Being without money is to be without use in this society.  It's the money that's important, not me.  I am replaceable by one of any millions of similarly working parts, and more are spat out by every hour by assembly line mothers.  It is a strangely brilliant and suicidal move; to make the productions of ourselves the basis of our industry.  It is possible for me to create myself--through education, cosmetic surgery and available goods--into whatever I choose.  The marketing of identity is America's future, America's present.

Therefore, the prevention of the creation of identity is the element of opposition necessary to keep society rolling.  Society must contradict the self.  Society must destroy the self, even as it offers up new selves to attain.  Ultimately, however, the destruction of identity is the ultimate punishment for not being a productive member of society.  To be an individual is the most difficult achievement and the easiest.  Society both withholds it and grants it in abundance because, at the core of it, individuals are more difficult to oppress but have more difficulty in changing the system than a community.

Old man reeking of cigarettes, hollering to his friend in Cantonese.  His words occasionally drag out, like a dog howling in a yard.  His howls are my future.  We will buy and sell languages soon.