Memorial Day

[mnaz]

yeah Jack, I actually saw that "culture as biological" discussion in your art blog earlier. And really, I'm not sure I buy the basic thesis. The idea of joining with random others from "my group" to go out and kill random others of some "other group" certainly was no instinct of mine as a child. I had to be taught it. And as long as we persist in such basic things as the language of "serving one's country" in regard to making war, then it will always be necessary to make war when those in power decide it's time to make war.

I get a little militant on this issue; not always sure why. One of the few issues where I have a special talent at pissing people off (at times).

Jeez. Listen to me. Starting to sound almost as militant as eyelidlessness. (Remember a couple years ago when he said the military should be flat-out disbanded?) Ok, so maybe I should just be quiet now.

[stilltrucking]

Eyelidlessness I remember him. Doreen's son, a chip off the old block

I am wondering about biology and culture. Ok sure we live in relation to culture not nature. That brings to mind the culture that has wrought such havoc in the Gulf of Mexico. I am getting off topic. Just wondering, we might have this cacoon of culture this second womb we are born from, but got dam if mother nature still don't bite us in the ass.

sorry

[still.trucking]

I take a pretty schizophrenic attitude towards the military. I just can't get into abstract thoughts of war. I can't play mind games with it such as if I was the king of the world I would do this or do that, I mean I just keep it personal and concrete. Speak only for myself not for others. I am an old man, I am out of it, I will be not fighting in any wars. If I was a young man I would think about such things. Jason is young he thinks big thoughts about what should be done or not be done. There is a lot of big thinking going on in young people today. Or I hope there is. Stunned me the first time I met a young republican. I could not imagine such a thing. But there he was on the school bus I was driving in 1981 singing the praises of Ronald Raygunz. Shit wandering again sorry.

More on topic maybe an
Interesting comment on military force I thought

I do not discount the importance of force. Woe to the country that discounts the efficacy of force. Without it Israel would not be able to survive a single day. But we cannot allow ourselves to forget for even a moment that force is effective only as a preventative — to prevent the destruction and conquest of Israel, to protect our lives and freedom. Every attempt to use force not as a preventive measure, not in self-defense, but instead as a means of smashing problems and squashing ideas, will lead to more disasters, just like the one we brought on ourselves in international waters, opposite Gaza’s shores.


Amos Oz is the author, most recently, of the novel “Rhyming Life and Death.”

[Non Sum]

Since intelligence is largely genetic, it follows that there is a large genetic component to wars. And, therein lies the purpose and utility of war – to cull the human herd of its (mentally) weaker specimens.

The cultural glorification of war (e.g. Memorial, Veteran’s, Armistice Days) serves the future interests of governments, as well as the past concerns and doubts of surviving relatives and veterans. Like state lotteries, wars are a voluntary tax on the stupid.

”Do not needlessly endanger your lives until I give you the signal.” (Dwight D. Eisenhower)

[stilltrucking]

God dam I like that. N.S. *no shit

I think Heidegger would appreciate it too.

What is peddled about nowadays as philosophy, especially that of N.S.(National Socialism), but has nothing to do with the inner truth and greatness of that movement [namely the encounter between global technology and modern humanity] is nothing but fishing in that troubled sea of values and totalities.
Introduction to Metaphysics (1953) — a publication of lectures of 1935.

http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Martin_Heidegger

[Doreen Peri]

Since intelligence is largely genetic, it follows that there is a large genetic component to wars. And, therein lies the purpose and utility of war – to cull the human herd of its (mentally) weaker specimens.

The cultural glorification of war (e.g. Memorial, Veteran’s, Armistice Days) serves the future interests of governments, as well as the past concerns and doubts of surviving relatives and veterans. Like state lotteries, wars are a voluntary tax on the stupid.

”Do not needlessly endanger your lives until I give you the signal.” (Dwight D. Eisenhower)

So are you saying the people who fight them, the volunteer soldiers, are stupid? And wars are a way of getting rid of the stupid people?

"And, therein lies the purpose and utility of war – to cull the human herd of its (mentally) weaker specimens."

[Non Sum]

Doreen: So are you saying the people who fight them, the volunteer soldiers, are stupid?

NS: Who else, but the stupid, would wait for Ike to "give the signal"?

D: And wars are a way of getting rid of the stupid people?

NS: Something to take comfort in, no?

[Doreen Peri]

That's what I thought you were saying. I read you right!

[mnaz]

Jason is young he thinks big thoughts about what should be done or not be done. There is a lot of big thinking going on in young people today. Or I hope there is.

Ah, but the wars are fought by the young; those who are coming up and must make their way and honor the "wisdom of their elders" and "goodness of their homeland." Not to mention good old-fashioned instincts of machismo here and there-- institutionally channeled by society-- the culture of honor and duty and service. I got an earful of it when I was 22 and being recruited into the nuke Navy (as an officer). But it's the young (and generally poor-ish) on the front lines, with few exceptions (ex-NFL player Pat Tillman comes to mind), some unknown percentage of which emerge permanently fucked up to some degree, and/or begin to wonder what the hell they were doing as a part of such organized madness in later life. I oversimplify things here perhaps, but you get the gist.

[stilltrucking]

I am pretty sure I get the gist of it. I just don't know what to say.
So I ramble, sorry

Maybe we need "more bang for the buck" if you remember that phrase.

We need more model airplanes and kids to fly them.

I read a bit the other day about a unit in Nevada that killed 23 unarmed civilians in Afghanistan. I thought it was a typo.should have read military unit from Nevada. But no it was right. A base in Nevada where the guys who control the drones are based.

We need more warriors like that, the hell with boots on the ground where is the glory in that.

Sorry like I said above I got nothing more to say


I just ramble ramble, you summed it up pretty well nothing I can add.