War Tourism

[Hank_Kingsley]

Journalists reporting on Libya's civil war have stumbled upon 21-year-old UCLA math student Chris Jeon, who has joined the Libyan rebels because "It is the end of my summer vacation, so I thought it would be cool to join the rebels.

http://gawker.com/5836647/clueless-ucla-math-major-joins-libyan-rebels


Not exactly replicating the spirit of the international brigades this chap.

It did get me thinking, though, that there must be a market of emotionally numbed solipsistic western youth out there who would be willing to spend their spring breaks in the developing world killing folks.

[CaledonianGonzo]

The story of John Walker Lindh (the so-called 'American Taliban') should act as a sobering deterrent and reminder as to the worst that can happen:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jul/10/john-walker-lindh-american-taliban-father

[thenoise]

Related stories:
http://jezebel.com/5835947/a-cure-for-ladies-with-smelly-poop
finally!
(comments are the best bit)

[homesickalien]

a few thousand anti fascists from britain went to fight in the spanish civil war

[CaledonianGonzo]

As mentioned by Hank in the first post and also in the article I posted by Frank Lindh.

However, I think here we're making the distinction by going on an ideological crusade/jihad, and going to war because it's 'cool'.

[biggytitbo]

As mentioned by Hank in the first post and also in the article I posted by Frank Lindh.

However, I think here we're making the distinction by going on an ideological crusade/jihad, and going to war because it's 'cool'.

That's just an extension of this attitude lots of people seem to have these days that the world is just a giant theme park for them to go on holiday too.

[doppelkorn]

Related stories:
http://jezebel.com/5835947/a-cure-for-ladies-with-smelly-poop
finally!
(comments are the best bit)

Aging parents tend to spray, cleaning up, oh my.

This is taken from the product's actual site. I think it's quite poetic.

[CaledonianGonzo]

That's just an extension of this attitude lots of people seem to have these days that the world is just a giant theme park for them to go on holiday too.

I dunno - I think that attitude has always been there (see Grand Tours, etc.) it's just that airtravel (particularly of the budget kind) has made it more affordable and opened it up to the middle-classes, whereas before it was solely a pursuit of the wealthy. 

Prior to that if you were poor, you had to join the navy to see the world.  Today's tourists might not always be culturally au fait with the countries through which they're travelling, but at least they're not out collecting slaves or with the East India Company or something.

[biggytitbo]

I dunno - I think that attitude has always been there (see Grand Tours, etc.) it's just that airtravel (particularly of the budget kind) has made it more affordable and opened it up to the middle-classes, whereas before it was solely a pursuit of the wealthy. 

Prior to that if you were poor, you had to join the navy to see the world.  Today's tourists might not always be culturally au fait with the countries through which they're travelling, but at least they're not out collecting slaves or with the East India Company or something.

That's true, but there is a mentality these days in some people that the world, even dangerous parts, are just places for them to visit and then boast about on facebook. And the danger gets abstracted for them, because they're 'entitled' to go have a holiday anywhere they like.

[BlodwynPig]

Its the pinnacle of cuntdom. They may not be collecting slaves, but they sure aren't considering the social and cultural heritage of many of these places that they land.

"Welcome to WankTours - The Ego has landed. Lie back and enjoy a landscape ravaged by war and famine, soundtracked by an acoustic-ditty by numbers. Bask in the glow of self-worth, or seek shade in some peasant family's house where they will offer you their warmest of welcomes. You - you amoral cunt with your hipster Fedora and Xanax worn smirk"

[Hank_Kingsley]

That's true, but there is a mentality these days in some people that the world, even dangerous parts, are just places for them to visit and then boast about on facebook. And the danger gets abstracted for them, because they're 'entitled' to go have a holiday anywhere they like.

Will there be fewer annoying young people going on gap years because of tuition fees?

An area of spin the coalition have woefully neglected.

[CaledonianGonzo]

That's true, but there is a mentality these days in some people that the world, even dangerous parts, are just places for them to visit and then boast about on facebook. And the danger gets abstracted for them, because they're 'entitled' to go have a holiday anywhere they like.

I certainly agree there are certain places you should stay the hell away from - but tourists visiting places that have experienced major conflicts or trauma - be it Cambodia or Sierra Leone - can be an important part of the (if you will) healing process.  Sometimes it's also beneficial for foreigners to witness oppression - be it in Gaza or in, say, Tibet, where the Dalai Lama has encouraged travellers to visit.

Its the pinnacle of cuntdom.

Bringing your usual sense of perspective, I see.

[George Oscar Bluth II]

Man, now he mentions it, I think it would be cool to fight with the rebels. Bye everyone, I'm off!

[Hank_Kingsley]

How easy is it for a gentile to get into the Israeli army? Dudes look like they got some rocking hardware.

[CaledonianGonzo]

I'm sure in Louis Theroux's recent documentary on the ultra-Zionists there was an American Christian kid there to pick grapes for settlers in the West Bank and he revealed he was staying on to join the IDF.

So it looks like your luck's in, Hank.

[Nobody Soup]

With students it always comes back to Che Guevara.

First t-shirts and now this.

[Geraint]

A SomethingAwful poster called Caro Ascendent went to Libya as a 'photojournalist'. He got in by claiming to be a medic. He then went on to actually perform surgery on injured rebels, his only 'expertise' being having watched instructional videos on youtube. He then uploaded this footage to youtube. total fucking prick.

[CaledonianGonzo]

*drops jaw*

That's like something out of a sitcom...

[Kapuscinski]

How easy is it for a gentile to get into the Israeli army? Dudes look like they got some rocking hardware.

And some pretty women.

[CaledonianGonzo]

If that's all you're after you'd be better off going to Goa - that's where they all make a beeline for the second they demob.

[BlodwynPig]

Bringing your usual sense of perspective, I see.

No, a reactionary outpouring to Our Cunt in Libya. An armchair critique on something i find mollifying. What perspective should i have? I don't think i can find a middle ground here.

[CaledonianGonzo]

Having a pop at 'clueless-ucla-math-major-joins-libyan-rebels' bloke gets the Green Thumb of Applause (GTOA)

Taking a broad-brush sweep against anyone who's ever been abroad ever gets the Red Thumb of Smite (RTOS)

Choose carefully!


^{(Or it would, if I was handing 'em out).}

[The Duck Man]

DO YOU NOT SEE? This guy's the 21st century Orwell!

[confettiinmyhair]

Visiting Libya would be great for weapons enthusiasts. It's a mix of Mad Max + The A Team + Scrapheap Challenge
http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2011/06/diy-weapons-of-the-libyan-rebels/100086/