The Shameful Militarization of American Society
For many of us not born into wealth, a family business, or really any connections of any kind to a profession or trade, finding what to do in life is difficult. Simply paying the bills and maintaining the appearance of a normal standard of living, is difficult. The only work that is easily available is unskilled wage labor, which is unreliable as a source of steady income. There's college, or trade school, but that also costs money, which if you don't have it means debt, not to mention time away from work (unskilled slave wage hourly labor). if you are lucky you have parents that love and care about you and have managed to offer some assistance, although college can be so expensive, this kind of help usually equates to debt also (co-sign? please).
Many write off college entirely, especially seeing that public education is nothing but a tedious and awful experience, the joy of learning replaced with the soul sucking memorization of "facts" and "definitions", mainly mind control and propaganda, and of course English class which is nothing but the degradation of language to meaningless and useless forms devoid of value.
What is a young man (or woman) to do?
Signing bonus for quick ship out! We'll pay for your college, job training! A steady job, with room for advancement! Housing and Medical care included, for you AND your family!
Yes for many the military is the best, most logical option. I have trouble finding anyone here where I live who does not have a connection, or is actually in the military. Southern California is in many ways THE military-industrial complex. Its everywhere, of course its all over the country also. From where I am, if the military were to vanish tomorrow, the local economy would vanish, as well as millions of jobs that either directly or indirectly involve the MIC would disappear.
Its sad how America's economy has been reduced to the top 1%, the service economy set up to serve the 1% and the military-industrial complex (which includes its important propaganda arm).
What is perhaps even worse is the conditioning of society to accept this militarization, treat like it as if it were normal, or that it is patriotism. What do those "Support our Troops" ribbons really mean? "Support the War" ribbons may be more appropriate.
What's even worse is this militarization is a sickness, a kind of mental illness that pervades American culture throughout, and has quite a history of its own, with American hegemony after WWII as a sort of golden age of prosperity. WWII is the most powerful myth today in American culture, as Americans like to think of themselves as saviors of the planet, many Christians consider the US a kind of new Jerusalem, a nation protected by God.
The ideal of the war hero is still with us today, as we try hard to forget the reasons and consequences of the war, instead glorifying the heroes who "fight for our freedom".
Free to wake up in a country where for a lot of us the only jobs available are minimum wage, or we can become property of the U.S. government.
The U.S. military is the backbone in a country saturated with sex, violence and other forms of gross perversion of the truth and beauty of this world, by our media.
What's an average person to believe in?
Dogmatic Christian Zionism, the military, and the myth of the Pax Americana?
This is no peace, this is not prosperity, enough people are starting to at least realize that, although most will still be in for a very rude awakening, when either A) economy tanks or B) we're at war with yet another country or both!
I bet "they" are hoping the mind control they set up is strong enough to withstand a potential disaster in confidence in "the system".
Sadly from the looks of things, it may be, all around me people have given up rational thought about the most important issues of the day, instead choose to emphasize and explore the most trivial aspects of life and/or issues.
Action films, crime dramas, the news media and "9/11 and the war on terror" have all played a fine role in getting everyday Americans to go along with the encroaching militarism, as we are being turned into a nation of mercenaries, blindly accepting any excuse for war, convinced American could do no wrong (or Israel).
I have recently been very disappointed in some of the things that I have heard from friends, family and co-workers I know who are in the military or are close to someone who is in the military. Things like "kill all of them with neutron bombs", put Muslims in detention camps just to be safe, Islam is the problem, and other acts of blind allegiance to such horrible evil, they are jaded and could care less about others.
The militarized society has certain features that affect even those in society who have nothing to do with it. Everywhere there is a heavy reliance on "expert" opinion, many get their politics through "commentary" not a close analysis of events and issues.
In school we are taught to trust various authorities, like those in academia and government, instead of come to our own conclusions based on our own investigation into the facts.
Of course the internet is the big target now, it is routinely criticized as a lousy source of information. In some ways this is true, but the free and open access to resources, and open public discourse on the internet is unlike anything offered anyplace else.
I am amazed at how many people ridicule internet users, and "conspiracy theorists" especially of whom is said "they have too much time on their hands". What a crock, what are they doing with their time, wasting away watching television, crude hollywood pictures, sports or drugs and alcohol. They need to "get a life", not the many who are tired of having endless war, debt and lies shoved down our throats.
What is so great about Television anyway? Comedy is twisted, bizzare and vulgar appealing to the very worst in us, although sometimes snagging a laugh, because its easy. And just how far away are we from pornography, and blood sports being promoted in full public view?
In everyday life, people pick fights, argue and use others to get ahead in the pecking order, as life is played out not unlike a game. Outbursts of violence and anger are common, as is a general attitude of rudeness and selfishness. People are unable to relate to one another on any common level, always sizing up the other like the various ranks in the military.
Yet the militarization also plays off men's need to provide security, recognition of his masculinity, and need to feel strong and important in life. There are many good qualities that are associated with militarism: steadfastness, strength, teamwork, confidence and sense of duty and honor.
There are also important skills and life lessons that can be learned through this experience. Learning to overcome fear, learning how to survive in harsh conditions, and mentally and physically preparing yourself and adapting yourself to challenges.
But why is it that these values are really only held in the military today in American society? Why are good and decent men being forced to fight in foreign countries with no clear reason or goals?
Its all about control, control over resources, information, ideas, media, ultimately people's lives.
yes, it is all about control.
control breeds power and power demands more control.
it's a very twisted world we live in, led by greedy, arrogant, and selfish control freaks.
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"Money" has no value - people do.
Yes, our masters use an age-old scam. Throughout history, rulers have impoverished people, forcing them to join the military. And the more an empire (any empire) goes into decline, the more the people go into denial. The Titanic hits an iceberg, and people hide in their births, hoping they will stay dry as the ship goes under.
It has always been so.
“Of course the internet is the big target now. It is routinely criticized as a lousy source of information.”
Really? That’s like saying books are a lousy source of information. What’s a better source? TV news with its zo-lies and zio-fluff? Shall we have a “Fahrenheit 451” world?