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Should I join the US armed forces?

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09 Feb 2015, 10:33 pm

Nebogipfel wrote:
We need soldiers, and we should all appreciate their sacrifice, but it's a little bit odd, is it not, that a demographic that is singularly ill fitted to becoming soldiers, seems to have so many of them. This supercharges my paranoia about this PPR forum. In my view it's not right to encourage people with social deficits to talk about things which might cause them trouble down the line; encouraging them to throw around opinions about groups of people that they have never met personally and only know about superficially through suspect media pronouncements. It's garbage.

Sometimes a regimented structure is good for people with such issues. I don't think they should be looked at as "deficits," but different modes of operation. It's not like you can equate ASD with a psychotic disorder. And now-a-days, with the awareness of ASD, people understand it better and can tackle the issues more appropriately.


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09 Feb 2015, 10:57 pm

thomas81 wrote:
Fnord wrote:

What people choose for themselves is their right.


If you're going to be all reductionist about it, for some other people joining ISIS might be 'their right'.

That something seems to be objectively good for us, if even only on an individual basis doesn't make it the right thing to do. Yeah, theres a reasonable possibility that you wont be put in harms way or be handed a gun and told to kill others but regardless you will be helping to facilitate these deeds to a greater or lesser degree regardless of what capacity you serve in.

I can't bring myself advocate someone joining the payroll of the industrial military complex in such a direct capacity on principal. Regardless of whether its in their personal interests or not. Obviously thats not a factor to some people here because their politics creates a bias for them.

If everyone the world over stopped enlisting the entire institution of war would grind to a halt. I think its up to citizens in developed countries to lead by example. Call that hippy leftie peacenik claptrap all you want, but it remains an inescapable truthism.


:roll: :roll:
Grow up, already


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09 Feb 2015, 11:01 pm

Raptor wrote:
thomas81 wrote:
Fnord wrote:

What people choose for themselves is their right.


If you're going to be all reductionist about it, for some other people joining ISIS might be 'their right'.

That something seems to be objectively good for us, if even only on an individual basis doesn't make it the right thing to do. Yeah, theres a reasonable possibility that you wont be put in harms way or be handed a gun and told to kill others but regardless you will be helping to facilitate these deeds to a greater or lesser degree regardless of what capacity you serve in.

I can't bring myself advocate someone joining the payroll of the industrial military complex in such a direct capacity on principal. Regardless of whether its in their personal interests or not. Obviously thats not a factor to some people here because their politics creates a bias for them.

If everyone the world over stopped enlisting the entire institution of war would grind to a halt. I think its up to citizens in developed countries to lead by example. Call that hippy leftie peacenik claptrap all you want, but it remains an inescapable truthism.


:roll: :roll:
Grow up, already


Said the Vatican to Galileo.


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Feyokien
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09 Feb 2015, 11:13 pm

Yes you should join if it's what you really want.



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10 Feb 2015, 12:14 am

thomas81 wrote:
Raptor wrote:
thomas81 wrote:
Fnord wrote:

What people choose for themselves is their right.


If you're going to be all reductionist about it, for some other people joining ISIS might be 'their right'.

That something seems to be objectively good for us, if even only on an individual basis doesn't make it the right thing to do. Yeah, theres a reasonable possibility that you wont be put in harms way or be handed a gun and told to kill others but regardless you will be helping to facilitate these deeds to a greater or lesser degree regardless of what capacity you serve in.

I can't bring myself advocate someone joining the payroll of the industrial military complex in such a direct capacity on principal. Regardless of whether its in their personal interests or not. Obviously thats not a factor to some people here because their politics creates a bias for them.

If everyone the world over stopped enlisting the entire institution of war would grind to a halt. I think its up to citizens in developed countries to lead by example. Call that hippy leftie peacenik claptrap all you want, but it remains an inescapable truthism.


:roll: :roll:
Grow up, already


Said the Vatican to Galileo.


But unlike yourself, Galileo was actually on to something.....


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10 Feb 2015, 12:25 am

LonelyJar wrote:
I want to fill the void in my life, to become more disciplined, and to make my parents proud of me.


