Study Finds That Calling Veterans 'Heroes' is Basically Condemning Them to Heroically Lousy-Paying Jobs
Scott Olson. Getty Images.If you needed any more proof that the last few years have turned our culture inside-out, upside-down, and backwards - and if you do, you might want to start paying attention - consider this:
Source - The long-standing belief that military veterans should be designated 'heroes' may pigeonhole them into less lucrative jobs, a study suggests.
Research led by Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, found in a study of 6,500 people that many veterans feel they need to take lower-paying jobs that are considered 'selfless' because of their service.
Military veterans often have lower employment rates and earn less than their peers who never served - despite being widely seen positively by society. These positive feelings towards them could be inadvertently harming them, though.
The lower pay has significantly harmed veterans, with a recent report finding more than one-in-four struggle to feed their families.
Dr Matthew Stanley, a neuroscience and psychology researcher at Duke University said: 'We know that veterans face issues with unemployment and underemployment, but we also know that the public holds overwhelmingly positive views of veterans as a group. The public's views of veterans are so positive that the entire group is often given the hero label.'
Not to get too caught up in the weeds of how the study was conducted (it's all there in the link) but the respondents to the study were all given the story of a fictional guy who went into the military and studied IT, and is now transitioning to civilian life. Half were told he signed up specifically for the skills training, the other half because he wanted to serve his country. And in overwhelming numbers, the first group believed he should go get a job with Goldman Sachs, and the latter said he go work for Habitat for Humanity or something like it. As if the idea of having a sense of duty is antithetical to wanting to make giant stacks of cash for yourself.
Holy moly. How badly have we screwed this up if we're making a distinction between being selfless, self-sacrificing and "heroic," and wanting to earn a nice living? I respect that we're talking about a theoretical guy that doesn't exist. But just the assumption that once you're a volunteer, you're always a volunteer is so warped and twisted as to defy explanation.
And based on other aspects of the study, it's not limited to just the military. But also nurses, first responders, fundraisers, and school teachers, among others, because we associate those jobs with being unselfish. Like selfishness is a bad thing when you've got bills to pay? I guess? So we can slap the label "Hero" on someone when it suits a purpose. Even though it isn't redeemable at the register when they've got a cart full of groceries and eggs cost more than the jewelry they're wearing.
Meanwhile, no one makes any kind of presumption about the "selfish" careers the study mentions. Such "as real estate agents, bill collectors, private bankers, insurance agents, and private wealth advisors" and the like. And I'll add influencers, YouTubers, professional gamers, and no-account assholes who spent their post-high school years sitting around drinking with their good-for-nothing friends and grew up to write for wiseassy sports/comedy sites. No one has high expectations that they're going to make financial sacrifices their whole lives in the name of some greater good.
So I guess the lesson here for veterans - and the other "selfless" occupations is don't get sucked into societal pressure. Do whatever you want. If that's taking a pay cut to make the world a better place? By all means. You do you. We could use more of your kind. But if it's about getting filthy stinking rich, have at it. It doesn't make you one iota less of a hero. That is stamped on your permanent record by virtue of what you've already done. If anything, we have to be better of making it so you can land whatever job you want and you're qualified for. If anyone deserves a leg up, it's the ones who went through boot camp and got shipped to hellholes all over the globe while the rest of us were going to college parties.
The lesson for us non-veterans? I guess it's to make sure we're not always expecting the people who've already given to keep on giving forever. To expect it from ourselves and the rest of the greedy jackasses around us. And to hold the people we elect to pass laws accountable. To force them to make it so those who have served can pay their bills. Or else we'll never unfuck this culture we've screwed up so badly. As the old post-WWII song put it:
Once in khaki suitsGee, we looked swellFull of that Yankee Doodle De DumHalf a million boots went slogging through hellI was the kid with the drumSay don't you remember, they called me AlIt was Al all the timeSay don't you remember, I'm your pal!Brother can you spare a dime?
So thanks to our vets once again. Here's hoping you make a fortune doing whatever you choose. God bless.