Do you feel that you fit into society now?

SPC Margaret Higgins — Fri, 09 Oct 2015 12:31:09 -0400

Response by SCPO David Lockwood made Oct 9 at 2015 12:36 PM

SCPO David Lockwood — Fri, 09 Oct 2015 12:36:33 -0400

Yeah I never felt like I didn't.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 9 at 2015 12:44 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 09 Oct 2015 12:44:58 -0400

This can be a rather subjective question. Society nowadays can be subjective based on your point of view. Same as fitting in. Considering the fact that I wanted to join the Military and did so when I was a youngling, I have (since the age of 17 when I joined) not properly ever fit into civilian society. Our training, our experiences, our travels, pretty much ensure that we never truly fit into society. We adapt as best we can, but never truly fit anymore.

Response by 1stSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 9 at 2015 12:47 PM

1stSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 09 Oct 2015 12:47:21 -0400

I think I have always fit in.

Response by SSG Warren Swan made Oct 9 at 2015 1:16 PM

SSG Warren Swan — Fri, 09 Oct 2015 13:16:25 -0400

No. The military takes you in, breaks you down, and builds you back into the "mold" they want you to be. As you continue your time in service, that "old you" normally fades away and you become more and more in tune with your branch. And as those years go on, what you're old friends knew you as is no longer there. And now once you hang up the uniform for the "last" time, the "you" from the military is who you are now, but you're expected to assimilate back into the borg. Resistance is futile; well I'm still fighting assimilation. I am in "society" but not really a part of it. My personal part of "society" I find myself getting along with without any real problems are my "people". Those that wore the green, and understand our struggles. Long days, phone calls in the middle of the nights, PSG's banging on doors to clean up common areas or other crappy details. These are the people I miss the bad with the good.

Response by Sgt David G Duchesneau made Oct 9 at 2015 1:37 PM

Sgt David G Duchesneau — Fri, 09 Oct 2015 13:37:49 -0400

Because of my life experiences, more than ever!

Response by Capt Jeff S. made Oct 12 at 2015 2:51 PM

Capt Jeff S. — Mon, 12 Oct 2015 14:51:05 -0400

Will never be a complete fit because I have different expectations of society. I believe that leadership traits like courage (both moral and physical), integrity, loyalty (to the Constitution and country for which it stands), judgment, justice, etc. are IMPORTANT and that the character of those we elect matters!

The public by and large does not see it that way. They believe that all politicians lie and so they tolerate being lied to repeatedly by those they elect. The only criteria they apply to leaders is, "Am I personally going to do better voting for this candidate or that one?" The public in general doesn't think ahead and consider the consequence of their voting. Don't believe me? As if it was bad enough voting for an UNVETTED candidate that promised the moon and didn't deliver, they didn't hold him accountable for the scandals and corruption that defined his first term and even re-elected him when he had no record of success to run on; the public chose him over a guy with a track record of success turning failing companies around in the Private Sector?!!

There is a growing chasm between voters and this country has become more polarized and divided than I can remember... and I grew up in the 60's and witnessed the race riots we had back then. Even then people didn't hate each other as they do now and they damn sure didn't go shooting up police pumping gas at the gas station or eating lunch in their squad cars. This country has lost respect for the gov't it elected. I feel no connection to the losers that are so freakin' brain dead that they would voluntarily give up their guns for empty promises of security from a government that wastes their money and lies to them. It's hard for me to relate to that. How one can hate their Constitutional Republic and call for Socialism is beyond me.

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Response by AA Joseph Moody made Aug 22 at 2016 8:17 PM

AA Joseph Moody — Mon, 22 Aug 2016 20:17:09 -0400

First, not fitting into society can be as much due to the society as it is due to the individual, and normally it is a little of both. Just keep in mind that if you ever find yourself not fitting in that it is now time to sit down and consider why that is. And make sure you look at both yourself, what others say about yourself and the society you don't fit into.

I'm going to explain where I come from before I explain my views.

For me, and I don't intend to sound like that 14 year old edgelord, But I never fit in, If I was born a few years later I would have most likely gotten a psych diagnosis that would have prevented my enlistment but, that is not how it played out.
I came up in an LD program in school that quite frankly taught me more about self accountability and self reliance and how a system works then the military ever could (Not saying I did not learn about that when I was enlisted). Until highschool I was one of those students who was in a room to be forgotten. But I choose to get out of there and I did what I had to do to make that happen.

I did one enlistment in the Navy, it was a mistake in some regards but I learned many life lessons there, and truthfully I shudder to think at the person I could have been if I did not enlist, That was the first time in my life that I had to learn to work with someone and in a group in such a way that bonding was required. I also met some people I still think about today and I saw what happens to those who lack the ability to set a goal and work for it.
All other details aside it is a very simple to set a goal and work for it, you just make it the thing you do very day. Unfortunately excuses feel better to most people then work.

Later I did (doing) a decade of assisted living after my mother had a stroke and ended up learning quite a bit about that type of rehabilitation, and that was something I would never wish on anyone.
I went back to school and ended up back in federal service till I was released due to medical reasons.

I've learned that daily effort lends itself to results, I've learned that a little self loathing is not a bad thing and that shame is there to make you into a better person.

And after that I decided I was going to learn digital art.And now we are getting to my point.

And when I look out at this world (The Graphics Arts world especially), I see a vast majority of people who have never learned to choose what they are going to be. Their afraid of their own emotions and squander their time with feel good games that give them a virtual reward.

And you know what, it is quite frankly pathetic to watch and talk to someone who has these unrealized dreams they live in and thinks that that somehow makes them into the person they want to be. And it disgusts me when I talk to them. They will tell me their dreams and then they will tell me their excuses then they will compare their dreams to someone else's success. And it is one of the most revolting things I've ever had to see.
And worse yet, these people protect their excuses as if they were their children. They will do what ever they need to do make sure there is always a reason (that is not their fault of course) for their dreams to not come true.

I found this site because of an add, and joined because quite frankly one thing I missed about my enlistment and federal service was one thing, people working to a goal and overcoming any and all obstacles that got in their way. And quite frankly I missed talking to people who understood that hurt feelings was not the worst thing in the world.

I'm glad I don't fit into society, I may not be the person I want to be, but I would rather be me then most of the pathetic that I see.