All Youth Should Be Made To Join A Cadet Organisation

1) Cadet organisations teach initiative and free-thinking. Obedience to superiors does not come at the cost of free will.

2) Not the veneration of uniforms and military, but pride in those who fight for us. Truth be told, pride in the military is not something that is taught or forced upon cadets.

3) Cadet organisations appeal to those who can think on their feet and those who are responsible, not "weak minded people who unable to function well on their own." You think cadets are baby-sitted through everything they do? Quite the opposite.

4) "Constant flow of approval" is rubbish. If saomething is done well, there is recognition. If something is done poorly, there is support. If there is deliberate, uncalled for disobidence, there is punishment. Just how it is (or should be) in real life.

5) It does not represent a "regression to infancy". Thinking literally, it provides fun and enjoyment for young people 13-18. Adult life? These cadets are no more than children. And there is obviously a life outside cadets. Would you call Scouts a "regression to infancy"? Or any sort of youth organisation?

Where have you got your information? Perhaps you went to a cadet organisation and had a poor experience. If so, where was it. Or perhaps you base your argument from pure opinion, with no experience of what you are talking about.

Carl

06 May 2008 17:33

Comment

1) Cadet organisations teach initiative and free-thinking. Obedience to superiors does not come at the cost of free will.

2) Not the veneration of uniforms and military, but pride in those who fight for us. Truth be told, pride in the military is not something that is taught or forced upon cadets.

3) Cadet organisations appeal to those who can think on their feet and those who are responsible, not "weak minded people who unable to function well on their own." You think cadets are baby-sitted through everything they do? Quite the opposite.

4) "Constant flow of approval" is rubbish. If saomething is done well, there is recognition. If something is done poorly, there is support. If there is deliberate, uncalled for disobidence, there is punishment. Just how it is (or should be) in real life.

5) It does not represent a "regression to infancy". Thinking literally, it provides fun and enjoyment for young people 13-18. Adult life? These cadets are no more than children. And there is obviously a life outside cadets. Would you call Scouts a "regression to infancy"? Or any sort of youth organisation?

Where have you got your information? Perhaps you went to a cadet organisation and had a poor experience. If so, where was it. Or perhaps you base your argument from pure opinion, with no experience of what you are talking about.

Comment

1) Cadet organisations teach initiative and free-thinking. Obedience to superiors does not come at the cost of free will.

2) Not the veneration of uniforms and military, but pride in those who fight for us. Truth be told, pride in the military is not something that is taught or forced upon cadets.

Comment

1/ Sure. That's what they tell you.
2/ They don't fight for me. They're killing innocent people for Bush and I see no reason to take pride in that. It's irrelevant whether "pride in the military" is inculcated directly. A culture of soft-militarism, involving respect for people in uniform participating military-style hierarchies is disseminated and normalised. This makes it easier for politicians to push for restrictions on social freedom later.
4/ As long as you obey, you get the flow of approval. That's the core lesson that every dictator would love to inscribe in the mind of every citizen. And when "there is deliberate, uncalled for disobedience, there is punishment" is not how it is or should be in the real world. Adults do not and should not have to spend much time worrying about "disobedience" or "punishment" except in relation to their children. Indeed, your words only validate the criticism I made. You are unconsciously imbibing an authoritarian mindset, and you now think of it as normal.
5/ At that age they should be emerging into adulthood, not going the other way.