Why do people who never served in the military say they know what best for it?

Question

Re Asking this question from earlier. Serious question here. I read many of these questions and comments daily that blast the military are regurgitating ideology about what we should and should not do. Yet hardly any of the ones speaking like this has the courage or seems the intelligence to join the military. So why is it that so many who know so little about what it is like to be a service member claim to know what is best for those who truly serve. "It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt." --Mark Twain.

Alright, I am not talking about politicians here. I am speaking about the overly vocal public.

Taco, good analogy and point well taken. Thank you.

Answer 1

J. I don't know if there is really a correct answer to your question. i think that it is all up to individual interpretation. However, I will give a stab at it.

Almost 100 years ago our relatives lived in a time when World War was a new concept. Family members were left to imagination, letters and later radio to describe war. This left only those who had been with the actual knowledge of what goes on. Today, with the internet on every corner and news media in every humvee, we don't have to imagine war. We have a hard time getting away from it. I grew up with the father, grand father, uncles, etc. in the military. I unfortunately was unable to join due to back and neck problems. I did however spend a year in Iraq as a civilian working for the DOA (Department of the Army). I learned one thing, if nothing else. War and military is only understood by those who have been there. Decisions that will have eternal implications are made in split seconds by "kids." I believe that because people see the military on TV all the time and see video and pictures of Iraq they think they know what is going on. But I can tell you they don't, not even close.

So in closing, I think the answer to your question is TV. Movies, video games and the news have trivialized war and the military. Civilians watch Jack Nicholson yell, "You can't handle the truth!" at Tom Cruise, on their couch in the air condition with a coke, and think they are now military experts. The solution? Leave the cameras in Hollywood and leave war to the soldiers.

Answer 2

Let me state, first, that I am not necessarily saying that people who never served in the military know what is best for it! BUT... your basic argument is faulty. I'll give you an example. Let's say you have a friend, and she is dating a guy that treats her like crap, beats her, threatens her, makes her feel sorry for herself to the point of losing all self esteem, and she tells you that she wants to marry him and would do anything for him. Who understands the situation better and can make the best decision about what she should do. Her? Or you? Well, it really depends, doesn't it?

The person on the inside does NOT always know what is best. If they did, then the basis of our government would be completely busted. What do Congressmen, Senators, or even the President really know about economics, war, education, law, the environment, etc. etc? Some of them are experts on a few things, but none of them are experts on everything. But they all have a say, and they all have a vote. And how many people vote in our country and do not know a thing about politics? Hmm...

And that Mark Twain quote is easily turned back on anyone who uses it, too, isn't it?

But don't take this the wrong way. You are completely right that there are still a lot of people out there throwing around opinions on stuff they know little or nothing about. No doubt.

Answer 3

A person doesn't have to actually serve in a war or the military to know what war does to humanity. We who have comforted our loved ones nightmares, ( after they finally come home from war) help those forever wounded spiritually from the horror these soldiers are forced to witness. Buddies are blown up, babies murdered, women raped and the total misery of the civilians that endure this horror daily doesn't have to be seen to be comprehended. All a person needs to know is, this world is forever getting smaller and we MUST LEARN TO "ALL GET ALONG", OR WE ALL ARE DOOMED AS A PEOPLE TO WARS AND DEATH. Wars are almost always begun by people involved in Religion of some way, and differences, like BinLadin and his group of very young, very ignorant (as in hopelessly uneducated) people who are bribed with money to go blow them selves up for their family, and so they do. A SANE person would not do this, it shows how many insane people exist in the world of old religions that isolate and cripple humanity with their religion and ignorance. They ruin the spirit of men and women in their countries..Do you assume they'd still be that way if they knew better? Of course not.. How this relates to war and your question, Humanity can be educated about life and war and religion and not have to spend a day in battle to know it ruins humanity and accomplishes nothing but death and ruin. He with the biggest bomb wins, if you call that winning. Wars are still fought because we have an idiot in the white house...a man with common sense and decency wouldn't be murdering our soldiers over oil and reconstruction profits for his corp buddies.

Answer 4

To follow that logic out, we should all stop posting on this board since it's about politics and the majority of us have not held public office. If you don't like the opinions you see, post some concrete facts to back your argument. But saying, "You can't talk. You're not in the club" is not going to fly here.

Answer 5

I don't think it's necessary to serve in the military to understand the implications of it's actions. Most of our policy makers, decision makers haven't served in the military. In fact, our "commander in chief" has very little active or recent personal experience to rely on.

Answer 6

I would like to know this too. It seems to me that many people find it extremely easy to watch the news and automaticly form an unfairly biased opinion on something thet know nothing about.

Answer 7

I'll answe that with a Question,why do we need football coachs,you can see a lot more on the sidelines than you can on the field.

Answer 8

Do you think that Bush knows what's best for the military, even though he never served? (Sorry, but the Air National Guard doesn't count!)

Answer 9

Jason, with that logic most women should have no say... those who are ineligible should have no say...and we might as well turn our government over to the military.

Answer 10

lol LOve the Twain quote
we need to appreciate our men...combat is dangerous!