> >There are more rational motivations. Have some imagination.
> >
> >1) You got drafted. [seems to happen 100% of the time to Israeli
> >citizens of the right age....]
> > 17th century England variant: You have been impressed [into the
> >army, not by someone with phenomenal charisma, appearance, or
> >ability.]
> >
> >2) You are about to starve to death from lack of a job, or suffer
> >equally
> >dismal career wipeout. Since the transmutation of the US into a
> >welfare
> >state, this is less of a motivation in the US.
>
> Massive consumer dept combined with water-treading jobs that offered no
> hope of escaping the debt cycle drove one intelligent and creative friend
> of mine into the Airforce.
Allow me to add a few more:
o A legitimate interest in things military. (An interest in
Virianism doesn't preclude an interest in things that make other
people `blow up real good.' In fact, it provides a darn good
justification ...)
o The knowledge that `If I don't, who will?' SOMEONE has to defend
the list-members from the encroachment of governments that might not
be as accepting of our mode of thought as the current barely-tolerant
one.
o One of my female acquaintances is going to join the Army to lose
weight and get innoculated with diciplinary meme-complexes as well as
have a decent career.