? A fine of 33 bucks. Are you kidding me? I mean seriously are you freakin kidding me? It was supposedly a short loan book only for two hours. Who the fuck can read a book in two hours? It's like you borrow the book and without even going to the bathroom, you start reading and put a timer. You don't want to exceed two hours.
Another instance. Last week, I walked into my apartment after midnight from a dinner party at one of the professor's house. Five minutes later, a security guy at apartment complex knocks at the door because there were too many people in our apartment and we were noisy and wrote me and one of my apartment mate a fine. I tried explaining him I had just walked in and wasn't part of it. He wouldn't even listen. He suggested I talk to the administration. Administration said I had to write a formal letter which I did. A couple days later, I get a reply saying the case was reviewed with security and the fines cannot be removed. If I did not pay the fines within 3 days, more fines would accrue. They didn't even talk to me or give me a chance to explain. Is that what you call justice? Oh you cruel world. Someone makes the rules and rules are rules, no one can break them. As if these man made arbitrary practices were engraved in some holy text, which are written by humans too.
You want to hear another story? My credit balance showed $1.22 which was below minimum payment of $10 so I thought there was no need to pay. A couple days later, I checked my account and I see a fine of $35 for not paying $1.22. Are you freakin' kiddin me Bank of America? Where is your fucking fairness? How can you charge a fine that is almost 25 times more? And who do you complain to? These freakin banks are large multinational corporations. It's not like they have an owner or manager you can talk to. You go talk to receptionist at your nearest bank branch and they'll make you go through so many bureaucratic practices that you would waste more time trying to retrieve that amount than you could earn working at Starbucks for the same time. No, I don't plan to work at Starbucks, not even after graduation.
Every time a system frustrates me, be it political, economic or social, I think about the movie "Into the Wild".
