chapotraphouse

(US) yeah, totally. the lesson i learned was how easily most people will do and say a thing they don't believe in just to avoid scrutiny from the broader group even when the orders are coming from the tiny minority that hold all institutional power.

and how like 5-10% of the obedient group are unhinged freaks who delight in enforcing discipline. by late high school though, most of us just stood there and didn't hand-on-heart/recite. and really the standing only happened when the instructor was like some divorced-dad dipshit coach or karen that would note who wasn't patriotic and look for ways to retaliate. normal teachers just stood at their desk and looked at their plans or whatever unless an administrator was doing a spot check.