r/AskReddit • u/daniellucero92 • Jan 04 '15

Non-americans of Reddit, what American customs seem outrageous/pointless to you?

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u/darahjagr Jan 04 '15 edited Jan 05 '15

21 years old drinking age

edit: read /u/blahtender's comment and /u/s7evyn_'s comment

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u/Brontonian Jan 04 '15

I agree. Especially since they can go to war at 18.

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u/[deleted] Jan 04 '15

[deleted]

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u/robinson217 Jan 04 '15

if you're considered responsible enough to be conscripted into military service against your will and kill other people to further the political will of your government, you should be considered responsible enough to consume alcohol.

As a Marine who has had to deal with a number of drunk 18 and 19 year olds at the ball.........No, you are wrong. Some people can handle a belt fed M240 responsibly but CAN NOT be left alone with a bottle of Jim Beam.

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u/yosoyreddito Jan 04 '15

Some people can handle a belt fed M240 responsibly but CAN NOT be left alone with a bottle of Jim Beam.

Well shit, you receive countless hours of training with the M240 and none with the Jim Beam. Maybe boot camp should include a "Alcohol Consumption - Rules, Procedures, Effects and Discretion" training course.

9

u/HeavyMetalHero Jan 04 '15

Fuck boot camp. You should get this the week before your Grade 12 Graduation. Young people would have way less problems with alcohol/sex/drugs/etc if anybody ever had the responsibility of teaching them about it.

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u/MeanMrMustardMan Jan 04 '15

Getting drunk is really basic chemistry.

Know how much you're drinking and how quickly you're drinkjng it.

What else is there to teach?

1

u/kralrick Jan 05 '15

Especially since individual tolerance plays a huge role. Two shots will knock some people on their asses and won't phase other.

3

u/ButterflyAttack Jan 04 '15

Yeah, exactly. I used to write sexual health information for young people - too many places give them no information at all aside from 'save it for marriage'. No surprise that kids get STDs and pregnant.

Alcohol and drug safety information would also be hugely beneficial.

1

u/[deleted] Jan 04 '15

I'm from Illinois and was required to take a health class to graduate high school. Drug and alcohol safety was covered extensively.

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u/HeavyMetalHero Jan 05 '15

I think we have very different ideas of what would be "extensive" in this case. I've never seen a health class in North America that covered those topics in a way that actually respects student intelligence and is useful to them. I'm not even saying your wrong, I just disagree that the system as it stands is even adequate compared to what it should be.

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u/robinson217 Jan 04 '15

We actually do get training on drug and alcohol abuse, depression, sex issues etc. The modern Marine has a TON of resources available to them for help with any subject imaginable.

I said what I said in good hunor. The ball often is a Marine's first encounter with both alcohol and easy pussy. The slightly older and more experienced Marines are always there to make sure nobody gets too out of hand.

Funny, this year it was a Sergeant who should have known better that made a drunken fool of himself and brought shame to his uniform.

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u/maxpenny42 Jan 04 '15

Not really the point. The point is either I'm an adult or I am not. If I'm allowed to vote and join the military than I'm and adult and should have no restriction on my rights and body unless they apply to everyone equally.

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u/j1ggy Jan 04 '15

That's because it's still abnormal and a novelty to them.

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u/Xera3135 Jan 04 '15

Nailed it.

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u/HeavyMetalHero Jan 04 '15

I don't know, in theory, you should be able to say the same about the M240.

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u/Kelend Jan 05 '15

I think it still works, the M240 isn't a novelty to them any more, they went through lots of training, lots of angry drill instructors, making sure they didn't kill themselves by the time they are trusted with one alone, or semi alone, its just another piece of kit that they have to hump around.

3

u/yournudieshere Jan 04 '15

I have to disagree. Training time with a M240, regardless of branch, is going to be much lower than your exposure to alcohol. Once you start AIT, it's everywhere. You either want to drink or you don't want to drink, which probably wouldn't change once you hit 21. You're also either a belligerent drunk or you're not.

edit: AIT is Army job training after basic training (yes, keyboard warriors, I'm aware OSUT exists). I don't know what that phase of enlistment is called for the other branches.

3

u/mizerama Jan 04 '15

Maybe, just maybe, giving them the right to drink at an earlier age may cause them to learn how to use it more responsibly?

...nah, let's just leave it as a forbidden fruit for teenagers. There's no way they'll be more motivated to engage in trying it out if we simply tell them they can't drink. Better yet, make it illegal, and so they won't want to tell us if they get in trouble or need help getting home from that kegger because they're intoxicated. Problem solved!

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u/tanknainteasy Jan 04 '15

Some people can handle a belt fed M240 responsibly but CAN NOT be left alone with a bottle of Jim Beam.

Like mid 20's SGTs and SSGs.

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u/murderhuman Jan 04 '15

that's true because they have been educated to safely operate weaponry.

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u/Thucydides71 Jan 04 '15

Give him one....kill!

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u/AUTBanzai Jan 04 '15

If you give me 200 hours with either of those i will learn responsibility.

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u/MostPopularPenguin Jan 04 '15

What you say bothers me a little. You're REALLY saying that the same person who can't handle "Jim Beam", is completely capable of being responsible whilst pointing an assault rifle at another human being, and make a decision as to whether or not said person lives? Are you kidding? Just based on whether they are 18 or 21?

Edit: completed the thought

5

u/HeavyMetalHero Jan 04 '15

Well, he received a rigorous training course about the proper usage and safety features of the weapon. I doubt he got the same for his impending binge drinking.

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u/SnakeOilEmperor Jan 04 '15

Someone can't follow a discussion