Reply #40: Part of military indoctrination is "approval addiction." [View All]

It is myopic in the extreme for anyone to fail to recognize how wildly adaptable they are to such indoctrination. Virtually everyone is susceptible to the kind of indoctrination that would yield these behaviors!

Consider the average person in the military. Subordinate one's self to people with emblems on their clothing - wanting to wear the same emblems. Civilian equivalent? Kill people for their logo'd clothing.

Every time a person feels "proud" to receive some ridiculous 'award' from a SUPERIOR, that "superior's" power over others is enhanced.

There's is no greater "peer pressure" than being in a combat zone and fearful that your peers won't be there when you come under attack. People in a war zone don't fight for "the flag." They don't fight for "mother-pie and apple-hood." They fight for their buddies. Combat is a very "here and now" experience. Compliance and conformity equate to survival and the way you comply and conform is "getting with the program."

These people were happy to do these things because it meant an enhanced chance of survival. They sought approval -- and got it in spades when it was good enough to be photographed!

What do we photograph? Events we're proud of!