The system has you

Everything in America works through the system. It’s an ambiguous force that maintains order, justice and sometimes even discrimination.

Many people praise the system, while others consider it the root of many problems.

Some even fear it under the pretense that it is “out to get them.” So what is the system?  

Is it something tangible that you can point out to someone? 

No. It’s much more complex than that. But instead of trying to define what it is, it may be easier to determine how it works. 

Take this example:  You’re driving your car in a rush to get to work. Because of your speedy driving and desperation to make it on time, you almost run a stop sign.

Luckily, though, you hit the brakes just in time.   There were no cops, cameras or conflicting traffic in sight.

Nobody was even there to see you run the stop sign, yet you broke a sweat when it almost happened and did everything in your power to prevent it.

That’s the system at work in one of its simplest forms. You didn’t run the stop sign because that would be wrong.

But why is it wrong? There were no other cars around, were there? 

No, but you know that it is the wrong thing to do because it is against the law.

Whether law enforcement is around or not, you know that you shouldn’t run a stop sign because that’s how the system works.

The system is not an external force.

Instead, it works internally and has been embedded in your psyche for as long as you can remember.

Running a stop sign isn’t one of the seven deadly sins, but it is something that many people wouldn’t dream of doing, even if it was 3 a.m. without a soul on the street.

Written legislation, law enforcement and street signs are simply reminders that the system is at work.  

Think of it as Pavlovian reinforcement on a massive scale.

Ivan Pavlov was a Russian psychologist who first described classical conditioning, a phenomenon involving the use of a stimulus to evoke a particular response.    With the system, a particular form of conditioning, known as fear conditioning, is at work.

The stimuli include incarceration, monetary fines and ruined reputation, while the conditioned response is fear and obedience.

Now, I’m not saying you should run a stop sign—I’m just saying you should know why you aren’t.  

You don’t want a traffic citation. The system is a force that uses consequence to control cause. 

Sometimes it’s used to control actions, forcing people to obey a given authority.

Other times it’s used simply to establish order and make things go smoothly. Either way, it’s important to know what it is.

The system is non-existent, yet absolutely existing.

The system is the reason you do or don’t do certain things.

The system is the pathway of thinking in your mind that gives power to authority, and because of this, the system has you.

Phillip Pluta is a junior communication major who believes in freedom of the mind, body and soul.