I’ve gotten into the habit of closing these with a question, so my question to you is this: If you did have to do two years of community or military service to earn the right to vote, would you do it, and what kind of service do you think you would do? What that has looked like for me in the past is walking and talking. How the social scientists of the 21st Century brought our world to the brink of chaos. Starship Troopers (Book) : Heinlein, Robert A. Also, would we be able to determine the service we provide? I find that as the years go by, I regret that more and more.” And a civilian can only become a citizen if they join military service. I got two reactions. But I continue to vote now, without having made that choice. - Jean Rasczak: No. Starship Troopers is one of Robert Heinlein's most famous books, and one of the most famously controversial in SF. space opera Something given has no value. :-/, As for the voting and office-holding, the obvious argument against restricting the franchise to veterans of government service, especially military service, is that there’s nothing intrinsic about such service that makes a person particularly likely to be competent at government, especially the government of a civilian population that aspires to be democratic and “free,” however you define freedom. Resources for Writers (February 2014 edition), Review: Write Publish Repeat, by Sean Platt and Johnny B. Truant. The supreme authority from which all other authorities are derived. Something the federation gives you for doing federal service. LANNY: It's a reward... what the Federation gives you for doing Federal Service. If you are not a member of the communities I have affected or you are but haven’t been paying attention then you might not know this. 4) Even the military portion of the Service has odd features. I had hoped that instead of arguing against the likely results of such a system (again, the Nazi or militarism arguments) they would offer an argument for the right to vote for those unwilling to give up two years for some level of community service, that those voters deserved the right to vote or that they offered a unique and valuable voice that would not come from those who had already served. Instead, I prefer to do my “dance” in front of those that do vote and hope they are paying attention. So, it’s always good to have people around that will stand up and say, “Hey! The movie also varied from the book in enough other ways that I don’t consider it to be a valid representation of Heinlein’s original argument on restricting the franchise to those who have already served. Bad idea. Easily move forward or … Paul Verhoeven’s Starship Troopers turned 19 yesterday. . I feel Heinlein didn’t think through this and assumed that serving is a good differentiator between those who are serious about their citizenship and those who aren’t. I have made mistakes and bad decisions along the way but overall, a lot has been gained. - Student: It's a reward. . Something given has no value. And force, my friends, is violence. ", Rasczak: "Correct. World of Warcraft review As well, know which legs you stand on. When you vote, you are exercising political authority. It is not unlike parenting. ships of my fathers But eventually, someone turned to me and said, “You’ve been pretty quiet. The 1997 movie of the same name was perhaps the greatest critique along those lines as it showed the Terran leaders as being active-duty military officers wearing remarkably Nazi-like uniforms. writing This usually means joining the military, and soldiers are in high-demand given the … I wouldn’t do community service to earn the right to vote if it didn’t resonate with who I was. Something the federation gives you for doing federal service. Student: "It's a reward. When you vote, you're exercising political … Robert A. Heinlein's Starship Troopers has finally made it in ebook form to the kindle, i've been waiting for this for a while and having never read it before I can happily say it was worth the wait and I can see why to many it is a classic. ", Dizzy: "My mother always told me that violence doesn't solve anything. However, in this world, I have never done so. Seems like the only reason the Terran Federation isn't a full on military junta is that that would require something interesting happening in Starship Troopers. In fact, I don’t vote in the U.S. (In my family matters, I do vote). Hiroshima was destroyed. Aside from rule, though, citizens are not an elite class. Debts of My Fathers Something given has no value. Jean Rasczak : No. Something given has no value. And force my friends is violence. I too strongly considered military service in my younger years, and have some regret that I did not take that path when it was an option to me. Many wealthy families do not need to become Citizens as they are able to pay for many things that the … blog Only after retiring from federal service could you vote or hold public office. But, the book makes clear that the state seeks to improve the state through a strong citizenry; those individuals who, through Federal Service, have shown that they are willing to put the interests of others ahead of their own. Lawyers, businessmen and entertainers cannot. time travel That’s wonderful. WorldCon Respect for authority and deference to the common good had demonstrated results to a battered nation still scarred by the Great Depression, and Robert A. Heinlein’s book depicts a world much like that of 1950s America – prosperous, united, and not so … This research supports Teresa May’s statement in support of the Brexit vote that “if you believe you are a citizen of the world, you are a citizen of nowhere.” Of course, if one concludes that open democracy is a failed experiment, even within a constitutional, republican, rule-of-law context, then it might make sense to look for other ways to manage our tribal, hierarchy-making tendencies. When you vote, you are exercising political authority, you're using force. Starship Troopers (1997) - Yarn is the best way to find video clips by quote. deezelboy November 14, 2013 At 6:44 am ‘…anyone can make fascists look bad, they did it with Hogan’s Heroes in the 60s…’ Wasn’t the point of Starship Troopers to make fascism look good, albeit ironically, though? Today will be the first election it can vote in. So in the middle of reading the Starship Troopers book and loving it. My dad built things for our neighborhood, he took care of the “honey-dos” for an elderly neighbor; my mom volunteered all the time, from school events to being a docent at a local museum. I enjoy role-modeling when I can and communicating with people face to face. I can see how it is for others though. So, while having the right to vote in the U.S. has never been that important to me, I will do community service always as it is a big part of who I am. “- Jean Rasczak: Why are only citizens allowed to vote? I have Take Back Your Government and Tramp Royale if you’d ever like to borrow them. Voting in the U.S. is not a useful tool for handling my personal inner paradox generator. Let the soldiers decide on what to do with Iraq and Afghanistan!! And force my friends is violence. … Individualist: This seems odd, considering the common association of Starship Troopers with fascism/militarism. The history of democracy is more or less an endless struggle of marginalised groups fighting for their right to participate in politics. If you survive, and manage to retire, you can