Do members of the military get too much respect? What profession do you respect the most?

[Something Amyss]

[quote="ToTaL LoLiGe" post="18.318806.13000123"it's the ultimate sacrifice. [/quote]

And that's kind of the problem. We fetishise death to a ridiculous extent.

We loves us our snuff porn, and wars be them.

We also assume death is "for country," because it sounds good.

We assume anyone who signed on is willing to take risk, even the desk clerk or the guy who's only on the frontline because some lying scumbag recruiter promised him he wouldn't see combat.

There are many ways to serve your country or your ideals, and the military is ultimate only in the sense that death is pretty final.

 

[Jodah]

You would like my Public Policy class. There's an Army Veteran who throws his war experiences around as he advocates for the conservative right. He does it to antagonize his opponents and trip them up with rhetoric. (Ad-Ho minim attacks never go well against a patriotic war hero, and some people fell for it.) Once I did manage to trap him in an ethical debate about Healthcare. He argued "Obamacare should not entitle anyone to 10% of a professional's own personal abilities. That's slavery." My Counter: "Doctors must help where they can because they are obligated by oath. That oath requires 100%, not just 10%." (And yes, I loosely paraphrased the Hypocratic Oath to better suit my counter. Please don't hate me doctors!)

Personally I would have countered by saying that it is the doctor's choice (duty) to do it but that doesn't mean I, as a tax payer, have to pay for it. But that's a whole different can of worms.

OT: I think they get the right amount of respect. However, I also respect police, nurses, firemen, doctors, lawyers, etc. The last two get paid for their work more than the others but the point remains.

And that's kind of the problem. We fetishise death to a ridiculous extent.

We loves us our snuff porn, and wars be them.

We also assume death is "for country," because it sounds good.

We assume anyone who signed on is willing to take risk, even the desk clerk or the guy who's only on the frontline because some lying scumbag recruiter promised him he wouldn't see combat.

There are many ways to serve your country or your ideals, and the military is ultimate only in the sense that death is pretty final.

The desk clerk comment reminded me of the Deadliest Warriors guy that pretended he was a Green Beret...

 

[Something Amyss]

Depends on which nation you mean.

If you mean the US, I'm no expert, but I'd say they don't get the right sort of respect.

Like, it's fine to say "Hey cool, he/she's a marine"...but do people think about that so much when they are saying "we should totally invade ____"? Does anyone concern themselves overmuch with how much military personnel are paid, what facilities are availble if the are crippled or suffer PTSD, if the military will properly investigate allegations of sexual assault?

Of course, there are plenty of people that are interested in such things, and more power to them. But those that aren't...I'm not sure if you can say they respect military personnel.

...

I do take your point about other professions not being respected as they should be...but when I ask myself "wouldn't it be cool to be a Navy Clearance Diver?" or somesuch, the honest answer is "no".

[small]NORFORCE, say, would be different, in that there's no fighting except during actual invasions, but still not much fun[/small]

Soldiers: The ultimate "fire and forget" weapon.

I wish I was joking there, but that is how we use them.

 

[flamingjimmy]

Yes I think soldiers are glorified far too much, they do a much less important job than teachers, ambulance drivers, doctors.

In times of national emergency, where soldiers are actually needed, then yeah its a very admirable thing to sign up. But in times like now, where soldiers aren't dying for their country, they're dying for the corporate interests within their country its just a load of bullshit. Its a job that they chose, don't give me any bollocks that they're doing it for me, or you, or 'the people', that's just not true, even if that's why they think they're doing it.

 

[Spartan448]

The U.S. army used to be something to respect, but it has now turned into the government's own private hit squad. There is NOTHING respectful about being in the army anymore. Now if you want a profession that doesn't get respect, try teachers. Without 'em, we'd still be sitting around banging rocks together.

 

[JochemDude]

Yeah, the only thing they do is murder people because their (country's) ideals grant them justification, which are poor grounds to kill anyone on.

