I grew up on the streets of Chicago. The culture is very different from other places in America. Nobody consults a lawyer for the ethics of a situation - they just react to it. Corruption is open business. Petty violence is commonplace. Murder isn't worth but a line in the local newspapers. Most crimes are never reported to the authorities because those bastards will just take what's left of your money and cause more agony for everyone involved. Justice is a sick joke. The strong survive. The weak lose. The smart move out. The lucky learn to be crooked. (And you guys voted for a Democratic Machine politician from Chicago to be President of the United States - Why didn't you just vote for Benito Mussolini or Juan Peron? You needed some time on the streets of South Side before casting that vote!) I find Walt's survival mode neither repulsive nor irresponsible.

In life, everything is after you from the tiny H1N1 virus to giant asteroids in outer space. However paranoid you are, it isn't enough. And if you want to be a free person, you need to be ready to club someone over the head on a moment's notice just because the situation called for it.

I've been out of sync since leaving the inner city because everybody wants a justification for every thing that happens. It's like the rest of America demands "perfection" or nothing. Well, you'll always get nothing because life is messy and irrational. So cry like a baby if it doesn't suit you. Cry me a river of righteous indignation. The most important thing is to live through the next 8 seconds. Fvck all dreams of a perfect world. Fvck the common good. Fvck "fairness". Fvck the Republicans. Fvck the Democrats. Fvck the Communists. Fvck Islam. Fvck the law. I need my next three breaths and I'll do anything to get them. That's survival mode and it doesn't just apply to Walter White. It applies to you and me also. All Breaking Bad did was show us what we should already know - I'd kill to live. Oh, I want to be civilized and law-abiding, but I will retaliate if you step on me. And that's a good thing. I'll live as long as I'm supposed to and be as happy as circumstances allow. Don't be bad, just make sure the bad never want to mess with you. But remember "STAY OUT OF MY TERRITORY!"

Walkercolt - You dont need to grow up in Chicago to know when someone isnt right and dose'nt pass the smell test. I sure as hell did not vote for the Messiah. Go to Hanks Blog (Happy Trails) and you'll see I entered a little ditty in about our Great Leader Lord Obama. Just the Thought of that POS being elected makes me ill.

How did he get elected? I can't seem to find anyone who voted for him???!

whoa...didn't think this question pertained to the politics of todays world but more to the point of characterizations of Breaking Bad and wanted to hear the viewpoints concerning those characters and why they acted the way they did in Season I and Season II.

Hey..Walkercolt and R.W., you usually have some pretty damn good postings and would love hear what your views are on this question on such characters as Marie, Jane, Hank..etc...NOT Obama.

Linda555, even though we seem to be at opposites, I like you. I'll follow your lead and apologize for bringing "The One" onto this blog.

1. I think Marie (Betsy Brandt?) needs a lot of work. Right now she's just bullying Hank; very self-centered if not psychopathic; a thief and a liar. She's too shallow for the other, deeper characters in the show. I'd like to see her chink-in-the-armor. That soft underbelly, if there is one. I'll like to see her cry for someone other than herself. As it is, I've got no sympathy and no hatred for her yet. She's a cardboard cutout.

2. I've already posted that I want a dramatic moment for Hank which is more brain or honest effort than his usual big-cop-brawn.

3. I've already begged on my knees for BB to give Anna Gunn (Skyler) a chance to show her talent.

4. Another under-developed character is Walter Jr. (RJ Mitte). I know he's got those crutches in his way both as a character and as an actor, but he's very handsome and his eyes are alive as if lights are dancing in them. Surely the show can do some more with the Flynn character. His face shows more intelligence than the Cerebral Palsy can take away.

That's all I've got for now. Happy blogging. - Walkercolt.

LOL...Okay walkercolt...that's wanted I wanted to hear...and glad you hit on some characters that seem to have fallen along the way. I too, think we need to see more of Skyler..there is more to this woman than meets the eye. At first, I really didn't like her, but she is intelligent and savvy and I often wonder myself as others have posted, just how Walt and Skyler really hit it off as a couple. So far, Skyler and Walt seem to be so "missed-matched" .

I have a feeling Walt Jr. will be breaking bad himself in the next season, which most of us won't expect and Vince will most probably test the viewers to sympathize with him if he does break bad. Seems Vince likes to take the innocent characters and force them to take the dark side of their nature.
You are right about Walt Jr....pretty smart observant kid for his age!! I still have a firm belief Walt Jr. will figure out Walt 1st before anyone else concerning what Walt is doing with making BlueSky.

I want to know about Hank....he jokes a lot but he has some pretty good fears behind that DEA Agent facade and I want to know WHY.

As for Marie, I would imagine she was the favorite in the family and got the attention of dear daddy to the point of being so spoiled rotten and Skyler had to clean up around her when she got into trouble. That was noticeable in the 1st Season when Skyler and Marie had a falling out and Skyler demanding an apology from Marie and a few words were said about their growing up as sisters. I sense family antagonistic attitude between Marie and Skyler.