Help me understand

[cammedNslammed]

Ive been in DEP for about 5 months now, but just recently i realized something for the first time and its something that has really been bothering me. Lately i've been noticing how absolutely lazy and rediculously erragant most Americans truly are. It really bugs me at how men and women can fight and sometimes die for there freedoms and rights, and yet most people could care less. Hell most even take the simplest of things for granted, like say for instance electricity, or a cell phone. I guess the closer i get to boot camp the more i appreciate little things that i will lose for 3 months. Has anyone else noticed this? Am i missing something?

[Hartford]

I can kind of agree. Today I had the first friend of mine tell me he appreciated and respected my decision to join the Marine Corps. Out of the people that know I'm enlisting, he was the first to say it to me and I joined June 9th. Every other person has begged me not to, said I was dumb for doing it, talked down upon the military/USMC and whatever else you could think of. I told him I appreciated it but I don't even think he knew how much it meant to hear it from someone. Obviously on here everyone is pro-military & Marine Corps but in real life, at least for me, it is quite the opposite except for my RSS and all of my Poolee brothers.

[sbombard15]

I have met and seen MANY people that make you wonder if they are worth fighting for.

[cammedNslammed]

I'm fortunate that my family as well as my wife's family are pro-military and especially pro-USMC. I guess it just really bugs me how some people are so unappreciative of the simplest things. What has happened to America over the last 100 years? I guess the more i hang around Marines and poolees the more i see it?

[Cressler]

I haven't been in DEP very long but i've seen this to when me and my recruiter were working the fair we just people watched and watched people and sometimes not very smart people walk past a couple would come up and shake our hands but most just made you go wow

[sbombard15]

I think that would be a good guess. I have noticed the fat lazy slobs who do nothing in life except live off welfare checks(aka working mans money) but as I surround myself with people that have goals and want to better themselves I to notice it more.

[cammedNslammed]

It's almost as if this county's morals/intelligence levels have dropped substantially. I mean people dont even bat an eye when a space shuttle lands on the moon.

Oh well i'm just gonna stay motivated and enjoy earning my title.

[Hartford]

Not everyone can be as motivated and dedicated as us turd Poolees. Hah... :mad:

[sbombard15]

I would be much happier if I had joined in the 40s. Everyone was active, worked, and very patriotic. Now no ones gives a $hit about anyone or even themselves. Plus I could have fought in WWII. Just think of being on iwo jima and watching the flag go up.

[cammedNslammed]

I would be much happier if I had joined in the 40s. Everyone was active, worked, and very patriotic. Now no ones gives a $hit about anyone or even themselves.
amen to that! I can only imagine how it felt to come home with arms open wide from the entire country!

[Hartford]

Because people may not support the Marines like they used to in previous wars, we must remember to take care of each other even more. Help your fellow poolees now, fellow recruits later and fellow Marines after you graduate. Lead from the front.

[MarinesFTW]

Well, If my life was going to happen according to my friends, I will die at the ripe age of 18 or 19 if im lucky. I guess im going to get killed right away, hell according to them, ill be in Iraq/Afghan for less then 5 minutes! You know what **** 'em! They can all go screw themselves, they dont know jack **** and there not worth the time and effort. There not true friends I guess.

[SeanRyan32]

Well, If my life was going to happen according to my friends, I will die at the ripe age of 18 or 19 if im lucky. I guess im going to get killed right away, hell according to them, ill be in Iraq/Afghan for less then 5 minutes! You know what **** 'em! They can all go screw themselves, they dont know jack **** and there not worth the time and effort. There not true friends I guess.

MarinesFTW, you need to settle down. What you described is exactly how my brother put it. I said **** him and I've held it against him ever since. Not something you want to hold on to.

[Hartford]

He is right though. There are people who understand why we've done what we've done and then there are those who don't. If the people who don't understand want to talk down on us and while being misinformed still try to talk us out of it...F them. We'll be Marines and they won't. We'll have our brothers and they'll have their...dog...?

