MSGID: 1:153/757.21@fidonet 2733b956   
   PID: OpenXP/5.0.64 (Win32)   
   CHRS: ASCII 1   
   TZUTC: -0500   
   An experpt (p15 and p16) from a very funny book,   
      
    Lessons from Cats for Surviving Fascism | Hardcover   
      
   Stewart Reynolds   
      
   Grand Central Publishing   
      
   Humor / Form - Parodies / Literary Criticism / American / Self-Help / Personal   
   Growth - Happiness   
      
   9781538778005   
      
   "   
   Cats despise collars.   
      
   Cats hate wearing anything.   
      
   Sure, they might look cute for a moment - maybe even Instagram-   
   worthy-but deep down, every cat knows what a collar really   
   represents: control.   
      
   The tiny bell jingling with every step? Surveillance.   
      
   The snug fit? Domination.   
      
   Cats aren't fooled, and neither should we be.   
      
   Fascists love collars, metaphorically speaking. They're obsessed   
   with finding ways to make people wear them, often by dressing   
   them up as something "necessary" or even "fashionable." "Oh, it's   
   for your own good!" they chirp, jingling the societal equivalent   
   of a little bell. "Look how it makes you a better citizen!" But   
   much like a cat, you should pause, stare at the collar, and then   
   swat it off the table with a look of utter disdain.   
      
   Fascists, let's be honest, are a bit like overzealous dog owners   
   who think every living being needs to be leashed. "Why aren't   
   they wearing their collar?" they demand, clutching their red ball   
   caps. "How will we know where they're going or what they're   
   doing?" The thought of someone walking freely through life,   
   uncollared, untethered, and entirely unpredictable, sends them   
   into a spiral of existential dread.   
      
   Cats, however, refuse to be restrained. Even when they grudgingly   
   wear a collar, they'll spend every waking moment plotting its   
   removal.   
      
   You can practically hear them thinking, Oh, you believe this   
   little pink band of oppression will stop me? And that's the   
   energy we need to channel. It's not just about rejecting literal   
   collars - it's about rejecting anything that tries to disguise   
   control as convenience. A bell around your neck so the fascists   
   can always find you? No, thank you.   
      
   The funny thing is, fascists aren't even good at making collars   
   look appealing. Their idea of a "cute accessory" is usually   
   something drab and joyless, like a uniform or a badge that   
   screams, "I have no personality!" And yet, they can't understand   
   why people don't line up to wear them. You can almost picture the   
   confusion: "Why don't they like the collar? It's so practical!   
   It's so efficient!" Meanwhile, the cats of the world are lounging   
   in their collar-free glory, silently laughing at the absurdity of   
   it all.   
      
   The trick is to question every collar you're handed, no matter   
   how harmless it seems. Is it really just a harmless accessory, or   
   is it a way to keep you in line?   
      
   Cats know the answer instinctively.   
      
   That's why they'd rather dart across busy streets, untagged and   
   unbothered, than let someone slap a leash on them. It's not just   
   about freedom - it's about the principle of the thing.   
      
   So, the next time someone tries to slip a metaphorical collar   
   around your neck - whether it's a rule, a label, or a demand for   
   conformity - channel your inner cat. Give them that signature   
   feline look of disdain that says, "I don't think so, moron," and   
   walk away, preferably in the direction of a sunny windowsill   
   where you can nap undisturbed.   
      
   Because at the end of the day, life isn't meant to be lived with   
   a bell around your neck and someone else holding the leash. Be   
   uncollared undisturbed.   
   Be free.   
      
   "   
      
   --- OpenXP 5.0.64   
    * Origin: Mobile? Join CHAT here: https://tinyurl.com/y5k7tsla (1:153/757.21)   
   SEEN-BY: 103/705 105/81 106/201 124/5016 128/187 129/14 305 134/100   
   SEEN-BY: 153/0 143 148 149 151 153 757 7715 154/30 110 203/0 218/700   
   SEEN-BY: 221/0 6 226/30 227/114 229/110 112 134 300 307 317 426 428   
   SEEN-BY: 229/470 664 700 705 240/1120 5832 280/464 291/111 292/8125   
   SEEN-BY: 301/1 310/31 320/219 322/757 341/66 234 396/45 423/120 460/58   
   SEEN-BY: 633/267 280 384 414 418 420 422 2744 712/848 770/1 902/26   
   SEEN-BY: 2320/105 5020/400 5075/35   
   PATH: 153/757 280/464 633/280 229/426