Ignorance is Bliss

Amazingly, there is this large notion that people join the military to escape the harsh realities of life.  The fact that it is a volunteer force, makes those that apply, volunteers of the lazy life.  My information was derived from the answers from the first discussion question of my sociology class last week; which was to describe a sociologist's view of why the American military does not represent the cross sections of Americans, from an article we read from New York Times.

The responses were incredible, and I soon realized that I was the only one in my class that had done any military service.  The article indicated that people from rural, inner cities, and low income families join the military, which creates an unfair volunteer force.  One reply was from someone who mentioned that people join the military because they want the benefits, and do not want to "try" working in the real world, because it's easier to have people tell you what to do (dumb b!tch).  Also, people of course mentioned recruiters who constantly lied, and how they did not want to become another number.  Flabbergasted, best describes how I felt, as I tried to respond to the harsh criticisms, in the best manner.

Recently, about a couple months ago, I attended a class for work.  As I was getting in my car preparing to leave one day, I looked up and became struck by the graves that were in front of me.  Chills rolled down my spine, and goose bumps prickled my skin.  There I was, parked in front of Arlington Cemetery.  Graves perfectly lined, immortalizing the fallen in stone.  People who volunteered their life for our country, laid to rest amongst comrades.  

At that time and now, I wonder if anyone who calls this place home realizes what was fought, to get us to where we are today?  Despite your ethnicity, religion, or political view, we all are parts of situations and reasons that shape the land we live in.  We're all interconnected, and I find it appalling when people can take the largest organization, and call the people that volunteer for it with their lives, lazy.  Not only that, but how can you judge people who decides to live their life a certain way, not offending anyone?  

Life isn't something you can skip through with hidden codes behind magical doors.  Children aren't raised with programmable warranty cards, and food isn't obtained through meal tablets.  All we know, is that we are born with a purpose unbeknownst to us from the start.  However, as some go through life with discontent, irrational and judgmental thinking creates a hierarchical sense of self.  We all are in our own version of the game of life, and the two things for certain everyone will experience, is the starting line at birth and the end at death.  With the challenges in between, why waste so much energy by judging others, and their way of life?