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As a US combat veteran I agree with you, very few do it purely out of patriotism and altruism. I think most of the glorification comes from gratefulness that so

As a US combat veteran I agree with you, very few do it purely out of patriotism and altruism. I think most of the glorification comes from gratefulness that somebody else is willing to do a necessary and unpleasant job. The fact that the conflicts aren't necessary is slowly changing that, though. People used to be able to trust that the government would only commit us to necessary wars, so the feeling was that somebody had to go and fight and win or Something Really Bad would happen to the rest of us. In that context the glorification makes sense. Now it doesn't really feel like that anymore.

Spearchucker 9y ago
As a veteran of the border war I have zero understanding for the sentiment of "gratefulness that somebody else is willing to do a necessary and unpleasant job". I similarly struggle with the whole "lest we forget" thing in the UK. The reason is that in my opinion it legitimizes war, violence and killing. It promotes patriotism, which is nationalism by another name, and a bus stop short of fascism. Fundamentally it suggests that one nation's people are worth more than anothers'. It's a neat trick, and I have a real problem with that.
- Banthum 9y ago
  It's doesn't have to mean one nation's people are worth more than another's. But it does mean that a person may care about their nation's people more than another's. This is the same principle as caring about your child more than a stranger's child. A nation is a kin group just like a family is. Ingroup preference is perfectly healthy when channeled appropriately.
  - ionised 9y ago
    > A nation is a kin group just like a family is. Given how divided some of the most jingoistic 'democractic' countries on the planet right now are (US and UK) I don't think that supposed kinship is what these people get from nationalism. To me, it looks like an excuse to tribally hate another group or nation without admitting to it.

Spearchucker 9y ago

As a veteran of the border war I have zero understanding for the sentiment of "gratefulness that somebody else is willing to do a necessary and unpleasant job". I similarly struggle with the whole "lest we forget" thing in the UK. The reason is that in my opinion it legitimizes war, violence and killing. It promotes patriotism, which is nationalism by another name, and a bus stop short of fascism. Fundamentally it suggests that one nation's people are worth more than anothers'. It's a neat trick, and I have a real problem with that.

Banthum 9y ago
It's doesn't have to mean one nation's people are worth more than another's. But it does mean that a person may care about their nation's people more than another's. This is the same principle as caring about your child more than a stranger's child. A nation is a kin group just like a family is. Ingroup preference is perfectly healthy when channeled appropriately.
- ionised 9y ago
  > A nation is a kin group just like a family is. Given how divided some of the most jingoistic 'democractic' countries on the planet right now are (US and UK) I don't think that supposed kinship is what these people get from nationalism. To me, it looks like an excuse to tribally hate another group or nation without admitting to it.