I was recently surprised to discover that in the U.S., men are required by law to register for the “selective service system”.
Only men. I thought women were allowed in their military now.
And required. I didn’t think they had ‘the draft’ anymore.
When I expressed my surprise, hoping to engage someone in conversation, the guy in line behind me (I was in a U.S. post office, where the brochures reminding men of their duty were prominently displayed) said he agreed that it should be mandatory to serve for two years: it makes ‘em ‘grow up’.
Hm. How does teaching someone how to kill make a person grow up? That is, what’s mature about learning how to kill? What’s mature about actually killing?
Of course, being in the military is not just about killing. Arguably. But what’s mature about not being pressured to conform, to obey orders?
Sure, the forced routine, of physical exercise and psychological effort, might become a habit. And that’s a good thing. A grown-up thing. But there are other, far better, ways to achieve that same result.
And sure, the presumed altruism—you’re serving their country, life’s not all about you—is good, mature. But again, is killing someone for others really the best example of altruism we can put before young men? Young men who need to grow up?
It seems to me the selective service system is a bad way to fix a bunch of other bad ways.
The question we have to ask is how do boys get to eighteen without growing up?
