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Thanks for this. When I'm around military people and conversations like this come up, often there is an attitude of "you couldn't understand, civilian" (not unl

Thanks for this. When I'm around military people and conversations like this come up, often there is an attitude of "you couldn't understand, civilian" (not unlike your #8), and the truth is I don't. Soldiers have had their mindset irreparably altered and they tend to ally with the institution, even if they don't agree with it - even when their free of it. They have given up most any control they have over themselves or their situation and it pervades their worldview. There are good reasons for this and it makes sense that anything that could possibly chip away at that foundation should be tightly controlled.

ryanmarsh 13y ago
"Soldiers have had their mindset irreparably altered and they tend to ally with the institution" When you've had your life in jeopardy for long periods of time, when you've seen humanity reduced to it's most primal state, when you've lived in a third world country amongst people who couldn't fathom a lifestyle that those in "poverty" in America enjoy, when you've been responsible for millions of dollars of vital hardware, when you've been indoctrinated to live with honor and integrity and been punished harshly for not doing so, when you've been responsible for the lives of other people, when you've saved lives, and had lives given for you... it sort of changes your perspective. Honestly, it makes the day-to-day things that people get upset about in this wealthy western bubble seem so completely f*ing vapid. Because of this I have a very hard time getting along with many people in the work environment. I see so much pettiness, or "fighting over crumbs" as I like to call it. Other combat veterans understand. Quite frankly I can't even be frank about a problem, address a problem at work, or be focused on getting the work done because most people just want to sit around and talk about how they feel about it until it feels like the problem is gone. People get offended when I'm frank about things that are mediocre or ineffective. It's nuts to me. Forgive me for the little PTSD rant.

ryanmarsh 13y ago

"Soldiers have had their mindset irreparably altered and they tend to ally with the institution" When you've had your life in jeopardy for long periods of time, when you've seen humanity reduced to it's most primal state, when you've lived in a third world country amongst people who couldn't fathom a lifestyle that those in "poverty" in America enjoy, when you've been responsible for millions of dollars of vital hardware, when you've been indoctrinated to live with honor and integrity and been punished harshly for not doing so, when you've been responsible for the lives of other people, when you've saved lives, and had lives given for you... it sort of changes your perspective. Honestly, it makes the day-to-day things that people get upset about in this wealthy western bubble seem so completely f*ing vapid. Because of this I have a very hard time getting along with many people in the work environment. I see so much pettiness, or "fighting over crumbs" as I like to call it. Other combat veterans understand. Quite frankly I can't even be frank about a problem, address a problem at work, or be focused on getting the work done because most people just want to sit around and talk about how they feel about it until it feels like the problem is gone. People get offended when I'm frank about things that are mediocre or ineffective. It's nuts to me. Forgive me for the little PTSD rant.