[SabreJack]

I believe I have come to a simple solution. I live in Clovis NM, a small town about 4 hours from Juarez Mexico. We have public schools where children are taught strictly in spanish. The last human resources rep. was fired from my job because she wanted to administer drug tests to everyone at my company (the fear was that 75% of the people would fail and we would have no one to work). If anyone has seen the movie Knocked Up, where they look up registered sex offenders online, and Paul Rudd makes the comment: "It looks like your computer has chicken pox," that would apply to this town. Let's not even get started on the meth labs in the area. For a city of only 30k people, the number of violent crimes committed every year is approximately the same as the cities of Lubbock or Amarillo, which have populations of approx. 300K. There is something wrong with this and if you ponder, will make you severely question your decision of joining the service.

My frame of mind is this:
There are almost no decent paying jobs with benefits available in the country (or at least within 10 hours driving time of me). I have a wife and kid to support and the service is offering guaranteed health care, salary pay, and a ladder for promotion. On top of that, its a paid ticket out of this place. Joining the service is a great idea if you are in any kind of position similar to mine. So if you are going to join, why not be a part of a brotherhood, not just some subordinate someone can use to further their career (Army--AF). Be part of the best.

Plus you will get to travel the world and paid to do it!

[sbombard15]

Wow if I would you I would run away from that place FAST.

[Sgt Leprechaun]

If you are looking for lots of love and appreciation from the 'Amurkan people', for the most part, you won't get it.

Not gonna happen.

Most of America is, in fact, fat/obese, lazy, narcissictic, on some type of medication (either self or prescribed) and couldn't find either Iraq or Afganistan on a map with a gun pointed at them.

Most of Western civilization, lads, is the same way. The days of fighting for 'survival' and the last piece of meat are long, long, past.

Now, all that having been said, don't think that I don't love my country, because I do. I fear for her greatly, but I love her nonetheless.

Men and women do not enlist into the Marine Corps for 'the American people'. They enlist for the chance, the mere chance, to become MARINES! And to go to the tip of the spear, the edge of the empire, and maybe....just maybe...get to be a PART of history instead of sitting on the sidelines and reading about it.

Don't worry about fame, fortune, money, or what 'the people' are saying or thinking.

The highest compliment you'll get will be from a fellow Marine:

"I served with......and he was a Davmn fine Marine"

You should ask for nothing more, and accept nothing less.

[Books]

What I find absolutely humurous is that most civilians do not understand anything, yet always claim to be expert analysts of the military and how members of the military conduct themselves. Go see The Hurt Locker with one of your friends and I bet you will both think very different things about it.

Hell, most of my family still thinks I am either:
1) Already a Marine
2) A Marine Officer
3) Attending Annapolis
4) In the Army
5) In the Army, Attending Annapolis (???)
6) Flying Helicopters

And then they tell their mixed up crap to everyone they know like they're experts so now I have relatives telling me about the most inane stuff and I have no idea what is going on. The worst is that I have spoken to most of these people in detail on what I am doing, but I guess it is all Greek.

[cammedNslammed]

I totally agree! My parents are hard working blue collar southern folks who were raised up to never ask for a handout, and of course they raised me the same way. I love this country and appreciate the oppurtunities that i've gained from living here, but im also starting realize how lazy/selfish it can be as well and it just bugs me. Not really that i can do much to solve that issue tho.

I wonder how this country will look in another 100 years?


If you are looking for lots of love and appreciation from the 'Amurkan people', for the most part, you won't get it.

Not gonna happen.

Most of America is, in fact, fat/obese, lazy, narcissictic, on some type of medication (either self or prescribed) and couldn't find either Iraq or Afganistan on a map with a gun pointed at them.

Most of Western civilization, lads, is the same way. The days of fighting for 'survival' and the last piece of meat are long, long, past.

Now, all that having been said, don't think that I don't love my country, because I do. I fear for her greatly, but I love her nonetheless.

Men and women do not enlist into the Marine Corps for 'the American people'. They enlist for the chance, the mere chance, to become MARINES! And to go to the tip of the spear, the edge of the empire, and maybe....just maybe...get to be a PART of history instead of sitting on the sidelines and reading about it.

Don't worry about fame, fortune, money, or what 'the people' are saying or thinking.

The highest compliment you'll get will be from a fellow Marine:

"I served with......and he was a Davmn fine Marine"

You should ask for nothing more, and accept nothing less.

[Books]

I wonder how this country will look in another 100 years?

... Have you seen WALL-E?

