My nephew just signed up for the Marines cause he’s not doing well financially and his gf is also in there. Dude skipped out on going to his grandmother’s funeral so he could take the test to get in.
Something a lot of people ignore or claim is irrelevant is the individual’s situation before joining and it bugs me. I could be talking out of my ass here, because I don’t know your nephew, but this kid sounds as if he could be pretty desperate for a way out of his situation. Could just be a jackass, but even jackasses usually show up for gran’s funeral and they give those tests every week.
It’s not that he’s utterly blameless, but why would we heap all the blame on him and not acknowledge the system that made/keeps him desperate? Influence from his girlfriend probably contributed, but he’s in a bad financial situation and joining offers an escape, a chance to be with his girl, and a shortcut to getting established on his own. But sure, the only thing he thought about was getting to kill in the next war for oil and he obviously has no misgivings about anything the government will ask him to do. It’s not like anyone is ever forced to choose between two bad options in life. /s
How many kids like your nephew get an education in geopolitical issues and colonialism before they make a similar decision? How many chose the military over seeking work in a failing economy, remaining in an abusive home, or getting trapped with a mountain of debt and a useless degree? How many grew up in a home with Fox news playing 24/7 and just never had a chance to learn the truth?
Having raised two kids and been one myself, I can tell you with certainty that critical thinking isn’t an 18 year old’s greatest skill. Everything the recruiter says will sound great, or at least reasonable. He’s a real friendly guy, not like those hard-asses you see in the movies about boot camp…
And once you’re in, you stay in until your contract is up or risk severe consequences. You can’t just quit. There’s massive cultural and peer pressure involved. 6 year enlistments are standard for the “free college”. Someone who enlisted under Biden’s admin, mistakenly thinking things would be okay, and now wants to leave might be in until 2028 or face some nasty legal and financial consequences, not to mention losing most of their current social circle. Do people think hanging the sins of the nation around their necks is going to entice them to leave? Have we learned nothing of the backlash effect while dealing with MAGA cultists? How many times have people won converts solely by preaching about the evils of the other side?
This isn’t a clean and tidy philosophical thought experiment, it’s a goddamn moral labyrinth built in an active landfill. They can’t undo their decision, some folks love them, some people hate them, and who’s going to help them out if they do the right thing and go CO? So, what are they most likely to do until their enlistment is up? Just wait and hope they can avoid being directly involved.
Are there utter shitbags and rascists in the military who joined to hurt PoC and own the libs? Yes. But it’s not the monolithic block people make it out to be during these discussions and I’m so very tired of the lack of nuance.
Sorry if I hijacked your comment but damn, check in on the kid from time to time, make sure he’s alright. Even if he’s a jackass.
My nephew just signed up for the Marines cause he’s not doing well financially and his gf is also in there. Dude skipped out on going to his grandmother’s funeral so he could take the test to get in.
Something a lot of people ignore or claim is irrelevant is the individual’s situation before joining and it bugs me. I could be talking out of my ass here, because I don’t know your nephew, but this kid sounds as if he could be pretty desperate for a way out of his situation. Could just be a jackass, but even jackasses usually show up for gran’s funeral and they give those tests every week.
It’s not that he’s utterly blameless, but why would we heap all the blame on him and not acknowledge the system that made/keeps him desperate? Influence from his girlfriend probably contributed, but he’s in a bad financial situation and joining offers an escape, a chance to be with his girl, and a shortcut to getting established on his own. But sure, the only thing he thought about was getting to kill in the next war for oil and he obviously has no misgivings about anything the government will ask him to do. It’s not like anyone is ever forced to choose between two bad options in life. /s
How many kids like your nephew get an education in geopolitical issues and colonialism before they make a similar decision? How many chose the military over seeking work in a failing economy, remaining in an abusive home, or getting trapped with a mountain of debt and a useless degree? How many grew up in a home with Fox news playing 24/7 and just never had a chance to learn the truth?
Having raised two kids and been one myself, I can tell you with certainty that critical thinking isn’t an 18 year old’s greatest skill. Everything the recruiter says will sound great, or at least reasonable. He’s a real friendly guy, not like those hard-asses you see in the movies about boot camp…
And once you’re in, you stay in until your contract is up or risk severe consequences. You can’t just quit. There’s massive cultural and peer pressure involved. 6 year enlistments are standard for the “free college”. Someone who enlisted under Biden’s admin, mistakenly thinking things would be okay, and now wants to leave might be in until 2028 or face some nasty legal and financial consequences, not to mention losing most of their current social circle. Do people think hanging the sins of the nation around their necks is going to entice them to leave? Have we learned nothing of the backlash effect while dealing with MAGA cultists? How many times have people won converts solely by preaching about the evils of the other side?
This isn’t a clean and tidy philosophical thought experiment, it’s a goddamn moral labyrinth built in an active landfill. They can’t undo their decision, some folks love them, some people hate them, and who’s going to help them out if they do the right thing and go CO? So, what are they most likely to do until their enlistment is up? Just wait and hope they can avoid being directly involved.
Are there utter shitbags and rascists in the military who joined to hurt PoC and own the libs? Yes. But it’s not the monolithic block people make it out to be during these discussions and I’m so very tired of the lack of nuance.
Sorry if I hijacked your comment but damn, check in on the kid from time to time, make sure he’s alright. Even if he’s a jackass.