Originally posted by Sue Hindmarsh:
Yes soldiers, firemen, police and other people who serve the community are much valued by society because they do the jobs that others aren't prepared to take on.
If it wasn't for these people, who find their greatest happiness in these sorts of high-danger jobs, we'd never have evolved the way we have.
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Sue
you obviously were not around after the vietnam war. the soldiers comeing home and even those who served in other areas were dispised and taunted. there were no parades then, no one showering them with the 'value' of their sacrifice.
you obviously have never served. few if any serve for the "greatest happiness in these sorts of high-danger jobs", mainly because its not the danger that makes them happy. I did not go to the military because i wanted glory. i went because of my sister, who could not even read the oil stick in her car, nor figure out how to take care of it. i went because of my brother, who great as i believed he was, could never live outside of a small farm town. i went because of a friend that wanted to be a rock singer. i went because of a cousin that wanted to be a teacher when she grew up. do you think these people would have had the choise to be what they wanted under communism, under a dictator, nor could hundreds of other people's sisters, cousins, brothers or friends. My father is a farmer. he choises what crops to plant. would he have that ability under many of the regimes that have announced they were going to rule us. Did these people know why i went, no. it was never mentioned. they did not know. many did not care, nor would they if i had told them. my wife went for simular reasons. Did she go for the glory. what glory? a 2 inch picture stuck between the weddings announcements and the obits? who but here family would even notice? many of here family did not even care to notice. there is no "happyness in the danger" of repairing cameras. there is no "happyness in the dangerous job" of repairing an aircraft. My wife died flying from one air field to another, something that could have happened in civilian life. there was no more danger than to be happy about than in civilian life. people do not volenteer for service out of happyness in dangerous professions. nor do they do it for glory. they do it to serve and protect those who cant protect themselves. If my brother had to, he would have jumped off the tractor and picked up a gun, but it was not something he choise to do. i chose to do so, so that he would not have to, so that others would not have to. most others that i know that made that choice did so for simular reasons. is this altrusism, ill leave that for others to decide. all i can tell you is i had to go and that this is why.
