Taiwan military scraps loving hug policy
October 24, 2007 9:03 PM Subscribe
"We are not that close!" The Taiwan military scraps its loving hug policy for new recruits. Soldiers need hugs, and perhaps insurgents do too?
“Lose moral legitimacy, lose the war”
What a coincidence, I went out with a girl named Cassandra in college!
posted by Kid Charlemagne at 9:12 PM on October 24, 2007
What a coincidence, I went out with a girl named Cassandra in college!
posted by Kid Charlemagne at 9:12 PM on October 24, 2007
Loving hug policy?
Under the policy, squad leaders are required to hug each new recruit under his command and utter the words "Brother, I will take care of you," to which the recruit must respond by saying, "Leader, I respect and love you."
Lee defended the practice as effective in helping recruits overcome their feelings of fear and unease with their new boot camp environment.
Gimme a hug, now let's go kill. Some cognitive dissonance there.
posted by nickyskye at 9:35 PM on October 24, 2007
Under the policy, squad leaders are required to hug each new recruit under his command and utter the words "Brother, I will take care of you," to which the recruit must respond by saying, "Leader, I respect and love you."
Lee defended the practice as effective in helping recruits overcome their feelings of fear and unease with their new boot camp environment.
Gimme a hug, now let's go kill. Some cognitive dissonance there.
posted by nickyskye at 9:35 PM on October 24, 2007
What's interesting here is that when the official was pressed into actually taking part in a policy he had defended, and found it so socially awkward that he wouldn't do it, he immediately changed his stance on it, so as not to be a huge hypocrite.
Obviously these guys have never been to Washington. If they had, they'd know that rampant, bleedingly obvious hypocrisy is no barrier to holding a political stance -- heck, we encourage it.
This is like encountering a species of animal believed to be long extinct: a politician with a sense of shame. I doubt that the environment will allow for their reintroduction to North America, sadly.
posted by Kadin2048 at 10:20 PM on October 24, 2007
Obviously these guys have never been to Washington. If they had, they'd know that rampant, bleedingly obvious hypocrisy is no barrier to holding a political stance -- heck, we encourage it.
This is like encountering a species of animal believed to be long extinct: a politician with a sense of shame. I doubt that the environment will allow for their reintroduction to North America, sadly.
posted by Kadin2048 at 10:20 PM on October 24, 2007
Obviously these guys have never been to Washington.
Yeah. While the first thought I had was "well, in America, they'd probably just go ahead and hug", but there's the matter of cultural difference. It's like if Sec Def Gates instituted a policy that required a three-minute tongue kiss between each new recruit and their drill sergeant, and, say, Dennis Kucinich and Bernie Sanders called him on it, asking that he give them makeouts in the eye of the press.
I'd wager the farm that Gates would utter a phrase containing the word "ludicrous".
Also, there's something to be said for that policy; it's a creative solution to morale issues. I suppose the hug is to break down barriers and create a familial atmosphere, but I don't know why they couldn't just do a handshake or manly hand-clasp-of-cameraderie.
posted by maus at 11:08 PM on October 24, 2007
Yeah. While the first thought I had was "well, in America, they'd probably just go ahead and hug", but there's the matter of cultural difference. It's like if Sec Def Gates instituted a policy that required a three-minute tongue kiss between each new recruit and their drill sergeant, and, say, Dennis Kucinich and Bernie Sanders called him on it, asking that he give them makeouts in the eye of the press.
I'd wager the farm that Gates would utter a phrase containing the word "ludicrous".
Also, there's something to be said for that policy; it's a creative solution to morale issues. I suppose the hug is to break down barriers and create a familial atmosphere, but I don't know why they couldn't just do a handshake or manly hand-clasp-of-cameraderie.
posted by maus at 11:08 PM on October 24, 2007
It's pretty stupid and artificial. I'm glad they got rid of it, and I'm glad they didn't have it when I was serving. Political warfare days were good chances to take a break from training, but I'd rather go shoot my M16 (replica).
/gay
posted by Poagao at 1:00 AM on October 25, 2007
/gay
posted by Poagao at 1:00 AM on October 25, 2007
interpellation
n 1: (parliament) a procedure of demanding that a government
official explain some act or policy
posted by StickyCarpet at 6:48 AM on October 25, 2007
n 1: (parliament) a procedure of demanding that a government
official explain some act or policy
posted by StickyCarpet at 6:48 AM on October 25, 2007
« Older Archaeography | What Really Happens When Women Rule? Newer »
This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments
And then we landed in California.
posted by DaShiv at 9:10 PM on October 24, 2007 [1 favorite]