[cammedNslammed]

... Have you seen WALL-E?
HAHA Yea good point. I was thinking more like that movie IDIOCRACY. LOL Its where everybody just gets dumber as the years pass. Lately it seems that way.

[Books]

HAHA Yea good point. I was thinking more like that movie IDIOCRACY. LOL Its where everybody just gets dumber as the years pass. Lately it seems that way.

Idiocracy was great... Drink Brawndo, get a ******* at Starbucks, and go to law school at COSTCO. Sounds awesome.

Seriously though, I don't see any other end result. Actually, I do. Chesty predicted that if America stayed as soft as it did in WWII (hah, he thought they were too soft then) that we would be over-run by invaders who would breed a hardier race with our women.

P.S. WALL-E was a great film too. Saw it with my younger sister and I was pleasantly surprised.

[Kreegz]

I am lucky to have come from a military background. My Dad was in the Air Force for 21 years so my family all understand and appreciate what I'm doing.

I've only gotten thanks and appreciation from 1 person outside of my family and, believe it or not, he was a homeless person. I gave him a cigarette at a red light and he gave me the standard "God Bless, Stay in school son"(I look pretty young). I told him that I'm actually joining the Marines and that I was leaving for boot camp in 2 weeks. He said he really appreciated what I was doing and that he hoped he wasn't the only person that had said that to me. He said nowadays people don't have enough sense to even appreciate the sacrifices that others make for them every day.

[Books]

I've only gotten thanks and appreciation from 1 person outside of my family and, believe it or not, he was a homeless person. I gave him a cigarette at a red light and he gave me the standard "God Bless, Stay in school son"(I look pretty young). I told him that I'm actually joining the Marines and that I was leaving for boot camp in 2 weeks. He said he really appreciated what I was doing and that he hoped he wasn't the only person that had said that to me. He said nowadays people don't have enough sense to even appreciate the sacrifices that others make for them every day.

Outstanding story! Sounds like one long red light. I guess everything really is bigger in Texas. ;)

[MattNC]

If you are looking for lots of love and appreciation from the 'Amurkan people', for the most part, you won't get it.

Not gonna happen.

Most of America is, in fact, fat/obese, lazy, narcissictic, on some type of medication (either self or prescribed) and couldn't find either Iraq or Afganistan on a map with a gun pointed at them.

Most of Western civilization, lads, is the same way. The days of fighting for 'survival' and the last piece of meat are long, long, past.

Now, all that having been said, don't think that I don't love my country, because I do. I fear for her greatly, but I love her nonetheless.

Men and women do not enlist into the Marine Corps for 'the American people'. They enlist for the chance, the mere chance, to become MARINES! And to go to the tip of the spear, the edge of the empire, and maybe....just maybe...get to be a PART of history instead of sitting on the sidelines and reading about it.

Don't worry about fame, fortune, money, or what 'the people' are saying or thinking.

The highest compliment you'll get will be from a fellow Marine:

"I served with......and he was a Davmn fine Marine"

You should ask for nothing more, and accept nothing less.

Couldn't have said it better. Thanks for the post Sgt Leprechaun.

I love my country, but yet I fear for it as it slips on a downward slope into obesity and stupidity. Laziness is in, and innovation is out in todays society.

I'm not looking for a thank you. In fact, it irks me when people tell it to me now(although I do understand their kind gesture). I have done nothing. All I did was sign a piece of paper. I'm just a poolee. I joined for myself. I want to be a United States Marine.

[sbombard15]

All I can say is thank god we have each other and when we earn the title we will have our brothers and sisters.....

[Hartford]

When people say "Why did you join?" All I can really say is "I want to be a Marine."

They're confused, but that's all I really joined for. My parents would gladly pay for and rather have me go to college, but that is not the path I wish to travel. I want to do something that matters, to do something great. If you want to be the best, you've got to join the best. The Marines are the best.

[cammedNslammed]

Haha, i get the same thing. Although my situation is a little different. I graduated college already. Almost joined right out of high school but my parents wanted me to wait, do college, that way at least i wouldnt start on the bottom. Most people give me the whole, "you already went to school, why throw your life away in the military", haha. But what most people dont understand is what makes the Marines "The Few The Proud", because only a few really understand the meaning behind the title. They will always question it, and will have biased opinions.



When people say "Why did you join?" All I can really say is "I want to be a Marine."

