this post was submitted on 24 Mar 2024
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Memes

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[–] irish_link@lemmy.world 41 points 7 months ago (5 children)

I disagree. Most Americans know we are the fire nation/empire from Star Wars.

Well at least most people I know.

[–] altima_neo@lemmy.zip 44 points 7 months ago (2 children)

You forgot the important part

"And they're proud of it"

It's crazy how military families are so into being in the military, out how proud they are of being Marines, etc. They're literally doing the governments dirty work.

[–] Harbinger01173430@lemmy.world 10 points 7 months ago (2 children)

The question is: why would they be proud of being marines?

I mean, marines are the cannon fodder in every alien invasion movie, so, with that knowledge, that military branch is composed of useless moving targets.

[–] conditional_soup@lemm.ee 12 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Propaganda. Lots and lots and lots of propaganda.

[–] Harbinger01173430@lemmy.world 3 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Propaganda about being the first line to get sacrificed in every alien invasion? Lol

[–] conditional_soup@lemm.ee 8 points 7 months ago (1 children)

I don't know if you've lived in rural America, but I have, and the fast track to quasi-celebrity status out there is to join the Marines or get KIAd. Americans have been heavily propagandized about making the great and noble sacrifice to "defend the country".

[–] Harbinger01173430@lemmy.world 2 points 7 months ago (1 children)
[–] conditional_soup@lemm.ee 3 points 7 months ago

Yeah, the US, particularly rural US, has been propagandized an absolutely ridiculous amount. Being seen to sacrifice or die for the empire is seen as a glorious thing both in and for your community.

[–] whotookkarl@lemmy.world 4 points 7 months ago

Self sacrifice for family/church/country is a big part of their hero's journey narrative.

[–] irish_link@lemmy.world 2 points 7 months ago
[–] tatterdemalion@programming.dev 2 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (1 children)

I thought the Empire in Star Wars was supposed to be Third Reich Germany. They literally both have "stormtroopers."

[–] irish_link@lemmy.world 1 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Originally i would agree but i am referencing how things are today as that’s what the meme is referencing.

If you asked Americans today if they are the rebels or the empire the folks I know concede that we are the empire. We are the ones going into other peoples home towns with military occupation.

[–] tatterdemalion@programming.dev 2 points 7 months ago

Fair. I was mostly thinking about it from the perspective of what the writers had intended at the time.

[–] Zehzin@lemmy.world 1 points 7 months ago

Most people you know seem a lot more aware than the average American in my experience

[–] Bytemeister@lemmy.world -1 points 7 months ago (1 children)

I think we're more like the Alliance from Firefly.

Most people are just trying to go about their day-to-day, and the war and major imperialism was done a long time ago. Now there are a few in the government who keep doing evil shit, but for the most part it's a big useless bureaucracy.

[–] OurToothbrush@lemmy.ml 10 points 7 months ago (1 children)

the war and major imperialism was done a long time ago.

This is literally a myth that papers over their current warmongering and imperialism

[–] metaldream@sopuli.xyz 1 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

That people don't know about because it isn't covered in the media unless you actively look for that info. So it might as well have happened a long time ago