Children play soldier. That makes sense. But why do soldiers play children?
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
A lot of child soldiers lose their minds.
Kids have always play-fought, but I think my generation had a particularly privileged cultural fantasy surrounding military violence.
When we think of war, the tendency is to picture young soldiers only in their military roles. To a large extent this dehumanizes the soldiers and makes it easier for society to commit them to combat.
More and more, we have been able to present the argument that recruitment of child soldiers is a social breakdown that leads to atrocities, because that's why they get them.
Military brats have this toughness: they're almost like orphans or foster children; they develop little mechanisms. It sets you up to look at things a little differently.
It's somewhat disquieting that the same parents and educators who are horrified by the notion of child soldiers have bestowed upon 'The Hunger Games' a double mantle of critical praise and global bestsellerdom.
Children are not children. They are just younger people.
Play is the work of childhood.
Raising kids is part joy and part guerrilla warfare.
Any child soldier has to go through a lot of love, care and understanding to become normal.