So as I've mentioned before, I live by an elementary school. This makes it so that I'm constantly re-exposed to all the wonderful stimili that grammar school had to offer; the kids playing that game with the ball tied to a pole, children screaming and running in circles, the over-bearing parents picking up their offspring, and yes -- the elaborate system of bells.

As I was stepping out of the house earlier today, one of those obnoxious bells went off, and it got me thinking.
"I mean -- wasn't it just horrible how these kids were being trained? They've got them working under a static schedule, every destinations pre-ordained -- every room exitted and entered on the cue of a mechanical bell -- classically conditioned, like fucking Pavlov's dogs? How sad... Glad I'm past that."

And then, as I left the school behind and plodded on to my one o'clock class, I realized this: I had no reason to pity these kids. I was still on the same schedule -- I'd just been trained to do it without the bells.