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repo_code t1_j7gdvgy wrote

Reply to comment by singbowl1 in The fast battleship USS Massachusetts at rest as a museum ship [1290 x 1304] by liltunny

Me too. Oh to be young and subject to mild childhood pro-military propaganda again.

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vtjohnhurt t1_j7gfi26 wrote

Looking back on my boy scout days, I realize that in a different place and time, I would have been a stand-out in Hitler Youth. Since then I've outgrown my fascist tendencies, but the appeal of fascism is a clear developmental phase for many boys. Fascism spoke to my pubescent derangement.

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bjanas t1_j7giez8 wrote

You caught at least one downvote for this (not from me) but there's absolutely truth to what you said. I really enjoyed my Boy Scout days but in a slightly alternate timeline they would definitely have been some kind of youth corps.

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onomonothwip t1_j7gwpob wrote

You guys took some really, really - REALLY weird shit away from Boyscouts, or were in a really, really - REALLY shitty troop.

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bjanas t1_j7gzipk wrote

I'm not dumping on the scouts, I think you're whooshing here.

In a different environment, a quasi militaristic group for children like that, with ranks and camaraderie and such, would absolutely be a utilized and weaponized by bad actors.

I had a good experience in the scouts. Would do again. But if you can't recognize what we're talking about here I'd read a couple of history books. No hate on the scouts.

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onomonothwip t1_j7h3jjb wrote

Ah yeah, history, good point. Because Nazi's existed, all organizations are precursors to Hitler Youth. Thanks for pointing me to all that subtle nuance, bud.

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Youth organizations go back at least to the Greek times, Historian.

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bjanas t1_j7h3y38 wrote

...still kind of missing the point. Yeah, there have always been youth organizations. And they've often been used as politicized youth corps/policing/etc by groups over the years.

Nobody's calling the Boy Scouts Hitler Youth. Because it's just an entirely different environment. If you can't wrap your head around the idea that a fascist state or other authoritarian regime in power would ABSOLUTELY utilize a group like that in a similar way, that's fine.

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onomonothwip t1_j7h5m41 wrote

I don't know why you are suggesting that I 'can't wrap my head around it' - especially when I pointed out the specific historical example you were dancing around. Of course I 'get' it, but I think it's a pointless thing to bring up.

I also find it stupid to specify 'fascism' when we're really talking about extremism, which has historically taken root in countless different corners and pockets of marginalized society.

I dunno, boy scouts had a ton of issues, and I always despised the broader organization, but other than kids in uniforms being taught discipline and pride as positive concepts (How dare they!), there's simply no deeper or meaningful connection.

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bjanas t1_j7h680x wrote

Ok, on the F word, you brought up the Nazis, so sorry if that feels like a stretch. And I went out of my way to say "or other authoritarian regime in power"; you're unfairly characterizing what I said as only including fascism.

All this conversation started from was a couple of people saying "you know, being in the Boy Scouts I can understand the appeal of those types of youth groups" and you rolled in to basically say "nuh uh, the boy scounts aren't the Hitler Youth!"

You're not refuting our point, you're just going out of your way to defend the Boy Scouts when they're not even being attacked.

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