vote. . In this universe, humankind is divided into “civilians” and “citizens”; only citizens have the right to vote, and citizenship can be won only through “federal service” in the military. Funny thing is, in the book citizenship is only granted when service is completed. We talked about the veterans how they took control and imposed the stability that has generations since. If a genie popped up in front of me and offered to snap its fingers to magic a good adaption of one of Heinlein's works to Film or TV, Starship Troopers wouldn't even make my top ten picks. Lawyers, businessmen and entertainers cannot. Why are only citizens allowed to vote? 5/7 would watch again for the 1000th time, New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast, **The conspiracy subreddit is a thinking ground. When you vote, you are exercising political authority. Taking place in the future, the Starship Troopers franchise follows the exploits of the United Citizen Federation — a fascistic state that grants individuals full citizenship (the ability to vote, attend college without tuition fees, and have more than two children) in exchange for federal service. publishing Another argument for universal franchise is that if you want your government to be representative, then you need to find a way to sample the needs and desires of everybody. Why are only citizens allowed to vote? And force my friends is violence. Starship Troopers is one of Robert Heinlein's most famous books, and one of the most famously controversial in SF. Starship Troopers is a military science fiction novel by American writer Robert A. Heinlein.Written in a few weeks in reaction to the U.S. suspending nuclear tests, the story was first published as a two-part serial in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction as Starship Soldier, and published as a book by G. P. Putnam's Sons in December 1959. A man can no more become a true “citizen of the world” than he can literally “fall in love” with all of humanity—he either falls in love with a particular woman, or not at all. The requirement is a single tour on the frontlines. And, to follow up what Rose says above, if you want a society that is democratic and free—would you really want the government to have the power to decide what kind of service qualifies as sufficiently responsible citizenship? Starship Troopers is perhaps the best-known novel of science fiction master Robert A. Heinlein. Rasczak: "You. heroes I mean, if movies could vote. But “Carbon!” doesn’t sound nearly as sexy as “Bugggggs!”. I like to think that if I found myself in the world of Starship Troopers, I would have signed up and done my two years. Voting and science fiction almost inevitably brings up Robert Heinlein’s novel “Starship Troopers.” In that novel, the voting franchise was limited to “veterans”. - Student: It's a reward. When you vote, you are exercising political authority, you're using force. I plan on voting, and I vote every chance I get. Starship Troopers is a famous book, with a profound influence on modern science fiction. Starship Troopers isn't really a book about the military, being a soldier, or even government; it's a book about civic virtue, and what distinguishes a citizen -- in the sense of one who recognizes that with rights come responsibilities, and that the two are proportional -- from a non-citizen. Did Starship Troopers have it right? Sign Up for free (or Log In if you already have an account) to be able to post messages, change how messages are displayed, and … Something the Federation gives you for doing a federal service." Starship Troopers Videos. Bad idea. Also, people join the military for lots of reasons often having little or nothing to do with an interest in service for the sake of service. goals But only veterans of Federal Service are citizens (contrasted with civilians), only they can vote, and only citizens can work in government. Naked force has resolved more conflicts throughout history than any other factor. The military is a good model for this discussion, because it involves (at least … Starship Troopers (Book) : Heinlein, Robert A. ** Those of you who have seen the films (I love the first and detest the others) may have a vague idea of the plot but the films are a pale imitation … Zander Barcalow: One day, someone like me is gonna kill you and your whole fucking race! This is the part of your post that stood out to me the most: “I considered it [community service] strongly after high school, but pressure from my parents pushed me into college, and after that marriage, job, and kids kept me away from such a choice. Whether a soldier or not, these service jobs were apparently all fairly hazardous. The Terran Federation is a unified Earth government founded by the National Union (the successor to the United Nations). Well, that and another reason. If so, I doubt I would volunteer for a two-year stint of service. Why are only citizens allowed to vote? Why are only citizens allowed to vote? A citizen accepts personal responsibility for the safety of the body politic, of which he is a member, defending it, if need be, with his life. WP Cumulus Flash tag cloud by Roy Tanck requires Flash Player 9 or better. In Starship Troopers, voting is considered a privilege. (Notably, I had to bust out of the hospital to vote in the 2008 presidential primary, so I don’t like to leave things until election day.). Critics have often equated this with fascism or military dictatorship. First, it seems important to have the experience of individual sacrifice for the greater good just in general. (The director has stated that he read only the first few chapters of the book.). Help Help, opens a new window Only citizens vote, and the only way to become a citizen is to kick ass. “Every man thinks meanly of himself for not having been a soldier, or not having been at sea.” – Samuel Johnson, I too sometimes regret not having served in the military, but in hindsight I was such a romantic airhead that I wonder if it would have done the military or me any good. But only veterans of Federal Service are citizens (contrasted with civilians), only they can vote, and only citizens can work in government. Tell me the moral difference, if any, between the citizen and the civilian? Frankly I feel that I’ve contributed more to the military by my work, than I ever could have in 2 years of direct service. mystery “When you vote, you are exercising political authority, you're using force. It’s one of the earliest known appearances of powered armor in fiction, elements of its setting can be seen in countless other science-fiction works about humans battling alien insects, and it was the basis for a cult-classic movie franchise. We talked about the veterans how they took control and imposed the stability that has generations since. It is a surefire way of keeping the status quo when it comes to how society behaves. It is not. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Only citizens vote, and the only way to become a citizen is to kick ass. I'll have to watch it again to refresh my memory. Would like a nice blend of the movies and book since i know they went a little … young adult. self-publishing It seems as though you have been considering these concepts for quite some time as well. To let the work I do n't know about that specific standard, but it is similarly.... As an example, but I continue to vote you had to be false. 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