They're confused, but that's all I really joined for. My parents would gladly pay for and rather have me go to college, but that is not the path I wish to travel. I want to do something that matters, to do something great. If you want to be the best, you've got to join the best. The Marines are the best.

[MarinesFTW]

When people say "Why did you join?" All I can really say is "I want to be a Marine."

They're confused, but that's all I really joined for. My parents would gladly pay for and rather have me go to college, but that is not the path I wish to travel. I want to do something that matters, to do something great. If you want to be the best, you've got to join the best. The Marines are the best.

My favorite line for that question. If I dont, who's going to take my place? Obviously non of you!!!

[sbombard15]

My favorite line for that question. If I dont, who's going to take my place? Obviously non of you!!!

my response is "somebody has to do it."

[Books]

Honest to God, I really have no idea why I joined. I tell people it is hard to explain as a way out of thinking of a reason for myself. Just something in the back of my mind said that the safe, simple, comfortable route was not for me. That's about it. The need to be out on the edge of the empire with the injuns, I guess.

[PooleeHunt]

Here's a quote America seems to not understand 'if not me, who? If not now, when?' Most are too lazy to take real initiative in their own lives, so taking initiative for the country is so far beyond the scope of their minds, or their heart, that they almost get angry or bitter at people who do understand the need, and take it upon themselves to fulfill it. Not because they usually think the military, or you yourself are evil, but because they simply think it's foolish when 'someone else' could do it, or they're embittered at their own lack of courage and initiative, which Poolees and recruits for the military have started to show. Sure some are anti-war (so am I, I wish there weren't wars that needed to be fought, but reality isn't a daydream), and they blame the American military for all the fighting. But in my mind the lack of respect is best seen as jealousy or selfishness.

[SeanRyan32]

I try not to say "Because no one else will" due to the fact that it sounds like I'm doing it because I have to and not because I want to.

[Gerken]

Most of my friends just say things like, "why join the Marines, your just going to get yourself killed", and they tell me that I should've joined some other branch like the army so that I could get bonuses. And they don't seem to understand that its not about the money, that I joined to have the opportunity to become a US Marine, and to be the best, and that I'm not going to lower myself to anything other than the best.

[PooleeJacobs]

So many people today seem to measure success by the amount of money and goods they have acquired throughout life. They don't realize success is measured in the number of you reach out to and influence. They don't understand this brotherhood because they are too insecure to be close enough to someone that they would do anything for. The fact that we are poolees means we are brothers and because of that I'm sure that every poolee on here would do almost anything for another poolee. We may not know each other, we may not even know each others names, but we are still closer to each other than most people out there.

[cammedNslammed]

+1

It's weird but all of the poolees at my RSS have gotten pretty close over the last 5 months i've been there. We all help each other out, which is a lot more than i can say for some of my friends outside of the recruiting office :mad:



So many people today seem to measure success by the amount of money and goods they have acquired throughout life. They don't realize success is measured in the number of you reach out to and influence. They don't understand this brotherhood because they are too insecure to be close enough to someone that they would do anything for. The fact that we are poolees means we are brothers and because of that I'm sure that every poolee on here would do almost anything for another poolee. We may not know each other, we may not even know each others names, but we are still closer to each other than most people out there.

[PooleeHunt]

I try not to say "Because no one else will" due to the fact that it sounds like I'm doing it because I have to and not because I want to.

Well it's a patriotic duty, in my mind, like protecting your family. Has to be done sometimes.doing it yourself is taking initiative and showing love and respect for your country. You always have the choice to hope someone else will do it. So I guess what I'm saying is someone has to do it, and we're picking ourselves to be that 'someone'.
.

[Joshua Harris]

cammed...i feel where you are comming from...i live in memphis,tn...home of the "first 48"...the people here dont wanna do nothing..every one i go to and try to talk to them about the Corps...the say the same thing.."No im good."do you want to know whats in memphis?the unemployment rate here is over 10% the poverty rate here is awful...memphis is number one for crime in the U.S.if you lived in poverty and some one comes to you and talks to you about the military and all the benefits what would you guys do???join right??not in memphis..:devious:

[Joshua Harris]

[quote=futuremarine19;526315]cammed...i feel where you are comming from...i live in memphis,tn...home of the "first 48"...the people here dont wanna do nothing..every one i go to and try to talk to them about the Corps...the say the same thing.."No im good."do you want to know whats in memphis?the unemployment rate here is over 10% the poverty rate here is awful...memphis is number one for crime in the U.S.if you lived in poverty and some one comes to you and talks to you about the Marines and all the benefits what would you guys do???join right??not in memphis..:devious:and when i say benefits....i mean ALL of them!!