If that's the only reason for joining, then I say you need to think twice before you enlist Private Pyle! It is a serious commitment and one that you will not be able to back of once you're in(unless you try to go AWOL....and get thrown in the brig). But understand first and foremost that the purpose of the military is to fight(& win) wars. It is NOT a job training program! It is not a place where you can go soul searching and try to find yourself. The consequences of doing so can be fatal and even if you survive, they are still lifelong and often unpleasant. Since the military is all-volunteer they can boot your ass out if you don't perform according to their standards. You will be tested and screened for mental and physical fitness and if you don't measure up you'll be disqualified before you get to basic training. So do your homework. Think about what job you'd *actually* be doing in the military and then select the branch you wish to serve in. If join the army, or better yet if you join the marines you're likely to be sent directly into harms way. You'll get to shoot a big gun, blow things up, get shot at and might even get part of you blown off or all of you blown to smithereens.



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10 Feb 2015, 1:30 am

Lazar_Kaganovich wrote:
You'll get to shoot a big gun, blow things up, get shot at and might even get part of you blown off or all of you blown to smithereens.

About the only injury you're likely suffer these days, with surgical drone strikes and other technology, is to your sense of value of human life.


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10 Feb 2015, 2:34 am

Raptor wrote:
thomas81 wrote:
Raptor wrote:
thomas81 wrote:
Fnord wrote:

What people choose for themselves is their right.


If you're going to be all reductionist about it, for some other people joining ISIS might be 'their right'.

That something seems to be objectively good for us, if even only on an individual basis doesn't make it the right thing to do. Yeah, theres a reasonable possibility that you wont be put in harms way or be handed a gun and told to kill others but regardless you will be helping to facilitate these deeds to a greater or lesser degree regardless of what capacity you serve in.

I can't bring myself advocate someone joining the payroll of the industrial military complex in such a direct capacity on principal. Regardless of whether its in their personal interests or not. Obviously thats not a factor to some people here because their politics creates a bias for them.

If everyone the world over stopped enlisting the entire institution of war would grind to a halt. I think its up to citizens in developed countries to lead by example. Call that hippy leftie peacenik claptrap all you want, but it remains an inescapable truthism.


:roll: :roll:
Grow up, already


Said the Vatican to Galileo.


But unlike yourself, Galileo was actually on to something.....


can we all politely agree to disagree please?



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10 Feb 2015, 10:35 am

Raptor wrote:

But unlike yourself, Galileo was actually on to something.....


They probably said something analogous to him, at the time...


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10 Feb 2015, 10:44 am

thomas81 wrote:
Raptor wrote:
But unlike yourself, Galileo was actually on to something.....
They probably said something analogous to him, at the time...
And they were wrong, too.



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10 Feb 2015, 10:49 am

Fnord wrote:
thomas81 wrote:
Raptor wrote:
But unlike yourself, Galileo was actually on to something.....
They probably said something analogous to him, at the time...
And they were wrong, too.


Yes they were wrong, just like their intellectual heirs, the modern establishmentarians and opponents of progressive thought.


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10 Feb 2015, 11:28 am

thomas81 wrote:
Fnord wrote:
thomas81 wrote:
Raptor wrote:
But unlike yourself, Galileo was actually on to something.....
They probably said something analogous to him, at the time...
And they were wrong, too.


Yes they were wrong, just like their intellectual heirs, the modern establishmentarians and opponents of progressive thought.


Your analogy is not apt.



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10 Feb 2015, 12:15 pm

It seems Lonely Jar has lost interest in the armed forces so it was all for naught.


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10 Feb 2015, 12:24 pm

Narrator wrote:
Lazar_Kaganovich wrote:
You'll get to shoot a big gun, blow things up, get shot at and might even get part of you blown off or all of you blown to smithereens.

About the only injury you're likely suffer these days, with surgical drone strikes and other technology, is to your sense of value of human life.




You're assuming that every PFC in the army and marines is a drone operator. There are STILL foot soldiers my friend. Combat is not completely automated.....yet.



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10 Feb 2015, 12:43 pm

jwfess wrote:
thomas81 wrote:
Fnord wrote:
thomas81 wrote:
Raptor wrote:
But unlike yourself, Galileo was actually on to something.....
They probably said something analogous to him, at the time...
And they were wrong, too.


Yes they were wrong, just like their intellectual heirs, the modern establishmentarians and opponents of progressive thought.


Your analogy is not apt.


It might make you uncomfortable, doesn't make it illegitimate.


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10 Feb 2015, 12:43 pm

Raptor wrote:
It seems Lonely Jar has lost interest in the armed forces so it was all for naught.


If it means the brute arm of the industrial military complex is one rifle less, I'd call it a success.


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