The disconnect between ordinary citizens and our military seems to grow every day. It is a testament to how self-absorbed our culture has become that so few people probably even realize that right now, as we speak, Marines and fighting in a major offensive in Afganistan.
The reason for this disconnect is simple - people follow those things they deem most important to themselves. So, if I am not a member of the military or know anyone who is, the odds are high that I will not be too interested in the news coming out of Afghanistan.
Another way of looking at it is that reason these people don't follow such things is because they know in the back of the minds that unless they have the urge to join, they don't actually have to care at all. The conflict does not affect their day to day lives one bit.
Why is this? Because no one ever asks for their help. No one DEMANDS their contribution.
Instead, politicians pay lip service to being in the midst of two wars even though it is only the military that is at war. While the nation does nothing.
There are practical implications of this on our national policies and I will try to detail all the different ways this affects the country in an upcoming book. But there is one basic implications that is easy to identify and sum up - Moral.
That is, it seems to me to be completely immoral for 1% of the population to been entrusted with defending the remaining 99%. And all the while that vast majority does little to nothing to help their defenders.
This might be a rather stark view on my part but I think that opinion is just another piece of evidence of the further disconnect between those that fight and those that sit.
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