Ever try classifying the kinds of 'sheeple'?

[AlexSchira]

First off, I usually avoid the term in the title, but it was shorter than 'bladephobics', 'knife haters', 'unsharpened folk', etc.

Dealing with people over the years, I've never been able to put them all in the same boat over why they'd dislike knives and their owners. Different backgrounds, personalities, and situations can create different types of knife-related tension.

'The Nielson Family': One branch of my expanded family tree, is considerably 'cleaner cut' than the rest. Meaning, they don't drink, swear, eat anything non-organic, censor their cable channels, their teenage children still live around playdate and appointment systems, and at one point they dabbled in a new-age, watered down...well, as yuppie-ish and watered down as it was, it was a cult. A cult the other cults probably make fun of if they cross paths buying Kool-Aid at Walmart. To sum it up...If they think they are nearing perfection, they'll go with it. Their lives are dictated by the standards of this new generation of Cleaver parents as dictated by those 'Studies say...' and 'Research has found...' blurbs all over the media.
Hence...the Nielson family.

The studies and research on the parental-blocked TV...says that knives are bloodthirsty weapons that children should not be allowed to be exposed to, same with their carriers. Therefore...When their older son (smelling like 'the' bathroom back in high school...) slurs about the thing clipped in my pocket under my shirt, his parents pounce to teach said child a lesson about what they should be protected from. Does the kid know any better? No. He'll either believe them and carry on those beliefs...or rebel, start hoarding flea market autos and playing with them in public to show off to their youth group. So squeaky clean and censored, 'bad' things are exiled or secretly abused.

I'll be back with more later on, have to run out for an appointment.

 

[shecky]

Every instance I've seen where knife use becomes an issue ( and never much of an issue, mind you) has been an instance of some dorky guy (it's always a guy) does something like pull out a Vaquero Grande or Dark Ops to clean his nails in polite company. It's not so much fear of knives, more like fear of the guy with the knife. Actually, fear is not the right word. More like they peg the guy as being either Barney Fife or The Comic Book Guy-a dork making a feeble attempt to look cool.

Myself, I've never had any issue at all, living in the big bad sheeple-filled big city most of my life. In my experience, nobody gives you a hassle for using the right tool for a job.

 

[Lenny_Goofoff]

Cleaver parents? its like …um mom and dad whith a cleaver?
sorry for bad pun…

 

[marcinek]

Every instance I've seen where knife use becomes an issue ( and never much of an issue, mind you) has been an instance of some dorky guy (it's always a guy) does something like pull out a Vaquero Grande or Dark Ops to clean his nails in polite company. It's not so much fear of knives, more like fear of the guy with the knife. Actually, fear is not the right word. More like they peg the guy as being either Barney Fife or The Comic Book Guy-a dork making a feeble attempt to look cool.

Myself, I've never had any issue at all, living in the big bad sheeple-filled big city most of my life. In my experience, nobody gives you a hassle for using the right tool for a job.

Shecky...I've never heard it put better. I've pulled my SAK out and used it at business meetings when it was necessary, and no one has ever blinked an eye.

An inappropriate knife at the inappropriate time causes the "sheeple" thing. I know people like their big knives (I like 'em too!), but you know what...I like to scratch myself, belch, and lay around in sweats too...I don't do it at a business meeting.

Kudos, Shecky, kudos.

 

[Dr. Mudd]

Alex, I find sheeple to be very dull people. (Sorry! ) They bore me to tears if I have to associate with them -- which is seldom -- so it never occurred to me to try to classify them. I'll have to think more about it.

As for the perception many of the sheeple have of us "knife knuts," I think it comes down to the image or profile of the usually younger blade enthusiasts who want to unnecessarily display their knives, and often the use of folders with pocket clips contributes to this "showy" aspect of their behavior.

The bottom line is that it's best to keep a low profile, don't draw attention to ourselves, and blend smoothly into civilized society as much as we reasonably can. That doesn't mean don't carry or use a knife for an appropriate purpose, it just means don't flash it around for the shock value it might have. That's just not a smart way to behave!

They used to say about certain young, inexperienced cops that they looked less like a man wearing a gun than they did like a gun wearing a man. I think the analogy works here. You usually can't tell young 'uns anything, though. They think they know it all.

 

[Ludwig]

You usually can't tell young 'uns anything, though. They think they know it all.

