Book Review: How U.S. Military Education Shapes American Masculinity
By
Nicholas Russell
Crisp on the outside, thoughtful on the inside. A keeper.
Summary
This article reviews Jasper Craven's book "God Forgives, Brothers Don't," which examines how U.S. military education and training programs shape American masculinity. The piece critiques the military-industrial complex's influence on young men, exploring how military academies and JROTC programs instill a particular brand of aggressive, obedient manhood tied to nationalism and imperial ambition. The author argues that the military system exploits vulnerable youth, particularly from disadvantaged backgrounds, and molds them into instruments of American empire while presenting this transformation as character-building.
Key quotes
· 3 pulledThe American military has always maintained a relatively strong grip on its public perception.
Its most essential message—internally and externally, during peace time and active conflict, under presidents Republican and Democratic—is the necessity of its sprawling, expensive, and secretive imperial apparatus as a means of defending the nation and the very concept of freedom.
It doesn't hurt that the media is often only too happy to play along.
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