Probably paramedics get the most default respect from me. Other then that people who chased their dreams and are now living it.

 

[ChiliNoMore]

remember that's easier to fire a gun than to read a book.. and if pull the trigger a lot of times you're a hero, if you enlight people with your knowledge you're creating pussies..

 

[NinjaDeathSlap]

I don't think military personnel get too much respect, because after all they are willing to go out and die for their country, if someone is willing to give their life to save anothers then they should get a whole lot of respect it's the ultimate sacrifice.

Also I think that military personnel get a lot of respect because they get paid peanuts where as doctors get a fair bit.

One more thing the cooks have to fight as well as cook up some spicy meatballs.

This pretty much sums up my feelings. Although I have to say, while I'm fine with the amount of respect military personnel get, I also think that members of the emergency services, social workers, and the like, should get more then they are getting at the moment. They also do taxing, often dangerous jobs for comparably not much pay.

Edit: I'd also like to say that I judge people based on who they are, not what uniform they wear. A soldier who signs up because they genuinely believe in what they are fighting for, the soldier who doesn't want to fight, but makes that choice because they hope that it will lead to a better future for everyone in the end, gets my utmost respect (even if I don't share their optimism). A soldier who signs up just because he's an angry young man, looking for an excuse to dish out some government endorsed violence, does not. The world is shades of grey. Despite what some people will tell you, sometimes violence is the only way to achieve justice, or to protect the innocent. However, violence where there is no need for it should never be advocated. That's why we shouldn't see a guy in uniform and think "That man's a hero!" or "That man's a murderer!" Both those assumptions are just as bad as each-other. I treat the military as an institution with respect because of what it represents. When it comes to individual conflicts and individual soldiers, I call 'em as I see 'em.

 

[Dr Snakeman]

Pathologists and surgeons are both extremely well paid for their work. Enlisted military earn -shit- for pay and work massive hours with no real control over their lives.

Basically this. It's all about compensation. Yeah, doctors save lives, and should be respected for that, but they make a very nice bit of money.

In the military, though, you don't make as much, and (if you're in combat arms) you not only try to protect innocent lives, but risk losing yours violently.

I do, however, agree that not everyone in a uniform deserves the same respect. Acting like a finance officer is some kind of hero seems like it would be disrespectful to someone in, say, the 82nd Airborne Division who actually does put his life at risk.

 

[Urgol]

To me joining the army means you are willing to die and kill for your country.

Personally I don't respect anyone who is willing to kill another humman being for such an abstract concept as a Nations temporary ideals. Having spent most of my life traveling the world I can say that I think people get by fine(mostly) regardless of which flag they live under.

So yes I think they do get to much respect in the US.

 

[Rin Little]

I don't automatically give them any more respect than I would any other stranger I meet and I haven't met too many military men and women who mind that. I dated a guy in the military who actually found it irritating when people would constantly stop him and thank him for his service if he was walking around in his uniform. He said this was mostly because of the fact that when he was in uniform he had somewhere he needed to be.

 

[maturin]

I don't think you can be too respected, and our soldiers tend to deserve the respect they receive.

At the same time, the incredibly pervasive uniform-sniffing in this country is downright dangerous. As a society, we're a necrophiliac war machine always waiting for the excuse to hit the button.

 

[Rancid0ffspring]

The dustbin man certainly deserves much more respect than he's given. Some one needs to collect you rubbish. Here's to one of the most under appreciated jobs in existence!

 

[Not-here-anymore]

My philosophy is to assume that everyone you meet is deserving of a little respect. Even if that just means you are well mannered and act interested in them. That is showing respect. If it turns out they have done something amazing, then by all means have more respect for them, if they turn out to be an alcoholic racist, that's when you can say 'I don't have respect for you anymore.'

I approve of (and indeed utilise) your philosophy. You don't have to earn my respect, you just have to not lose it.

