from green to black

el problema

In the dreary world of army that i live in, it was
once asked of me while i was reviewing the actions
of the platoon. why should we being mere riflemen,
conform to your exacting standards of discipline and
(esp) punctuality when in our unit it can clearly be
seen that our leaders, especially those in the HQ and
planning side who even though are ranked much
higher do not behave in the way they expect us to
behave? furthurmore we who are chronically
understaffed and subject to hard physical labour
and in contrast with them, are not even compensated
for our efforts. why then should we who are
shortchanged such not do the same?

For one i agree with their point that in any hierarchy,
especially one such as ours where the top brass are
in contact with us daily, their actions are used as the
benchmark of behavior. it is ingrained in our army
culture. the one with the greatest appointment is the
one to take the responsibility. hence his behavior
must be upheld at all times, because even when he
is off duty, his actions are never sacrosanct, more so
when simple tasks are not accomplished when he is
on duty in front of his subordinates. Hence when
asked by a senior commander of whether junior
commanders are less capable these days, one would
have to look within and be critical of ones own faults.
(which if i may interject is nearly impossible in this
face-saving culture)

This is not a situation localised at where i am at but
one that occurs across the army. talking to captains,
it is in their experience too that as OCs in company
level, they dislike working with the battalion HQ.
if such a pervasive problem is felt by all underneath,
isn't it compounded when the men observe this daily,
not matter how good an example one may set it is
quickly negated by these people with double standards.

It is fact that life is unfair, equality is rarely a realised
ideal. years of service and also perhaps suffering
at the hands of even more inept people has caused
these leaders to become the very things they hated.
along with self preservation, selfishness and self
interest our needs will be secondary to theirs.

But, if we are to pay them back their own coin. we
are then no better then what we abhor. and the
principal of psycological transference is put in
effect because while we consciously tell ourselves
what we hate, subconciously our fixation on the
behaviour reinforces what we become.

Although my second point will not support my
previous paragraph. It is more realistic to admit
that not all would be so character concious and
magnanimous to be convinced that my previous
point will suffice as the inspiration needed to
keep discipline. so i told them that they needed to
know the ropes, should they want to do the
same someday they should know every bit of it.
hence knowing it inside out through being subject
gives them the first hand knowledge and experience
to make their future less assailable by those
who will be in their shoes and unhappy with
their decisions.

Compliance is also safety. it puts us in a position
that is safe from the judgement of the law. as
we do not have the resources like those above
to get us out of trouble. those above will influence
their friends who are also the procecutors and
the judge to mitigate their wrongs. they are able
to pay their fines and they would still be able
to have a future under those friends. we would
have to wait till our comtemporaries attain such
positions before we can be ensured that we will
be supported.

But for whatever course of action you may choose.
Be that of the rebel or of the saint, your reputation
to undermine or to obey sticks with you. whichever
way you deal with your unhappiness, venting it on
others or imploding upon it yourself bear in mind
what you gain and what help it will do and which
innocent third parties you inadvertently hurt.

posted by green unseen @ 5:48 AM