I have an obsession with flags. Todd flies them occasionally. Lots of people do. I don’t happen to, but that’s an aesthetic choice. The problem for me (as I’ve said a thousand times) is that flags are like bumper stickers for your home. People increasingly treat them that way as well, which is bonkers.
At the bottom of it, though, what’s worth thinking about is the lack of thought people seem to put into flying a flag. I wonder what would change about it if we had to flay flags on the houses we looked at rather than the houses we lived in.
In addition to the comical flag that adorns this episode, flags tend to fall into two categories. The first says “I like flags.” These are the homes with seasonal flags, comical or not.
The other, which includes American flags, pride flags, blue line flags, and Confederate flags, says, “If you only know one thing about the person living in this house, it’s this.”
I’ve gotta be clear, I don’t think that’s what people believe; I just think they don’t consider it from that perspective. I’d like to hope that if they did, they’d be more careful about the sweeping generalizations they self-applied.
There’s more here:
Why I regret not burning my neighbor’s Confederate Flag when I had the chance
Desecrating the American Flag Doesn’t Make You More Patriotic
Blue Line Flags Are Cheap, Cops Are Goddamn Expensive
Show Highlights
Todd and I revisit Ocean City just after the turn of the century. We discuss the rise (and eventual disappearance of) DJ Batman and the idea that there was a time when a DJ that just played other people’s records could command a following.
I’m going to be on TV again in a couple of weeks for my book Dragged Into the Light, Truthers, Reptilians, Super Soldiers, and Death Inside an Online Cult. I still have some audiobooks to give away, so if you read this far and want me to send you one, just respond to this email.
Grownups and Flags