Given how much shit various military groups get in media and protests across the world, I think they deserve a fair bit of respect back. It balances the scales, essentially. And that's without the whole risking their lives, being deployed to far away places for long periods of time, not knowing if they'll ever see their families again or if their wives'll cheat on them stuff. It's a stressful job that takes a lot of time. Not saying it's the job most deserving of respect, but it's up there.

 

[Midnight Crossroads]

It's never wise to get caught up in what a man does to get paid.

 

[ace_of_something]

How often do you risk your life in your occupation? Is my answer to respecting soldiers. You know OP some of them are trauma surgeons, emts, and... well not everyone in the military shoots a gun.


I'm going with Teachers.

Remember what a snot nosed punk you were? (Of if you like to delude yourself: the other kids in the class) now imagine the type of people that raise that kid.

A teacher has to deal with 15-40 of those little brats all at once for hours a day then have their parents yell at them when little johnny can't get a good grade, when it's the parents that won't make him do his homework, study, or punish him when they find out he's rubbing his dick on other kids.

A teacher deals with that for 30+ years. For less pay then an assistant manager at wal*mart.

 

[TheMinz]

One of the latest Australian casualties was a cook, Shot by someone from the ANA on his way to guard duty on base...
Its all well and good to respect doctors and such, however Military members are trained to kill enemy, I know a lot of people who would not be able to pull the trigger knowing that they are ending someone's life. That list would grow a whole lot more when the only reason your shooting that person is because your told to by someone else. Now my guess is most soldiers don't join to go around shooting people for the shit pay that they receive, they are most likely doing it knowing that they are serving their country. So think about whether or not you could pull the trigger, and understand how psychologically scarring it is for most troops, whether it be in war time or in times of "peace".
They aren't doing it for the pay, they aren't doing for themselves, they are doing it for you...

 

[Gudrests]

I'm sure I'll get some hate for this post due to people being groomed to think the military is somehow better and braver than other professions, but I'd like to see someone logically explain to me why they deserve the gratitude they get when other professions have to go without.

I've never seen a "Support our Pathologists and Surgeons" sticker.

Being on a ship or away from family for...2 year's +? Doing work that is int he line of fire? Work where the standard equiptment is ammunition and body armor to the point that you don't even know the persons frame because of how much gear they wear? Watching friends get blown to pieces and you have to pick there teeth out of the jeep to make sure it was them on paper? The mental trauma that comes with killing someone/watching a friend die and there just might be nothing you can do?....Last I checked surgeons get paid a WHOLE LOT. not as much for the military my friend. Pretty sure surgeons also don't ever really have the need for anything so much as ..well the knife they use for work.

Might be the reason.

 

[AntipodalEjecta]

Look, military people deserve the most respect over all other respects because freedom ain't free. If it wasn't for the brave soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan, we might well be speaking Iraqian right now...those of us who weren't killed for being Christian that is. So of course soldiers deserve the most respect, they're bringing the fist of God to the heathens overseas and risking their very lives to do it. What does a doctor do? He sits in a luxurious office, overcharging people to delay the inevitable. What does a teacher do? Fills kids heads with unnecessary facts that only confuse them and lead to strife. How dare anyone compare these people with REAL heroes?

 

[Trenten Meyer]

Here is my view, you don't have to respect the war, but you should at least respect the person. My father was a marine and an airman, and let me tell you, its hard work. He has far more gray hair than he should. While they get payed little, they do get a lot of compensations for things like utilities. without them, with my family making the same as he had as base pay in the military, we can barely make it month to month. war is terrible, but in one year at the military high school i was at, about twenty family members of the students died. Doctors, fireman, and teachers deserve respect, by all means, but the people who go to die in a war that many of them don't agree with because they're country asked them to deserve a lot more than some of you are giving them.
I mean, where i was in Germany, there was a base the size of a small city devoted to a hospital for the wounded.