As a matter of fact, sir, I happen to be 19 years old, and I do know it all!

But yes, I agree with you. Sheeple-like responses are brought about when certain knives are used during inappropriate times. You really have to think about where you are and who is around you before taking a knife out to do the job. That's why I always carry a sheeple-friendly SAK along with my EDC.

 

[darthsoaker]

Shecky...I've never heard it put better. I've pulled my SAK out and used it at business meetings when it was necessary, and no one has ever blinked an eye.

An inappropriate knife at the inappropriate time causes the "sheeple" thing. I know people like their big knives (I like 'em too!), but you know what...I like to scratch myself, belch, and lay around in sweats too...I don't do it at a business meeting.

Kudos, Shecky, kudos.

SAKs are pretty good around sheeple, but if the SAK in question isn't red with plastic scales it's MUCH easier to get a bad reaction.

Keep in mind that there will be people who just aren't used to knives.

I was at my grandmothers house for Christmas helping one of my younger cousins open up a Nerf gun set that he received for Christmas, stupidly,(or so I thought) all I brought was a PE Spyderco Dragonfly, there was zipties all over the packaging. :grumpy: But, none the less, I got to work, slicing away at the zipties. I had barely started when another cousin (15 years old) walks in, and says "Holy crap, man, is that thing legal?", and "You don't need to be carrying that around...." I asked him what he'd rather have me use, and he looked a bit baffled, and then said "Scissors?". I asked him if he had any, and he just gave be another baffled look.

I don't think he was afraid of knives, simply not used to them. He's your typical ipod-ing teenager, but I don't think he ever really gave knives a second thought, other then them as weapons. :grumpy:

 

[KFLEISIG]

I recently had a similar experience with my sister. I was showing her my new baby (BM 740), but she didn't even want to touch it, she almost shied away from it. Admittedly, it is significantly larger than a Dragonfly, but I think of it as a rather non-tactical looking knife. Rather large, yes, but stylish. Some people just seem to have an inherent fear of any knife that doesn't come out of a kitchen drawer. We probably have the media to thank for this type of reaction. They portray pocket knives as weapons. But, the mall ninjas don't help any either. If enough sheeple see responsible use of pocket knives, perhaps the stigma will fade. Although I think that I should be able to clean my fingernails in the boardroom with my CUDA MAXX, a Dragonfly is about the biggest knife that I would take to work.

 

[Redgearhead]

...or we could just stop giving two flying f--ks about the Hollister polo wearing lemmings and quit trying to appease everyone like little high-school cheerleaders. I choose to ignore them and let Natural Selection run it's course.

 

[marcinek]

If enough sheeple see responsible use of pocket knives, perhaps the stigma will fade.

Equally well put, KFLEISIG!

And Darthsoaker...I'll wager that your level-headed logical explantion of the use of the Dragonfly "de-sheeple-ified" your cousin.

I think thats all it takes...act like you are a sane person who uses a knife if something needs to be cut.

 

[marcinek]

...or we could just stop giving two flying f--ks about the Hollister polo wearing lemmings and quit trying to appease everyone like little high-school cheerleaders. I choose to ignore them and let Natural Selection run it's course.

...or that approach might work...

 

[symphonyincminor]

...or we could just stop giving two flying f--ks about the Hollister polo wearing lemmings and quit trying to appease everyone like little high-school cheerleaders. I choose to ignore them and let Natural Selection run it's course.

How can we simply ignore them if they will always outnumber rationally-inclined folks (like ourselves)? Do you think it's a rebellious act to whip out yer big 'ol folding knife to cut yer cheezeberger at MacDonalds, while the horrified families look on with disgust?

I don't feel like my decision to be scrutinizingly discrete about my knife use hampers me as a person. I think there is some sort of wisdom in blending in with the rest of society, while maintaining my personal thoughts and worth in lou of my environment. Or something.

I never like threads like this because they're pretty much a constant on knife & gun forums. Just by using the term "sheeple" implies an inherent difference between "those" people and yourself, which is really erroneous. They simply have a different perception of our collective civil liberties and probably lack a lot in the rational department. The people screaming "those goddamned SHEEPLE!!" make it sound like these people are subnormals or something. They're not. They're just the same idiots that we all have to deal with at our jobs, in lines at the bank, at restaurants, et cetera.

