Tuesday, June 27, 2017

America's Army: Proving Grounds ~ My Thoughts

What I'm about to share will no doubt stir up some raw emotions, and feelings. I'll probably catch flak for it, and possibly lose some of you, because of it. Regardless of that I'm going to push forward as I feel what I have to say is important. I will leave the comment section open to anyone who wishes to debate me in my beliefs, and will engage in civil conversation if the person/s in question asks me to do so. Let us begin ...

First, and foremost war is not glorious. It is not an event where you are guaranteed to go into the conflict as a nobody, and come out alive on the other end as a recognized hero/heroine with tons of bragging rights. You might get your badges of honor, and be remembered by those whose lives you've impacted, but beyond that you'll suffer the scars of PTSD, possible war injury, and a lack of proper care when back in the states. In saying this I'm not implying that we shouldn't stand up for those we care about, or not fight in a war when our country's future is at stake, but sometimes the motives behind war, and the recruitment of armies isn't as black & white as it seems. Sometimes people need to take a step back, and weigh the possible consequences of signing up for such a cause. It goes without saying that the reasoning behind the engagement should also be questioned. At the end of the day the army, navy, and air force is a country's defense against those who would cause said country, and it's civilian population harm. It should be viewed as such, and used as such. While it may be a necessity to have, and recruit an army that army should never, in a civil regard, be used to conquer other nations, especially when unprovoked or without proper motive. Nor should it be turned against those it's sworn to protect.

In this day, and age the puppet show that is playing out in politics is so deep seeded, and unclear to the average citizen that one would be unwise to not question exactly why it is they should go to war with another country. You need the facts otherwise you will be going into the fight blindly as an expendable resource or tool. The reason I'm bringing all of this up in such a roundabout way is that the latest free-to-play US army created game that is, "America's Army: Proving Grounds" seems to be a propaganda piece to make the prospect of engaging in warfare seem more inviting. Which it should not be. Video games are meant to be fun, and sometimes thought provoking. Not to an extent that it's sole purpose is recruitment, or bold persuasion from a particular organization. With games like this one though the fun factor and aim seems quite ill-placed as the game is basically a glamorized army recruitment tool for kids, and teens. In the game's store preview I saw nothing displaying the effects of PTSD, permanent injury, or the things that take place after the soldier's return home. Missing are all the bad things that come along with being a part of the army outside of death by the enemy, and that death, as with any military shooter seems to be of no consequence in-game due to the respawn system.

The younger kids are going to play this, and think of it as a fun video game while the older and more knowledgeable or impressionable teens may see it as a cool thing. Something that might be worth entertaining in the real world. Again, this is fine if the fight is for a good cause, and the people thinking on joining fully understand what they are getting into. However what I saw in the army advertisements included in the game's many loading screens was, as I said before, a glamorization of said service branch. This in itself is misleading. The added fact that the politics and politicians behind military control are currently rearing their ugly heads in the form of a self-sacrificing entity further warrants concern about the presence of the game in the gaming ecosystem. Even more concerning still is the fact that real American freedoms that were once fought for in wars of old are being taken away. Not only that, but government pushed diversity is dividing the populous, and the takeover from countries that do deserve to be opposed is being looked at as a non-issue by the same governments controlling the armies. If you aren't fighting for freedoms, peace in unity, and the preservation of the nation then why sacrifice your life in a war as a native civilian? Why join the army? What is it exactly that they are fighting for if it isn't freedom, unity, and preservation?

This is why I feel the game is out of place on the PlayStation 4 or any other gaming platform. It's nothing more than digital brainwashing, and propaganda for recruitment. You might think that's very un-American of me, but have you seen the state of this world, and what's going on in it? Have you really questioned the reason as to why your freedoms are being taken from you, and why certain groups within native nations are being demonized while the real enemies are being left alone to terrorize the population?

I will close in saying this ... Do not fight blindly for a cause that cannot be justified, or explained away beyond a shadow of a doubt. Doing so is a fool's errand. If you want to fight for anything fight for what we truly need. Fight for our freedoms. Fight for unity. Fight for our preservation, and our future.

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