Was I just stupid kid in the Midwest wrapped up in propaganda and a family history? How could I not fucking see what really was going on and what we do to the people of the countries we go to? Everything I wanted to be as a kid was based on fucking lies and the profits of the military industrial complex. What the fuck was the point of my deployments if not to oppress others? How can people fucking support these wars and invasions? In the name of protecting our freedoms while stripping away others? I fucking hate myself and wish I could take it away, but without it I wouldn’t be a communist and I wouldn’t have experience colonialism and imperialism first hand on the side of the oppressors. Fucking fuck.
A lot of people just straight up hate where they live, or how they live and just want to get the fuck out. Financial insecurity plays a massive role in your direction at that age. There is also a soceital expectation there to move on to something. Military is just the easiest answer for so many people. And I'd say general political knowledge, or lack of is incredibly common all throughout the country. People just don't know how truly evil this country is, and quite often believe the opposite of that. Been fed propaganda from the time of understanding words.
Military is a way out of great uncertainty in a lot of ways, the job force now is demoralizing as fuck. A ton of people have either no interest or no means to go to school. And the military just exploits the fuck out of folks who do want school.
I get why people do it, and really what matters is how you grew from it. If you didn't realize by 4 years how sick this system and country is then you're a lost cause. But there is at least a decent portion who resent it and see how bad shit is fucked up.
I certainly don't blame you, if you're here now you get it. I'd also imagine you let others you know how it really is when opportune. That shit changes other people's minds a lot. Being a cog in the machine gives you a bit more credibility when trying to make Americans minds, the military worship here is extreme.
:rat-salute: