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We have the unique ability in the animal kingdom for a combination of emotion, logic, and social dependency and realization of action-consequence several times removed from the individual.
And yet wars are not farther apart, they're getting faster like the expansion of the universe.
And yet wars are not farther apart, they're getting faster like the expansion of the universe.
Yes but people by and large do not desire nor wish for war, they are either conscripted for war on behalf of the nation they reside in, or it has to be sold to them.
In the case of America, we as people (generally speaking) wish for cheap goods, cheap energy, and to have a standard of living which increases much as Moore's law does concerning technology.
In order for us to live in a state of such gross consumption, it requires that we acquire certain resources, or at least control of them. Do Americans consider when they are filling their tank that they are funding the state in which created the terrorist who actually attacked us? Do Americans consider than in order to buy a shoe from Walmart, made in Indonesia, transported here and sold for 4 dollars that the 10 year old girl chained to a desk was fed a bowl of rice and given just enough money to afford a box for the night to sleep in?
The dirty secret is that Americans do not wish to know where things come from, nor what it takes to give us 4 dollar shoes and 2.55 a gallon gas, even if that means we must resort to militarism to ensure the flow of these things into suburbia. A professional volunteer military allows 95% of folks to carry on without all that thinking about this kind of stuff but to acquire enough soldiers to do this requires that wars be sold, and wrapped in neat little packages in order to be palatable to our sensibilities.
One of the reasons I posted this was from a rather personal experience recently. A lady friend of mine had her only son come home under a flag not long ago. He was one of these wide eyed gamer kids who believed they were invincible, like most young men. After reading through the emails he sent over 11 months, it was obvious when his expectations collided with reality and on numerous occasions he stated, "I had no idea it would be like this". Which is kind of the point I'm making here. The idea of what war is and what constitutes a soldier according to his recruiter and preconceived notions was not what it was in reality.
I am 23 and definitely anti-war. I worry constantly that my son [4] will grow up and want to join a branch of the military. I don't think I could just sit back and let him do it without a fight..
So what are you going to do? Chain him up in the basement? Beat him over the head? Use violence against him?
Poor child has no freedom.
War is never pretty, but is neccessary at times. Think about the Revolutionary war, if the colonists didn't fight back, you would be under British rule, right now.
IF you say, so what is so bad about that, then move to the UK. Better yet, move to France, they surrender so that they don't have to fight.
There is nothing wrong with fighting, if it for something worth fighting for.
So if someone broke into your house and threatened your son, you would what? Do nothing, is my guess. Even animals fight to protect their young.
Looking back I would have liked to see more documentaries like WW II in color, or something similar, when I was growing up. We barely touched on the cost of wars in schooling besides some vague numbers of millions dead which most people can't comprehend anyways, like spending trillions.
There is a desensitization with things like video games of street racing, war and street violence (gang warfare). But I also think they're not alone. I think some "music" does the same. I remember when I was growing up Dungeons and Dragons in which many people were able to escape reality into the realm of fantasy where killing, plunder and war were seen as a means to gain power and money.
Quote:
Give me just one generation of youth, and I'll transform the whole world.
~Lenin~
Last edited by BigJon3475; 11-16-2010 at 08:40 PM..
Looking back I would have liked to see more documentaries like WW II in color, or something similar, when I was growing up. We barely touched on the cost of wars in schooling besides some vague numbers of millions dead which most people can't comprehend anyways, like spending trillions.
There is a desensitization with things like video games of street racing, war and street violence (gang warfare). But I also think they're not alone. I think some "music" does the same. I remember when I was growing up Dungeons and Dragons in which many people were able to escape reality into the real of fantasy where killing, plunder and war were seen as a means to gain power and money.
~Lenin~
that was great also maybe show band of brothers and the pacific in high school to kids so they see all sides of war.
The trouble with hindsight is that only half the picture is viewed with 20/20 vision. The unseen half is what would have happened if different choices had been made. We'll never know how the world would have been different if, instead of appeasing Hitler, the major European powers had found the backbone to take him out before he plunged the world into murderous hell. Similarly we will never know what would have happened if Saddam Hussein had been allowed to continue to make trouble in that part of the world. Instead of the prospect of a nuclear-armed Iran would we now be dealing with a nuclear arms race between Iraq and Iran? Would Saudi Arabia also be building nuclear weapons in response? How many more Shia would Saddam have consigned to mass graves? What about the Kurds in northern Iraq?
We almost did appease Hitler. The USA was on very good terms with the Germans, and into the start of the war. A real good reason the German trucks in documentries look like Fords. H Ford was in Hitlers back pocket as was JFK's father, plus many more American Notables.
More proof is on the state libraray in NH there are still pre 1939 swastica's on the upper outside facade.
We almost did appease Hitler. The USA was on very good terms with the Germans, and into the start of the war. A real good reason the German trucks in documentries look like Fords. H Ford was in Hitlers back pocket as was JFK's father, plus many more American Notables.
More proof is on the state libraray in NH there are still pre 1939 swastica's on the upper outside facade.
Well you don't have to look to trade arrangements with Germany for signs of appeasement. The Europeans turned a blind eye to Hitler's annexation of the Sudetenland and claimed that doing so had achieved "peace in our time." All that did is convince Hitler of the Europeans' lack of political will and that encouraged him to attack Poland.
As for swastikas on public buildings you need to recall that Hitler adopted the swastika (or a form of it) from India where it is a symbol of good luck. So that may be the real connection to the symbol on the facade of the state library.
Well you don't have to look to trade arrangements with Germany for signs of appeasement. The Europeans turned a blind eye to Hitler's annexation of the Sudetenland and claimed that doing so had achieved "peace in our time." All that did is convince Hitler of the Europeans' lack of political will and that encouraged him to attack Poland.
As for swastikas on public buildings you need to recall that Hitler adopted the swastika (or a form of it) from India where it is a symbol of good luck. So that may be the real connection to the symbol on the facade of the state library.
I don't like those Germans from Sudetenland. They have always been and still are rather nationalistic, and quite active in Germany, not seldom questioning the current German borders with its eastern neighbors. Real troublemakers...
I think the Concord NH state library was built around the timeof Hitler being rather popular in the American systems of Govt and trade pre war. I could be wrong on that, and haven't researched it.
I first people of America in the south west have used that symbol for thousands of years, and this is the first time anyone ever montioned it was also in India, but I could believe that.
I happen to have a smaller sliver of silver made as a pin from the south west pre 1910, that has the symbol but reversed from the Nazi one, bit swapping it around wouldn't be much trouble, and for all I know it was made backwards. But I do believe the one in Concord was created with intent to show the German peoples NH was a friendly place to be.
I think the Concord NH state library was built around the timeof Hitler being rather popular in the American systems of Govt and trade pre war. I could be wrong on that, and haven't researched it.
I first people of America in the south west have used that symbol for thousands of years, and this is the first time anyone ever montioned it was also in India, but I could believe that.
I happen to have a smaller sliver of silver made as a pin from the south west pre 1910, that has the symbol but reversed from the Nazi one, bit swapping it around wouldn't be much trouble, and for all I know it was made backwards. But I do believe the one in Concord was created with intent to show the German peoples NH was a friendly place to be.
Actually the swastika has been the symbol of the old Indian religion of Jainism for more than 2500 years.
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