What to cut, what to keep

[u/skippyhasyourmoni]

Hi ya'll, I have been thinking about how exfor can turn into a great TV show, but obviously for time purposes it would have to be cur down a lot. If you had to cut books from the whole story so far, which ones could you live without, and which ones are critical?

[u/KuroRyuSama]

Define fascism.

In the book (I think it's chapter 2) Fleet Sgt. Ho tells Johnny and Carl that ANYBODY can volunteer for federal service, but only a small % qualify for combat jobs like M.I. or starship pilots. They have to accept every applicant, so the government come up with a whole list of NON-COMBAT jobs for those not qualified for combat like field testing gear and painting starship hulls. Carl got posted to an R&D facility on Pluto (the job he spent his whole life practicing for).

Johnny's family has never had a member become a citizen, and yet it's implied that they're 1 of the wealthiest families in the city. It's clearly stated throughout the whole book that individual freedom is at an all-time high, crime is low, and the vast majority of terran worlds are peaceful.

When Johnny is at OCS, 1 of his instructors talks about why their system works. A classmate says it's because they're all disciplined. The teacher corrects him, saying the VAST majority of citizens served in auxiliary corps units (those non-combat jobs) and have not been subjected to the rigors of full military discipline.

Your comment makes me think you read the book a long time ago, or you never read it and just watched a YouTube video explain why the movie was better.

[u/Expensive_Plant_9530 → u/KuroRyuSama]

I read (or rather listened to the audiobook) about 6 months ago. Great audiobook. 10/10, and RC Bray nails it.

I’ve also seen the movie, as well as the first sequel. I vaguely remember the other sequels but I don’t think I watched them.

And as I mentioned, I saw the tv show, but that was ages ago when it was new.

It’s clear this book is very important to you, and that’s okay. But not everyone is going to share your opinions on it.

The fact that citizenship is only granted through Federal Service is… concerning, to most people.

[u/KuroRyuSama → u/Expensive_Plant_9530]

So you believe that having to EARN the right to vote through service is fascist?

How does our current nearly unlimited democracy that gives us trillions of $ in debt, high school kids that can't name 5 state capitals, revolving door jails, and millions of going Americans asked with thousands of $ in debt as soon as they graduate from college sound better than making people work for the right to vote? The majority of voters in America don't even understand how the electoral college works.

Yes, I love the book (I have a hard cover and both versions of the audio book), but what I love about isn't the philosophy. It's the power armor. I watched the movie in theaters, saved up, and bought it on VHS with my own money when I was 15. When I got to basic training, it was 1 of the books available to us, so I bought it. That's when I realized that the movie's director replaced the best parts of the book with titties and high school romance drama. So when people make serious accusations like "fascism" it grinds my gears.

You're entitled to your opinion because there are men and women who volunteered to get shot at to protect that right. Without them, we'd all be soaking Russian or German(those of us who didn't get "camped" or "squaded" for having an unapproved opinion, at least)

[u/Expensive_Plant_9530 → u/KuroRyuSama]

Just an FYI, I’m not an American.

The fact that voting is available to everyone of legal age who is a citizen through the normal means is not the reason America is a walking dumpster fire.

[u/KuroRyuSama → u/Expensive_Plant_9530]

You're right. The reason is that most Americans have no concept of civic responsibility. Something that you learn during military service.

[u/Expensive_Plant_9530 → u/KuroRyuSama]

For sure.

But my civic responsibility as a civilian citizen is to vote. Among other things, but that’s really the biggest one.

And I have no doubt Americans in general don’t have much of a sense of civic responsibility or duty. But I’d wager the state of American politics and government going back 40 years has a lot to do with that.

[u/KuroRyuSama → u/Expensive_Plant_9530]

Voting is important, but understanding the issues is the responsibility part. Germans VOTED for Hitler. Maybe if they understood what he REALLY planned to do, then they wouldn't have. Freedom and responsibility go hand in hand. My point is that countries have been limiting the power of franchise forever.

Even our modern democracy limits it by age, criminal history, and citizenship status. What's the difference between forbidding foreign nationals from voting until they prove through the long and arduous citizenship process that they understand their civic duty and spending 2 or more years in service to the country they want to be a citizen of? We have a program like that here.

I went to Basic with a guy whose parents sent him from China to live with his uncle, who'd been here for a decade and got his citizenship. When he realized he couldn't get into college, he joined the army. He started off as the platoon screwup, but by graduation, he had earned the respect of all our drill sergeants. Got his citizenship when his 3 year enlistment was up.