[Enrique2010]

Its not that Civilians are Lazy or Hate the military. Its just that nowadays, there are ALOT more options for people to make it in this world. Being in the Military isnt exactly the best choice for every American. Thats what makes this Country so great. the Ability to CHOOSE. Americans just have become used to being spoiled.

[Joshua Harris]

Its not that Civilians are Lazy or Hate the military. Its just that nowadays, there are ALOT more options for people to make it in this world. Being in the Military isnt exactly the best choice for every American. Thats what makes this Country so great. the Ability to CHOOSE. Americans just have become used to being spoiled.


that sums it up..

[cammedNslammed]

Ok most Americans dont "hate" the military, but most dont support it, which isnt much better. As for the being lazy comment, i have to disagree. Have you watched tv lately? Its like info-mercial hell. Everybody wants to get rich quick on one side of the coin, and on the other side, everybody wants things to be so much easier when everything nowadays is handed to people on a silver platter. Why do you think the army is altering there basic training to be easier and less work, because were in the nintendo/tv age (aka im a lazy fat pig who weighs 250 Ibs at 15). The statistics speak for themselves, compare 50 years ago to now, and i guarantee you the average weight of americans has gone up substantially, and yet we have more knowledge on health and food than we did back then. Being in america you dont see it, but go to a different country and guarantee you its loud and clear.


Its not that Civilians are Lazy or Hate the military. Its just that nowadays, there are ALOT more options for people to make it in this world. Being in the Military isnt exactly the best choice for every American. Thats what makes this Country so great. the Ability to CHOOSE. Americans just have become used to being spoiled.

[Books]

Its not that Civilians are Lazy

Yes, they are.


or Hate the military.

Depends where you live. One of my teachers had my class write letters to my recruiter on why I shouldn't join the military... as an extra credit assignment of course. It may not be "hatred" but it is a clear stance of animosity towards the military.


Its just that nowadays, there are ALOT more options for people to make it in this world. Being in the Military isnt exactly the best choice for every American.

True, but I don't see how one's personal decisions in life have anything to do with how they treat members of the armed services, unless it is just a personal fit of jealousy or something.


Thats what makes this Country so great. the Ability to CHOOSE. Americans just have become used to being spoiled.

You don't choose to become spoiled. It is a nation-wide trend that is resulting in (as has been said), a lazy, insular, overweight, and overmedicated generation of people. "America is at the mall", or so the saying goes. People live in their own little worlds and only act altruistic or appear to care about things outside of their zip code because it is trendy (see: celebrities), they're religious and they are guilted into charity, or there are ulterior motives, like that high school junior working a soup kitching so they can go to Yale. Call me jaded, but that's how the world works at the moment. We live in frivrulous times when people just don't take things seriously enough, and certainly not the military. It's like people live from super-bowl to super-bowl and just expect things to be the status quo, but forget that people like Marines are making their candy-coated lives possible.

[Capital M]

Yes, they are.



Depends where you live. One of my teachers had my class write letters to my recruiter on why I shouldn't join the military... as an extra credit assignment of course. It may not be "hatred" but it is a clear stance of animosity towards the military.



True, but I don't see how one's personal decisions in life have anything to do with how they treat members of the armed services, unless it is just a personal fit of jealousy or something.



You don't choose to become spoiled. It is a nation-wide trend that is resulting in (as has been said), a lazy, insular, overweight, and overmedicated generation of people. "America is at the mall", or so the saying goes. People live in their own little worlds and only act altruistic or appear to care about things outside of their zip code because it is trendy (see: celebrities), they're religious and they are guilted into charity, or there are ulterior motives, like that high school junior working a soup kitching so they can go to Yale. Call me jaded, but that's how the world works at the moment. We live in frivrulous times when people just don't take things seriously enough, and certainly not the military. It's like people live from super-bowl to super-bowl and just expect things to be the status quo, but forget that people like Marines are making their candy-coated lives possible.

Amen.