Why do educated "elites" look down upon those who join the military so much?

Question

There was a time when many graduates of our country's best schools joined the military and were proud to serve. In England, the Prince serves in the military. What happened to this country?

Answer 1

Many of America's best and brightest still do. People who place prime emphasis of reason over honor look through a prism of thought that leads them to the following conclusion: If i join the military I might be killed, and for no tangible gain. That doesn't make sense to them, and therefore they look down on others who join the military as being intellectually inferior.

Answer 2

The military is truly a noble profession. Unfortunately, some in this country would like for you to believe the military is incompetent, misled, and lost. Instead, "they" are the ones who lack a "sense of what makes our military so great". It is the 100% voluntary service of our men and women (some who were not even born in the US, but choose to serve) that makes our military an awesome brotherhood (sisterhood). Sure there are many "educated elites" who do look down upon us in the military... but many also understand it takes a true American to serve their country with pride, honor, and do it voluntarily (even if they may disagree with some of the decisions being made by our commander-in-chief).

Self-sacrifice is NOT in the vocabulary of those who have such an ignorant opinion of our great soldiers.....

What embodies a true American? Pat Tillman comes to mind, what more could any mother/father have asked for than a son with his courage and honor. He gave the ultimate sacrifice for our country, when he could have clearly lived on easy street with his multi-million dollar contract with the Arizona Cardinals.

I am a military physician and have been in the service for 18 years. I joined immediately after high school and have truly enjoyed my time in the military. I have seen more instances of bravery, professionalism, and honor in some of the "least educated" in the military......it isn't about the college degree, it's about one's pride, integrity, and willingness to serve this great nation!

Hope all who read this say a quick prayer for our troops and their families.. and if you are agnostic, at least think of them when you are hugging your own children, spouse, or loved ones.

God Bless America!

Answer 3

This may not be a popular answer, but it has to do with the Korean and then Vietnamese wars, and Americans in general.

Prior to the Korean war most, though not all, of our wars were conventional and ended with one side winning, usually us (War of 1812 is debatable). In these wars, battles were fought, and a general or officer could win distinction by leading their men to victory in battle. This meant you could gain social status in the armed forces, which high status families could always use more of, and low status families could use to advance.

Korea was differant, it was a police action, and ended in what appeared to be a stalemate. To the American people, who had no conception of what that was, that equaled a loss. How could an officer gain social status by being part of a police action rather than a war? Vietnam accelerated this. Korea at least had tanks and airplanes, and conventional battles. Vietnam was fought with booby traps, ambushes, and small unit actions. A general could only lead an operation, not a battle. And even if a general conducted a successful operation, it was against a third world country without tanks, planes, or large formations. (Yes, I know there were some exceptions). The point is, being an officer remained just as dangerous as it always had, more so because of the advances in military technology, but the glory to be gained fell to practically nothing.

To use an example, everyone remembers Scipio Africanus defeating carthage, or Napolean overrunning Europe. Nobody remembers the generals in charge of the hundreds of Roman pacifications of rebellios provinces.

So in a nutshell, danger rose, glory and social status declined. It's easy to accuse the "elites" of being cowards or snobs or whatever, but honestly most of them are doing what they feel society approves of. Look at most of our last few elections. Being a veteran doesn't mean as much as it used to, to the voters. Hate John Kerry all you want, but the fact is a man who did not serve was elected twice on the democrat side, and a guardsman with no combat experience was selected over a combat vet on the republican side.

Answer 4

Everyone who is educated is not 'elite', and everyone who considers themselves 'elite' is not educated. Oh they may go to Ivy League colleges and other fine universities, but it doesn't mean that they are the 'best of the best'. After all, the president was educated, or at least that is what we are told. Yet I don't consider him or Cheney or Rice or any of the remainder of his cronies to be 'elite'. And they don't necessarily 'look down' on the military; (after all, they HAVE to acknowledge them at some point or another) - they simply look at them as 'soldiers', like the 'soldiers' who fought in the Civil War or the Revolutionary War or other wars --- like they were born to be soldiers, and that if they die, that is what soldiers are supposed to do.

Answer 5

They are the draft dodgers If they don't receive a commission they don't serve.Clinton was one who hated the services.J. Kerry didn't expect to be in a war zone or else he wouldn't have asked the Kennedy's for it.The rich usually don't serve unless it's a officers rate,that way they can remain behind the lines and be safe.Bush asked daddy Bush if he could quite and on and on.I joined the service and proud of it.I would serve again but I'm gray and over the hill.

Answer 6

They still do, you just don't hear about it. That message is drowned out by the "elite" socialists that control the schools are anti-military. Our military is made up of a cross section of America, from college grads to people just out of high school and in approximately the same proportions as the general population. However, people like John Kerry casts asperisions upon the intelliegence of our armed forces and people believe him, and when he is called on it he insults the intelligence of the populace by saying it was a joke, a joke that no one has be able to explain EXCEPT as a jab at the intelligence of our military.

If you believe the hype by the liberal left, the military is made up of Blacks and High School grad troublemakers who can do no better. The truth is that our military REQUIRES intelligent people to man (or woman) our high tech weapon systems.

But to answer your question.... The "elites" cannot believe that anyone would disagree with them and join the military. They believe that the military is inheriently evil and if not evil, then just the pawns of evil people who want to control the world and thwart the goal of socializing the world. Since they are the educated "elite" then it stands to reason that anyone who disagrees with them (even better educated people than themselves) must be ignorant and therefore they look down thier noses at them and put them down at every opportunity. It is easier to be socialist. All you have to do is champion the socialist cause and never ever attempt to explain how it will actually work economically. The economics of socialism can only work in a totally communist world, they just will not admit it (or worse they don't know it). I have found logic not to be the strong point of socialists in general.

It is thier way of raising themselves up, by attempting to convince everyone else that those that disagree with the "elites" are ignorant..... Don't buy into their lies.

Answer 7

I think it's a combination of factors, including a closed environment (academia), ignorance (such as Mr. Hands)

Some facts:
The career (>6 years) active duty enlisted member is twice as likely to have a degree than the average worker.
The career (>6 years) active duty officer is likely (>50%) to have an advanced degree from a real institution (e.g., CalTech, MIT)
Veteran CEO's stay longer at companies, and wind up posting higher profits.

The facts don't support the intellectual snobs.

Answer 8

because educated "elites" only respect your education as long as it follows their doctrine...if you believe anything different...you are not important to them because you can't help their doctrine...you know like Muslim terrorist who have their doctrine and Muslims who are moderate are not important and the terrorist condemn those who do not help their cause...it seems that many western cultures are being brainwashed by media and the law is being twisted into unimaginable deform from mainly the secular progressive or liberal side...they shove PC on you if you don't conform to what they call right and wrong...if you disagree you are just unenlightened and unimportant...it is scary to see how Islamic extremists and liberals/SP are so similar in psychology and tactics on those who disagree...it seems pre WW2 era is returning and no one can see it happening...like Europe denied it before until it was almost too late...

Answer 9

there are "elites" who join and son/daughters of "elites" who join. Don't lump all elites together, it is just like us normal serfs, some are for and some are against and it usually runs along party lines not social class as far as attitude towards those who join.

Answer 10

Mr Hand, You are a dumb a$$. Whom do you think all the officers are in the military. They all have a Bachelors Degree. What about our military Academies, Air Force Academy, West Point, Oh yes, those are all full of dumb a$$. Get real meat head!