Young mens disregard for their own life or safety

[Pessimistic]

I was one one once. Well known as risk takers, your brain chemistry just blocks out the finality of death or permanent incapacity.

whether its driving, extreme sports or the strange attractions of martyrdom.

sometimes you just harm yourself and family, sometimes its another family, sometimes its lots of families.

I don't want to hark on the martyrdom for fear a discussion which has its own merits just gets glibly shunted into terrorism files or the god question

its nothing new either. the French foreign legion, the Spanish civil war. young guys thinking one act will do more for "humankind" then staying alive and actually improving actual peoples lives in real ways.

I guess the difference is the risk taking driver or extreme sports guy hasn't thought at length about the purpose, they just do it for he fun and the buzz, they don't intend to die.

the martyr has done this. they are often form priviliged backgrounds so its not despair through lack of opportunity.
but to me the decision is flawed, but the mental block on the reality of death or permanent injury.

Personally, I suspect they feel personal worthlessness, which isn't unique, but also feel the need to do something about it. Also the thought of being known for 'posterity' may have attractions. even though they don't actually live to witness it

 

[Pessimistic]

I'm also fascinated that young Jake claims his attitude was turned around 180 degrees by internet discussions. I've never ever seen anyone move even 1 degree in bigfooty forums

 

[skilts]

I was one one once. Well known as risk takers, your brain chemistry just blocks out the finality of death or permanent incapacity.

whether its driving, extreme sports or the strange attractions of martyrdom.

sometimes you just harm yourself and family, sometimes its another family, sometimes its lots of families.

I don't want to hark on the martyrdom for fear a discussion which has its own merits just gets glibly shunted into terrorism files or the god question

its nothing new either. the French foreign legion, the Spanish civil war. young guys thinking one act will do more for "humankind" then staying alive and actually improving actual peoples lives in real ways.

I guess the difference is the risk taking driver or extreme sports guy hasn't thought at length about the purpose, they just do it for he fun and the buzz, they don't intend to die.

the martyr has done this. they are often form priviliged backgrounds so its not despair through lack of opportunity.
but to me the decision is flawed, but the mental block on the reality of death or permanent injury.

Personally, I suspect they feel personal worthlessness, which isn't unique, but also feel the need to do something about it. Also the thought of being known for 'posterity' may have attractions. even though they don't actually live to witness it

You have just elucidated the rationale given by so many young Australians for joining the carnage of WWI. As you say, nothing new.

 

[Pessimistic]

Or the viking philosophy. People ( who seem to live long lives themselves) use this to become very powerful.

In viking times or biblical time people didnt live much longer than a few decades and had horrible peacetime deaths wih no concept of medical care. Dying a viking hero or indeed the alleged jesus dying for the sake of mankind wouldnt have been that big a deal.

I didnt read that young Jake had a concept of an afterlife as a motivator. Just that his one act would help save australai and the world from western corruption.

 

[Illinois Nazi]

For someone who didnt want to hark on the martyrdom, you certainly seem to be harking a lot on martyrdom.

 

[skilts]

Or the viking philosophy. People ( who seem to live long lives themselves) use this to become very powerful.

In viking times or biblical time people didnt live much longer than a few decades and had horrible peacetime deaths wih no concept of medical care. Dying a viking hero or indeed the alleged jesus dying for the sake of mankind wouldnt have been that big a deal.

I didnt read that young Jake had a concept of an afterlife as a motivator. Just that his one act would help save australai and the world from western corruption.

It would seem that the greatest skill such people have is in begging the question.

 

[Mofra]

I'm also fascinated that young Jake claims his attitude was turned around 180 degrees by internet discussions. I've never ever seen anyone move even 1 degree in bigfooty forums

Minds can change.
I was once against the GFC stimulus package until I studied it.
Of course, the BF SRP board is a little more tribal than most but there are many people who question things with an open mind and are willing to learn.

 

[little graham]

I'm also fascinated that young Jake claims his attitude was turned around 180 degrees by internet discussions. I've never ever seen anyone move even 1 degree in bigfooty forums

Jihad Jakes journey is a well scripted campaign to stop people going and fighting dirty wars for the CIA. I have disagreements with the tactics taken by Obama in dismantling everything built by Bush, but I have no disagreements with the policy.

The white elephant in the room is all those who fought those wars by the entering threw the front door. I see a few of them on social media sites spreading hate towards middle east and Islam.

 

[Gough]

One approach to the problem of radicalisation I have seen suggested is to view part of it as an adolescent health issue. It's young people going out there, and I think it would be fair to say that your late teens can be an uncomfortable time when you begin to question a lot of what up until then had been lore, leaving you vulnerable to influence. I note too, that Muslim leaders have been crying out for government funding assistance in deradicalisation programs which doesn't seem to be immediately forthcoming.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-01-...-delay-for-de-radicalisation-programs/6020824
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/in-...s-funds-sit-idle/story-fnpdbcmu-1227186492706
You'd think that trying to stop the problem at a community based level is so much easier, albeit a lot less butch, and potentially a lot cheaper than sending soldiers over to the Middle East, which in itself further inflames the discontent.

 

[Pessimistic]

For someone who didnt want to hark on the martyrdom, you certainly seem to be harking a lot on martyrdom.

Its a big part of the discussion but ifyou frame it too muchi those terms,lazymods merge?into the terrorism files.

Made me vryangry acually

 

[Dan Moody]

I'm also fascinated that young Jake claims his attitude was turned around 180 degrees by internet discussions. I've never ever seen anyone move even 1 degree in bigfooty forums

Black Flag was a turncoat, pretty sure it happened because of BF

 

[Gus Poyet]

Martyrdom is overated. From my experiences it's not the dead who sought it, it was the living who created it.

None of the people I knew involved in The Troubles in NI were looking to become martyrs, they all wanted to keep a very low profile, survive and be able to carry on the fight for as long as possible.

 

[alexkidd16]

I wonder if Jake posted on big footy

 

[Present Not Past]

In all of the books and articles I have read on men in war, the over-riding statement from all of the survivors is that they were always prepared to risk their lives for thier mates and comrades. The thought that they should do so for their religion or their country was never even contemplated.

 

[Pessimistic]

If you didnt have that attitude, you became a social outcast, so the choice was heavily weighted

 

[Gus Poyet]

In all of the books and articles I have read on men in war, the over-riding statement from all of the survivors is that they were always prepared to risk their lives for thier mates and comrades. The thought that they should do so for their religion or their country was never even contemplated.

Australian men? Or men in particular?

 

[Present Not Past]

Australian men? Or men in particular?

It seemed to be universal.

 

[Gus Poyet]

It seemed to be universal.

Well plenty of young men have fought for their country over the centuries. In fact, a hell of a lot.

 

[Present Not Past]

Well plenty of young men have fought for their country over the centuries. In fact, a hell of a lot.

The books I refrerred to were about men fighting in wars during the last 100 years as they were still alive to contribute their stories and their testaments to the authors. Beyond that, most of the personal stories of men fighting in wars simply went to their graves with them.