Given that everyone is brought up in a system and environment that teaches them this is ok, or heroic, or anything like that I think we should show understanding, if someone young buys into it, without realizing what actually is involved. The problem is not the individual who joins the army to improve their material condition, the problem is as usual the system ,that makes this choice viable, and that hides all the negatives
I understand and agree that there's a huge systemic part in play here, however, at the end of the day the argument that 'it's okay to join up if your poor or want a way out of your current life' tends to overlook the fact that this is a potentially problematic mindset to be embracing as socialists. If an individual understands the ghoulish behavior of the military, and at least admits they were willing to cause harm to others just to get ahead in life, I'm willing to engage in recruiting them, but not a moment sooner. A vet who hasn't reconciled their harmful, selfish, racist mentality that lead to them joining is not someone I can believe genuinely want to build something for the betterment of everyone and not just themselves
Given that everyone is brought up in a system and environment that teaches them this is ok, or heroic, or anything like that I think we should show understanding, if someone young buys into it, without realizing what actually is involved. The problem is not the individual who joins the army to improve their material condition, the problem is as usual the system ,that makes this choice viable, and that hides all the negatives
I understand and agree that there's a huge systemic part in play here, however, at the end of the day the argument that 'it's okay to join up if your poor or want a way out of your current life' tends to overlook the fact that this is a potentially problematic mindset to be embracing as socialists. If an individual understands the ghoulish behavior of the military, and at least admits they were willing to cause harm to others just to get ahead in life, I'm willing to engage in recruiting them, but not a moment sooner. A vet who hasn't reconciled their harmful, selfish, racist mentality that lead to them joining is not someone I can believe genuinely want to build something for the betterment of everyone and not just themselves
My argument at least is not that its ok, but that we should not judge people who have made this choice, because they made this choice.
We shouldn't also rush to paper over the reasons/motivations of this choice, that's all what my argument is
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