Originally Posted by
keenster
Sink,
IN no way was my post meant to be a slam to the south guys. Just trying to relay that the north guys come from a different culture(not intended to say that it was better than yours) that was somewhat more hostile than things here now and if needed we will draw a line in the sand when called upon. If you choose to deny the differencies between the two groups then you loose because both side have strenths and weaknesses. We must draw on the strengths of both sides to be successful in the future. Pointing out a diffenerce between the groups is not meant to be insulting to the other side. I view that kind of thinking as small. If you don't want to hear it, don't bother to read my posts but, I guess you kow all things about us and don't need any input or ideas on what we might think, know, or can contribute to the cause at hand. You will find most of the insulting words in your post as you choose to interpet my words into your words of kittens and girlscouts etc. That was not my intent at all. My discussion was directed at satchip in that he was worried that senior guys would not tow the line for scope. I wanted him to know that I felt like the north senior guys would. I have no feeling for what the senior south guys feel but he seems to have some worries.
Yes I can't wait until we can fly together so that we can finally share thoughts and ideas on a personal level. I think that we will find that we aren't really that much different personally but culturally we are.
I will tone down the more militant verbage. My point was that we come from a much more militant culture than you, not that you are not militant. And yes we are all one family now like it or not.
Glad to hear that you are ready for battle if needed.
Fair enough. It would be foolish to pretend there aren't cultural differences between the groups. You can't deal with what you don't bother to understand (I mean a hypothetical "you", not Keenster). You can't work together without respect, and you can't respect someone you don't know. For this reason, I think the histories of the two groups are more than just interesting conversation.
With that said, I think cultural differences are directly related to one's
environment. Deep down, I think most of us would behave the same way, under the same set of circumstances. This isn't just true for our two groups, but in the larger sense as well. Environments create cultures. I think there have been enough books written on that topic, so I'll dispense with any further lecture.
...So now that we're stuck together in a
new (common) environment, we need to make something of it. In that context, I only look at behaviors that unite, and behaviors that divide. Those that make us go forward, and those that make us go backwards. I'm only interested in ideas and strategies.
So, I consider debates about who is going to be more effective, more militant, etc, just as useful as the military-vs.-civilian debate, i.e. not at all. Now,
discussions about how things were in the military: fascinating.
Debates: useless. I really enjoy asking the people I fly with about their former lives, but the conversation won't go well if the first question is "did you figure it out yet?".
Now, I'm
not saying this is where
you were going. I understand the militant issue was only tangential to your response to Satchip. So this isn't some sort of big personal issue: I'm just pointing out that the notion of this "South" group not being militant, while it's becoming so entrenched that it just rolls off the tongue, is actually a) incorrect, and b) not helpful. And I think I read in your post that you're not trying to articulate that point, so I can only agree with what you wrote.