Quote:
Originally Posted by Strangelet
OT a bit but I wanted to respond to this.
Lord knows I would be cursing us mopes back stateside if I were in such a hell on earth in the face of such indifference from home. Bitter wouldn't be the word. But I think some of this conventional bitterness misses the picture. like totally. It was one of your own, the commander in chief, that told us to be indfferent, to go to the mall, to spend instead of sacrifice, to bankrupt your service structures with tax credits that coincidentally are about the same dollar amounts as a chinese made flat screen tv at walmart.
I won't argue whether or not being self-centered, think-only-about-myself, prissy, pampered, spoiled is ingrained in our culture. I will argue that the strategy of diversion played by the pentagon run media and the white house had nothing to do with the fact that americans behave this way. They played their hand for one reason and one reason only. That the war is a sham and the more anyone starts digging into cost benefit analysis or ethical ramifications they see how much of a sham it is.
You could say the american people are guilty of allowing themselves to be placed under such soma. But now our behaviors of obedience and emotional patriotism become just as much of a factor as being self centered or spoiled.
People do what their leaders tell them to do. Soldiers go to war because they are told it is good for the country. Citizens max their credit cards in obstinence toward the financial writing on the wall.
We're all being played. And I don't want to be an asshole for saying this but I think its the truth.
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And I wont disagree with you on any particular point in your message, but I think you either misread where I was going with my argument, or I explained it too obtusely, which I've been known to do.
I've held the opinion for a while now that some kind of semi-compulsory social service should be the norm for young adults in this country, for only a couple of years. Of course, this would not be limited to military service, but would extend to the Peace Corps, Habitat for Humanity, the Red Cross; any charitable organization in need of volunteers would do. And with a little re-working, such service could easily mimic military service in terms of pay or time served, and the many benefits that military members earn through their service would be offered as well. I just see a real problem with the way young people are developing with no sense of civic responsibility or pride. Very few people have the kind of experience in a culture where you're not only responsible for yourself, but for those around you, and for those you serve. Ours is one of instant self gratification and obsession. That's more to what I was getting at. Hopefully I've explained it a little bit better. Think what you want of the war, the motivation, the legitimacy, the management. The men and women who have dedicated their lives to honorably serving our Nation as Her warriors are deserving of everything good that our society has to offer. I think that we'd be better off as a nation if we encouraged and rewarded our youth for voluntary and selfless service.