Stirling hits the nail on the head. I can attest because I am a part of one of the professions given as an example, read page two of this thread to see the example I set out for all to see, it did happen. I think it just might be a case of youth being, well, youth. Excitable, wanting to impress, trying to seem "older" than they are, any one of a million examples. The thing is, if you're concentrating so much on being "hardcore", and whatever you think that embodies, then how much time does that leave for the rest of the things you must do?
I used to think, when I was a a new guy, that sitting around learning about ropes and knots or theory of fire wasn't going to get me anywhere when it actually came to fighting the fire. I thought, as a greenhorn, that I already knew what was needed as far as education and experience to do the job, boy was I wrong.
To be honest, there is no such thing as a hardcore firefighter. We are ordinary people who choose to put themselves into extraordinary situations. That quote is from page one of the manual, something I ignored at first because I thought it was just "putting wet stuff on the red stuff" All this being said I do not think that there is such a thing as a hardcore soldier, I would think that the soldier would far rather be looked upon as professional than some term that the John Wayne's and whatnot made famous, or infamous. I don't try to be bloody hardcore, I try to get the fire out with as little loss of life and property as possible, notice that life is number one and that includes my own!
Today I educate myself as much as possible because there are no such things as "born to be" in any world. You have to study and practice and be dedicated. You want to call that hardcore, go ahead, personally I don't give a monkey's bottom because it doesn't matter. I am paid to do this job and take all that comes with it, that's just real life.
As per request, thread locked. Good posts from some, repetitive ones from others, however, this one has run its course.
