I have a thought. Why is it that about 4033 American deaths in Iraq in over five years of occupation of Iraq are so much more disturbing to Americans now than the thousands lost in past wars (especially considering those wars were much shorter in length and often more brutal, but less costly) to Americans before? Is it possible that our humanity is actually evolving?
You know I've always wondered that too Hundreds upon hundreds of thousands have died in past wars, why the hell is 4000 such a big deal now? I mean I'm not insensitive its just that... 4000 really isn't much comparatively
I think you are kinda brushing on 2 different points, I feel that the whole desensitization issue reflects upon violence and tradgedy that one experiences first hand. The relatively small amount of dead soldiers (considering) is just such a large issue with people these days because the media is glorifying it as such. The common people are but lambs to the herders of th eallmighty news corps. That and the recognition that many believe that those soldiers are dying poitnlessly.
Why is it that people are overall more optimistic during this recession than they were in our most recent ones? Even though we're at war, and seeing predictions for an economic growth pattern of around 0.8% for the next two years...? And gas is $4 in some places?
in past wars the soldiers that died, died for a cause, and went(mostly) on the their own will to fight for our countries freedom. cant say so much nowadays.
Biggest load of shit I've ever heard... Right, having a DRAFT is equivalent to allowing soldierts to fight under their own will..... Of course a volunteer army could not possibly be that way? NO FUCKING WAY, a volunteer army.....that VOLUNTEERED?!?!?!?! Hmm, interesting.
Actually, wenrn't there huge drafts in the first two world wars, and no drafts now? And doctaj, I couldn't tell you, all I know is that where im livin, I'm at the tail end of a boom.
Also because our current president and his administration have a lower consecutive approval rating than any other wartime president in history. Also because when our president first decided to go to war, it wasn't even supposed to be a war. It was described as a "relatively quick operation" lasting no longer than "a few months at most". Also because the whole justification for the war was because the Iraqi government had WMDs and connections to al-Qaeda. Both of these claims were proven false, yet we're still there after 5 years.
Yeah, and weren't drafts acceptable to people back then? That's including your grandma... Look at us. Are we down for that shit?
Of course, that is an attack on our soil. And it's amazing that people, even without witnessing that attack on televisions which weren't in public use at that point, were roused through a president's inspiring words to volunteer for that war. However, this war took months to plan for... And months of data to convince Congress to back the war.
The desensitization you speak of has to do with the millions of images that we are exposed to that people simply weren't exposed to years ago. We have the ability to access news, and images of violence 24/7 with the advent of the internet. That has nothing to do with the fact that fighting against fascism and fighting for oil has a huge effect on the view of how many deaths are too much in a conflict. Yes, humanity is evolving, but is it for the better?
We live in a self induced fantasy. It seems like an Americans life is worth more than a Vietnamese or etc
Umm we care because it is a fucked up war that shouldn't have happened, WWI and WWII were exactly what their names were, World Wars, required so that all of Europe and eventually other continents weren't taken over by Facism and Communism. Not because some dude is killing his people in another country.