Is more accessible knowledge going to dumg down the military?

[rocketdodger]

I went off on one of those youtube trances and watched a whole bunch of videos of firefights and the like in recent Iraq history.

I personally would never want to put myself in such a position. Or even in a position that could possibly lead to such a position.

Thinking about this, I wonder if the accessible knowledge about how horrible war really is will slowly result in less and less sane individuals joining the military.

I mean, the more we are able to share in a soldier's experience, the less anyone will want to fill a soldier's shoes.

Thoughts? Might this eventually be a problem for the military?

 

[patchbunny]

Terrible time and place for a typo.

I doubt it. There's always going to be a portion of society who are gung-ho and feel they are invincible, and aren't going to pay any attention to the videos that are out there, as "it can't happen to them".

 

[Puppycow]

If the idea of being in a war or a shootout wasn't inherently attractive to young men, I don't think we'd have so many first-person shooters or action movies. While some might see those videos and recoil, others might be attracted by them.

 

[gnome]

It doesn't just happen to us, though, it happens to the world, over time.

Broader knowledge of the horrors of war may make people of more and more nations reluctant to engage in it. I don't see that as a bad thing.

Survival instinct will trump squeamishness though--so we needn't worry about not finding enough troops to defend us if we're attacked.

 

[Darth Rotor]

It doesn't just happen to us, though, it happens to the world, over time.

Broader knowledge of the horrors of war may make people of more and more nations reluctant to engage in it. I don't see that as a bad thing.

Survival instinct will trump squeamishness though--so we needn't worry about not finding enough troops to defend us if we're attacked.

The Italians of WW II might disagree with you on that.

(Granted, I blame the officer corps, as never were so many good men so badly led ...)

DR

 

[ponderingturtle]

It doesn't just happen to us, though, it happens to the world, over time.

Broader knowledge of the horrors of war may make people of more and more nations reluctant to engage in it. I don't see that as a bad thing.

Survival instinct will trump squeamishness though--so we needn't worry about not finding enough troops to defend us if we're attacked.

The thing is that you are making the assumption of an all volunteer military. Also it is not generally the case that those making the decisions to go to war are the ones doing the fighting.

 

[Rogue1stclass]

I don't think it's been exactly a well kept secret that war sucks and people get horribly maimed and die.

The Red Badge of Courage was published in 1895. Since then, there have been any number of depictions of the horrors of combat, both real and fictional. And yet people sign up anyway.

It's just one of those things.

 

[Ladewig]

I went off on one of those youtube trances and watched a whole bunch of videos of firefights and the like in recent Iraq history.

I personally would never want to put myself in such a position. Or even in a position that could possibly lead to such a position.

Thinking about this, I wonder if the accessible knowledge about how horrible war really is will slowly result in less and less sane individuals joining the military.

I mean, the more we are able to share in a soldier's experience, the less anyone will want to fill a soldier's shoes.

Thoughts? Might this eventually be a problem for the military?

You have made a mistake in your reasoning. You conclude that if you would never want to engage in an activity then anyone who does voluntarily engage in that activity is dumb.

People join the military for a variety of reasons despite knowing that they will face mortal danger.
- Some join because they want to defend this country against its enemies.
- Some join in order to help capture BinLaden.
- Some join because their relatives served and have convinced them that such service is invaluable as a preparation for life.
- Some join because they want to challenge themselves and see if they have what it takes to perform under the most stressful conditions possible.

Just because the value systems of these people is different from yours does not make them dumb.

 

[Alt+F4]

Thinking about this, I wonder if the accessible knowledge about how horrible war really is will slowly result in less and less sane individuals joining the military.

Doubtful since the vast majority of folks who join the military never see combat.

 

[Newtons Bit]

You have made a mistake in your reasoning. You conclude that if you would never want to engage in an activity then anyone who does voluntarily engage in that activity is dumb.

People join the military for a variety of reasons despite knowing that they will face mortal danger.
- Some join because they want to defend this country against its enemies.
- Some join in order to help capture BinLaden.
- Some join because their relatives served and have convinced them that such service is invaluable as a preparation for life.
- Some join because they want to challenge themselves and see if they have what it takes to perform under the most stressful conditions possible.

Just because the value systems of these people is different from yours does not make them dumb.

Don't forget that joining the military is one of the few ways "out" of bad lives that many impoverished have. The idea of a GI Bill waiting for them after they do their tour is motivation to many.

 

[Ladewig]

Doubtful since the vast majority of folks who join the military never see combat.

They may never see combat in the conventional sense (people shooting at each other) but many non-combat specialists will be exposed to mortar fire, IEDs and the occasional suicide bomber.

 

[Ladewig]

Don't forget that joining the military is one of the few ways "out" of bad lives that many impoverished have. The idea of a GI Bill waiting for them after they do their tour is motivation to many.

Yes. I did not mean for my list to be exhaustive.

 

[Bikewer]

NPR has been doing capsule biographies of KIA servicemen for some time. They usually include interviews with survivors who comment on why the individual joined.

Frequently, you hear comments like "He just wanted to make a difference". Or, "after 9/11, he just wanted to serve his country."

I don't think you can discount the often powerful emotional pull of the military in wartime.

There's a scene in the latest version the The War Of The Worlds where Tom Cruise's character tries to physically restrain his son from joining the fight against the invaders.
Pretty potent....

I watch those YouTube videos too, and what I find disturbing is the comments that get posted. Of course, we have to realize that many (I hope) are being posted by 13-year-old boys.....

 

[Horatius]

Yes. I did not mean for my list to be exhaustive.

Indeed. You also forgot "There will always be people who like to break things and kill people".

 

[bigred]

They may never see combat in the conventional sense (people shooting at each other) but many non-combat specialists will be exposed to mortar fire, IEDs and the occasional suicide bomber.

Sorry, wrong again (well depending on what's meant by "many" that is). The vast majority of people in the military - even in this day and age - will be exposed to no such thing. I am amazed at how the stereotypes of the military and those who join (and why they join) persist. eg a LOT of people join because it's a steady job, they learn a trade, the fantastic benefits, etc etc. 6 weeks of vacation a year aint shabby either. It's not all flag-waving bravado, to say the least.

 

[JoeyDonuts]

There's always going to be a portion of society who are gung-ho and feel they are invincible, and aren't going to pay any attention to the videos that are out there, as "it can't happen to them".

NPR just did an interesting piece on a unit in Afghanistan. They interviewed them on how much their attitudes on combat had changed in the months they were on station.

The romantic notion of glorious video-game like combat disappears forever when you're pinned down for the first time, see your buddy you've known since MEPS vaporized by an IED, or take a 7.62 round yourself.

It's replaced with something akin to the world-weary yet astute cynicism you see in career firefighters and policemen. And even then, cops and firefighters don't normally deal with open combat on a daily basis like these guys do.

 

[Ladewig]

Sorry, wrong again (well depending on what's meant by "many" that is). The vast majority of people in the military - even in this day and age - will be exposed to no such thing. I am amazed at how the stereotypes of the military and those who join (and why they join) persist. eg a LOT of people join because it's a steady job, they learn a trade, the fantastic benefits, etc etc. 6 weeks of vacation a year aint shabby either. It's not all flag-waving bravado, to say the least.

I didn't say vast majority, simple majority, a large percentage, or even a measurable percentage. I simply said many. You and I can agree that depending on the definition of many, I am correct. Your accusation that I am wrong is misdirected.

As for my being "wrong again," I am unsure what you mean. I gave a short list of possible reasons why people join the military despite the chance of being in a life-threatening situation. I even stated that my list was not meant to be exhaustive. In what way was my list wrong.

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