OMGourd, this is fantastic. This is exactly how I feel about the military and police, about any "authority". This is a classic and everyone should read this. Spot on. Anyone who joins either the military or police should be shamed and feel ashamed. Shame is all unarmed people have against brutes.
Since moving to the Boston area, I have had positive encounters with police. I recently found out they are well-paid. Most if not all are ex-military. By comparison, the ones I encountered in Vermont--I lived there @ 30 years before moving post-flood '23--were 'sketchy'. This may help to explain what's happened to Burlington, Vermont.
WOW--this sure 'packs a punch'. As to the justification of a form of 'hazing' that the military uses...to berate someone = trauma. It's a psychological 'card' that is used to 'wipe the slate clean' and to rebuild based on the higher-ups' wishes/demands. No thanks...
There is a short period of time at the beginning of bootcamp, in which the drill sergeants scream their heads off, they berate, they confuse, they aggravate and are intending to terrify the new recruits.
This is not a pointless exercise. It assists in shocking the system and bringing up weaknesses and inompatabilities. If you can't handle someone screaming in your face you cannot withstand the whirlwind of chaos that is battle.
It seems the point being made is that this is the norm for the military, but it's not. There is a week or so of intensity at bootcamp, then the rest of the time, where yelling is abnormal. It is comprised of learning skills, developing mind and body, learning systems, leadership training....
I've written enough about the failures of the military, but this doesn't portray the correct image.
I would still classify the yelling and hazing as unethically manipulative techniques for many of the reasons the author outlined. They are trying to produce unquestioned and instantaneous obedience...
Everyone has been indoctrinated, coerced, manipulated since birth. Patriotism to the government is a disease...
But...
Love for ones people, culture, land is not the same thing. Most the guys I served with hated government. The ones that were patriotic were there for the people (they would say) but we were fed the lies that we were defending family and home, which was all garbage.
But if you look at it from the ignorant average soldiers perspective, from what they understood... they were protecting home. As such they voluntarily join...
Everyone who joins knows what to expect at bootcamp to some degree, the shouting and whatnot... they volunteer anyway.
The purpose of the shouting and chaos of the first few days to a week is to shred apart any weakness, which is a good thing, because no combat soldier wants to be in battle next to a weak man who can't do what's necessary. It's actually not all that traumatic. They basically tell you what's coming. And if you fins you can't stand being shouted at by some guys in funny hats, you probably don't belong in a firefight.
I was combat troop, and we had folks that could cut it. They chose to leave. Those who could make the cut stayed and found out that it's all pretty easy.
As far as taking orders, it is the most sensible thing to do. Knowing ones place on the totem pole makes everything function optimally. One big highly functional body, with all the cells doing what they are meant to, on time, in good order. No sensible person volunteers to join the motary thinking they are gonna be relaxing all day doing nothing.
Now, how it actually works vs the ideal are different things, but overall it is much more efficient, organized, and satisfying for people than civilian life.
Nobody yells at you past that first week, unless you seriously fuck up, in which case anyone in any context might yell.at you... like if you drop a live grande in your truck. Deserves yell I think.
Also, there is a very strictly adhere to rule, that is if a commanding officer gives you an order that violates the Law, human rights laws, or superior orders given, than you must refuse to obey. Doesn't mean people do it. But that is what is supposed to happen. Also, everybody has a role and a skillset. It's not just, take orders, but it is know how to do what you do so well that you operate to achieve a goal without needing constant orders and supervision.
I could keep typing. Think I'm done.
I hate the US government, but I love the soldier life. I left because of the criminal gov. Not because soldiering itself was bad.
OMGourd, this is fantastic. This is exactly how I feel about the military and police, about any "authority". This is a classic and everyone should read this. Spot on. Anyone who joins either the military or police should be shamed and feel ashamed. Shame is all unarmed people have against brutes.
Since moving to the Boston area, I have had positive encounters with police. I recently found out they are well-paid. Most if not all are ex-military. By comparison, the ones I encountered in Vermont--I lived there @ 30 years before moving post-flood '23--were 'sketchy'. This may help to explain what's happened to Burlington, Vermont.
WOW--this sure 'packs a punch'. As to the justification of a form of 'hazing' that the military uses...to berate someone = trauma. It's a psychological 'card' that is used to 'wipe the slate clean' and to rebuild based on the higher-ups' wishes/demands. No thanks...
I usually like Sotiris Rex material, but this one seems like projection, not analysis.
LOL.. You were one of the heterosexual ex-military, now voluntaryists that I was thinking of!
There is a short period of time at the beginning of bootcamp, in which the drill sergeants scream their heads off, they berate, they confuse, they aggravate and are intending to terrify the new recruits.
This is not a pointless exercise. It assists in shocking the system and bringing up weaknesses and inompatabilities. If you can't handle someone screaming in your face you cannot withstand the whirlwind of chaos that is battle.
It seems the point being made is that this is the norm for the military, but it's not. There is a week or so of intensity at bootcamp, then the rest of the time, where yelling is abnormal. It is comprised of learning skills, developing mind and body, learning systems, leadership training....
I've written enough about the failures of the military, but this doesn't portray the correct image.
I would still classify the yelling and hazing as unethically manipulative techniques for many of the reasons the author outlined. They are trying to produce unquestioned and instantaneous obedience...
It depends on where you're coming from.
Everyone has been indoctrinated, coerced, manipulated since birth. Patriotism to the government is a disease...
But...
Love for ones people, culture, land is not the same thing. Most the guys I served with hated government. The ones that were patriotic were there for the people (they would say) but we were fed the lies that we were defending family and home, which was all garbage.
But if you look at it from the ignorant average soldiers perspective, from what they understood... they were protecting home. As such they voluntarily join...
Everyone who joins knows what to expect at bootcamp to some degree, the shouting and whatnot... they volunteer anyway.
The purpose of the shouting and chaos of the first few days to a week is to shred apart any weakness, which is a good thing, because no combat soldier wants to be in battle next to a weak man who can't do what's necessary. It's actually not all that traumatic. They basically tell you what's coming. And if you fins you can't stand being shouted at by some guys in funny hats, you probably don't belong in a firefight.
I was combat troop, and we had folks that could cut it. They chose to leave. Those who could make the cut stayed and found out that it's all pretty easy.
As far as taking orders, it is the most sensible thing to do. Knowing ones place on the totem pole makes everything function optimally. One big highly functional body, with all the cells doing what they are meant to, on time, in good order. No sensible person volunteers to join the motary thinking they are gonna be relaxing all day doing nothing.
Now, how it actually works vs the ideal are different things, but overall it is much more efficient, organized, and satisfying for people than civilian life.
Nobody yells at you past that first week, unless you seriously fuck up, in which case anyone in any context might yell.at you... like if you drop a live grande in your truck. Deserves yell I think.
Also, there is a very strictly adhere to rule, that is if a commanding officer gives you an order that violates the Law, human rights laws, or superior orders given, than you must refuse to obey. Doesn't mean people do it. But that is what is supposed to happen. Also, everybody has a role and a skillset. It's not just, take orders, but it is know how to do what you do so well that you operate to achieve a goal without needing constant orders and supervision.
I could keep typing. Think I'm done.
I hate the US government, but I love the soldier life. I left because of the criminal gov. Not because soldiering itself was bad.
BEAUTIFUL post !!! 👍👍👍 and at the right time !!! 🤞🤞🤞 Thank you so much !!!
The only NON-gay military are true militias like the Swiss Army, or currently Hamas, Hezbollah or Ansar Allah.
Why ??? ...
These are driven by ideas/philosophy, not greed (or gayness) .