 

[knarfeng]

First off, I usually avoid the term in the title, but it was shorter than 'bladephobics', 'knife haters', 'unsharpened folk', etc.

I prefer the term "blade challenged". It's humorous without being insulting.

I agree with Shecky and marcinek. People fear the unfamiliar. If they see people using knives in an appropriate manner, the fear will lessen.

 

[SaMX]

the thing about sheeple, and I hate that term, is that if you tell them it's just a pocket knife and tell them it's no big deal, then it's no big deal. Sheep do what they're told, right?

 

[spoonrobot]

As for the perception many of the sheeple have of us "knife knuts," I think it comes down to the image or profile of the usually younger blade enthusiasts who want to unnecessarily display their knives, and often the use of folders with pocket clips contributes to this "showy" aspect of their behavior.

Explain, please.

 

[offsetlover]

at my grad party (highschool, not college) i had a cake with my Sr. pic on it. well me and my friends decide to "murder" me. so my best friend takes out his Kershaw chive and slits my "throat". no one was phased as we preceded to go around the table so everyone could get a shot at me (including me!). no one who works at the restraunt saw it, or would have cared (we were in a party room and i know half the ppl who work there anyway). that would have freaked so many ppl out. thankfully i dont know to many sheep

 

[mete]

Spoonrobot, Dr Mudd is referring to people we sometimes call flashers .Like other types of flashers they want to attract attention to themselves. So it's 'look at me ', I've got a gun or knife etc....Most sheeple are not well adjusted and I usually ignore them . Yesterday I was near a fellow with his little kids . They obviously needed to cut something so I said 'would you like me to cut that for you with my knife ?' His eyes widened and he said 'you have a knife ?' I ignored the question and did the cutting !!

 

[FliGuyRyan]

And it is because the existance of sheeple that I carry two EDCs with me now at all times. As a 22-year old who has a shaved head (Army) and rides a motorcycle (crotch-rocket) AND who carries a knife... WOW... maybe some of you can imagine some of the reactions/looks I get on a daily basis from just those stereotyped characteristics. I carry my CRKT M16-13M for the tough, beat-em-up jobs and my ZDP-189 Leek for when sheeple are grazing in perfect-land.

Great thread...
-Ryan

 

[Redgearhead]

How can we simply ignore them if they will always outnumber rationally-inclined folks (like ourselves)? Do you think it's a rebellious act to whip out yer big 'ol folding knife to cut yer cheezeberger at MacDonalds, while the horrified families look on with disgust?

I'm not sure what you're trying to imply here. First of all, I don't whip my "big ol' folding knife" around like I'm John Wayne or something. Second,
where I live, I don't have to put myself in places where I might encounter
such situations. That's what I meant by "ignoring" them. My knives only come out at work or school or at home. If I do happen to be around someone who can't break a wire-tie, or needs to shorten a rope or radiator hose, or can't open a case of oil or etc., I let him figure it out. He's a big boy. I don't have a "hero complex". BTW, you couldn't drag my festering corpse into a Starbucks or McDonalds if you tried.

I don't feel like my decision to be scrutinizingly discrete about my knife use hampers me as a person. I think there is some sort of wisdom in blending in with the rest of society, while maintaining my personal thoughts and worth in lou of my environment. Or something.

That's kinda what I'm trying to say.

I never like threads like this because they're pretty much a constant on knife & gun forums. Just by using the term "sheeple" implies an inherent difference between "those" people and yourself, which is really erroneous. They simply have a different perception of our collective civil liberties and probably lack a lot in the rational department. The people screaming "those goddamned SHEEPLE!!" make it sound like these people are subnormals or something. They're not. They're just the same idiots that we all have to deal with at our jobs, in lines at the bank, at restaurants, et cetera.

My attitude towards "those people" stems from years of that very same interaction. These are the same people who, when I was growing up, tried their best to make me feel less "human" because I was "different" and chose not to follow the same trends they did. Also, the term "sheeple" describes them quite accurately. They follow trends instead of create them. They buy and do whatever they're told is "cool". (Remember that whole "Von Dutch" fad?) So, my attitude is "f--k 'em".

 

[hmullica72]

I agree with redgearhead. I still get that "oh, he must be a redneck" look whenever I use my folder. (and I'm in public and not at work) :barf: