Speaking as a vet, but only for myself, while I’m saddened that the nation I fought for has become so shallow. if I and my brothers bought this for the rest of you then it is acceptable as our memorial.
We get to be venal and shallow because rough men, a bit less lucky and/or wise than myself, died to secure us that privilege.
So shop, buy. consume; I do not think that the dead mind over much and I think that they prefer us to go about our sheltered lives over parades that hold little meaning for the living, much less our dead.
I think of shallowness as an unfortunate allowance rather than a privilege, and I do think that clearance sales at the mall are a shitty way to “remember” the sacrifice of those who have died. I also think that there are those living lives full of meaning, much beyond the banal patterns of our consumer culture, and that they are making much better use of the freedom that has been won and secured.
Don’t get me wrong; all of what you say has truth in it. It’s just that soldiers don’t go to war to improve the people or to force them to behave in certain manners. We went to war to secure them the liberty and security to make their own choices.
I may not like the choices that they make, but their making them is the best memorial.
Curious Heretic 
Speaking as a vet, but only for myself, while I’m saddened that the nation I fought for has become so shallow. if I and my brothers bought this for the rest of you then it is acceptable as our memorial.
We get to be venal and shallow because rough men, a bit less lucky and/or wise than myself, died to secure us that privilege.
So shop, buy. consume; I do not think that the dead mind over much and I think that they prefer us to go about our sheltered lives over parades that hold little meaning for the living, much less our dead.
I think of shallowness as an unfortunate allowance rather than a privilege, and I do think that clearance sales at the mall are a shitty way to “remember” the sacrifice of those who have died. I also think that there are those living lives full of meaning, much beyond the banal patterns of our consumer culture, and that they are making much better use of the freedom that has been won and secured.
Thanks for commenting.
Don’t get me wrong; all of what you say has truth in it. It’s just that soldiers don’t go to war to improve the people or to force them to behave in certain manners. We went to war to secure them the liberty and security to make their own choices.
I may not like the choices that they make, but their making them is the best memorial.
I see what you are saying. Makes sense.