Lockstep

A strange conformity

Not to inspire individuality

Rather keeping those

Fearful of authority

In line with expectations

That they must

Pseudo rebel, by (get this)

Conforming to group-think



With “their” perceived group

(I’m assuming “left leaning”)

By using memes & slogans

With Orwellian depictions

Telescreens barking loudly

In the background to command

OBEY. FOLLOW. CONFORM.

Well, isn’t that just dandy?

I suppose it is meant

As a “warning” not to be told

What to do or how to live

According to the “establishment”

M e a n w h i l e …… it seems that

Those intending to WARN

Find themselves in

An informal group, non-group

Of people unintentionally

Living in faux / real fear



The funniest place I saw

The word OBEY was on a

Bumper sticker on a car

On the highway, in what I call

The winter parades, where in

Inclement icy road weather

Ironically, low visibility conditions

Drivers tend to gravitate to

Long processions of vehicles

“Following” the red taillights

Of the car in front of them

Obeying their dictates w/o question

Way too close for an “escape” plan

Using the Smith System

• Aim high in steering
• Get the big picture
• Keep your eyes moving
• Leave yourself an out
• Make sure they see you

Not

• See only taillights
• Focus on illumination of red
• Stay trained on one thing
• Hope nothing goes wrong
• Fit in like no one is watching


So much, for not “Obeying”



More often than not, these are led

Unintentionally led by an 18-wheeler

Who may see farther down the road

Maybe not, but leading nonetheless



Ooopsie



In the meantime, everyone who has

Put themselves in the “parade”

Has compromised their safety

By being in lockstep with someone

They do not know and have

Absolutely no communication with

Trusting that the lead “leader”

Somehow, they know more than them

A sorta safety in numbers

So everyone in the parade can be

First in line in the pile-up of

Twisted metal, broken glass

Missing limbs and shattered lives




I make it a habit to neither

Lead or follow, but drive

Responsibly in my lane

Passing when appropriate or when

I can not evade being tailgated

I slow down without brake checking

(Hint: if you brake-check someone

Who can obviously go faster

One runs the risk of being “brake” checked)

Circumstantially making the driver go around

Dropping down from 65 mph to 45 mph

“Leading” them to safely get in a new lane



Maybe a fresh, more positive slogan would be

THINK, QUESTION, UNLEARN, or

DOUBT, INQUIRE, HYPOTHESIZE, TEST, PROVE

DISMANTLE, REASSEMBLE, STUDY, ASK



So as never to be in lockstep with someone

You have no idea where they are going

But look like they do, because of an unspoken say so




Geez, I wonder if this translates off the highway

Hmmmm, that anyone would blindly, obediently

Follow someone who ought not lead in the first place

Probably not. It must only just apply to those

Who find themselves lockstep in winter parades