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Amaros -> RE: Broken? (9/18/2006 9:43:53 AM)
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adj.
1 split or cracked into pieces; splintered, fractured, burst, etc.
2 not in working condition; out of order !a broken watch"
3 not kept or observed; violated !a broken promise"
4 disrupted, as by divorce !a broken home"
5 sick, weakened, or beaten !broken health, a broken spirit"
6 bankrupt
7 not even or continuous; interrupted !broken terrain, broken tones"
8 not complete !a broken set of Shakespeare‘s works"
9 imperfectly spoken, esp. with reference to grammar and syntax !broken English"
10 subdued and trained; tamed
11 [Colloq.] demoted in rank For phrases, see BREAK
I suspect the semantic difference here is more the distinction between being "broken in", i.e., def. 10, as opposed to "broken", as in incomplete, weakened, in need of repair, etc.
Breaking in a horse, for example, involves breaking it to the saddle and bit, not neccessaily to break it's spirit - more like a tempering of the will.
My experience with military training is similar: one is broken of willfullness (theoretically) not in spirit, nor neccessarily in will - to varying degrees according to the service. The Navy, for instance, trains a modicum of dicipline, but encourages independent thinking and analysis - these are neccessary in doing the job of the Navy, which is primarily support, and one wears many hats - I was trained primarily in weapon systems, but crosstrained in airframes, engines, etc., etc..
Meanwhile deadening routine has a somewhat negative effect on the spirit, IMO, and to counteract this, dicipline is relaxed in the fleet to some extent, and individuality encouraged - sailors will seldom willingly march if there isn't a band playing, while watchstanding, professional responsibility, accountability, etc. are strictly enforced the same as the other services.
Marines on the other hand, emerge from basic training with seemingly every vestige of what is ordinarily called common sense utterly stripped from them, while their spirit is though the roof - they are ready to charge up a beach straight into enemy fire without batting an eye.
They do seem to recover in time, most of them, but it's a training program designed to, initially at least, submerge every trace of independent identity, will or ego, to produce and individual who will follow any order, no matter how ridiculous, instantly and without hesitation or question.
Naturally, they wouldn't last long on the battlefield if this state of affairs were to persist, and the cannier ones survive to become NCO's - care is taken also that officers are essentially on par with enlisted men in term of combat readiness, which cuts down somewhat on the aforementioned senseless orders thing - all Marines are riflemen from the Commandant down - but instant obedience becomes part of every Marine, and the other ground combat services are similar to varying degrees.
This is a bit similar to BDSM, I believe, one desires willing, even enthusiastic obedience, not neccessarily robotic detachment - in the field, the NCO's and the grunts are the officers eyes and ears, and must be able to make instant decisions of life and death for the entire squad, they would of little utility if they didn't retain or regain some measure of will, at least within the context of the unit.
I dunno though, I think I like the Horse metaphor better - there still always remains something vaguely suspicious and stupid about military training, however neccessary.
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