Sock, Sock, Shoe, Shoe
Every morning when I button up my lightly starched dress shirt, cinch my belt on my pressed dress pants, and tie the tiny little laces on my shiny dress shoes, I’m reminded again of the 2/3 or more of my life during which I swore I would never, ever be the type of person who dressed up like this every day. I wonder if that nagging thought will ever go away.
For most of my life, I was convinced that suits and ties were the uniforms of capitalism and exploitation (although, of course, before college I just thought they were uncomfortable, uncool, and markers of the type of life I would never want to live). Now I put on a suit and tie nearly every day. Does that make me a tool? Have I sold out?
I like to think it’s possible that the answer is no. I may wear the uniform of oppression and exploitation, but as a public defender I fight against those forces. I like to think I’m sort of using the master’s tools to destroy the master’s house, so to speak.1 Maybe that’s just rationalization.
Perhaps it’s good for public defenders to be constantly asking themselves, “Are we tools?” Because if we are tools, cogs in the system that grinds down our clients, we should stop what we’re doing, shouldn’t we?
Ah, nevermind. It’s Tuesday and me and my shiny shoes are late for work.
- If anyone can provide background on that phrase ââ¬â you have to use the master’s tools to destroy the master’s house ââ¬â I would appreciate it. I’m pretty sure there’s a debate over whether that’s even possible or whether it’s just cover for those who have sold out…↩
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July 10th, 2007 at 8:09 am
Well, I never wanted to sell anything, buy anything, or process anything as a career… :)
Seriously, I don’t know how you could think, as a PD, that you’ve sold out. Unless they work PDs a helluva a lot less than they do ’round these parts, I think you’re status as fighting the system from within is secure.
July 10th, 2007 at 8:51 am
I’m more of a sock, shoe, sock shoe guy. Thats if I can find my shoes near my socks.
July 10th, 2007 at 10:13 am
Lorde, Audre, “The Master’s Tools Will Never Dismantle the Master’s
House” in Moraga, Cherrie and Anzaldua, Gloria, eds., This Bridge Called
My Back: Writings by Radical Women of Color, (Kitchen Table: Women of
Color Press, 1981), pp. 98-101
July 10th, 2007 at 10:18 am
Ok, I’m having trouble with my keyboard (just spilled OJ on it — rrrr), but meant to say that I’d start with the Lorde piece. I don’t remember if she’s riffing on an existing phrase, or if she originated it — I was going to check, but my copy of that book is packed already.
July 10th, 2007 at 10:24 am
You’re in MT, bro. Can’t you get by with Wranglers, cowboy boots, and a plate-sized belt buckle?
July 10th, 2007 at 9:41 pm
I like to pretend that I’m putting on “the last suit [I]‘ll ever wear.”
July 10th, 2007 at 10:02 pm
Archie: Don’t you know that the whole world puts on a sock and a sock and a shoe and a shoe?
Mike: I like to take care of one foot at a time!
Archie: That’s the dumbest thing I ever heard!
Mike: It’s just as quick my way!
Archie: Wait a minute! That ain’t the point! You see what I’m taââ¬â [As Mike starts to put the sock on his other foot, Archie grabs at it.] Don’t be doin’ that! Suppose there’s a fire in the house and you gotta run for your life. Your way, all you got on is one shoe and a sock. My way, you got on a sock and a sock. You see? You’re even.
Mike: Suppose it’s raining and snowing outside? Your way, with a sock on each foot, my feet would get wet. My way, with a sock and a shoe on one foot, I could hop around and stay dry!
July 11th, 2007 at 7:36 am
You guys are great. I feel better about my sock sock shoe shoe today. I agree w/Archie that it’s better than sock shoe sock shoe, although Mike does have a point. And, as Will says, I could almost get by w/Wranglers, boots, and a plate-sized belt buckle, but I’d still need a tie and jacket, and I would definitely get kicked out of one judge’s courtroom w/the wranglers, so…
I understand why it’s important to “look like a lawyer” both for the opposition, judges, the public, and our clients, but I will never love it. That’s ok. What I do is worth that little amount of daily discomfort.
j9: thanks for the reference — I knew it was back there in the dark wilderness of grad school. So why are you moving? What are you doing? Does this mean you’ve found a job!?
July 11th, 2007 at 2:00 pm
You think you sold out? I just went down to the station to do a lineup. I didn’t recognize anybody, which meant that I didn’t go home feeling guilty. I spent most of the ride in the back seat of the cruiser wondering what you’d think of me.Seriously, what do you think? Was I right to cooperate with the police in trying to prosecute the kids who mugged me?
July 11th, 2007 at 3:48 pm
I have found a job — for some reason I thought I’d told you. Hm. I guess not. Anyway, it’s all craziness and whatnot around here. There are fewer and fewer of our cohort left now. Dana and CW are still here, but probably not for much longer. I can’t believe how many years it’s been since that first orientation. Crazy. Then again, it must seem a million miles away for you :)
July 12th, 2007 at 8:58 am
Sell out.
July 15th, 2007 at 9:41 am
Josiah: I’m not an anarchist. I don’t people should be mugging people, and I’m sorry to hear that happened to you. I’m kind of glad you didn’t recognize anyone though, and that you were honest about it. I know there are times when people do lineups and they want to badly to get the person who hurt them that their mind convinces them of a certainty that isn’t real. Anyway, I don’t know what I would do in a situation like that and I can’t judge whether you were right or wrong. I know when someone vandalized my car I did call the cops and make a report. Sometimes that’s what you have to do…
j9: Congratulations! I’ll email…
jkohm: You so mean!