As far as I know the History Channel has been around (in more built-up metro areas with cable t.v.) since, perhaps the late 1980's or early 1990's (HBO for example, and CNN, have been around since early 1980's, with AMC-American Movie Classics/Channel- has their 20th anniversary logo broadcast regularly, meaning they have been around since about 1980-81, and Sci-Fi- I remember being around since early 1990's, and IFC-Independent Film Channel has a 10th anniversary logo etc).
History Channel has marketed and shown since its beginning days-- alot , alot, of war documentaries (standard agreed upon, textbook-type, written by the victors, kinda history events/'documentaries'). Which does upon examination, influence young people to serve their country and join the military, during and not-during wartime (irregardless). I know, I was influenced in the late 1980's by various war-themed documentaries (PBS, Hist Ch, major networks, etc) to emulate my forbears/generations (especially WWII and the major fight against fascism/nazi's/axis powers that Tom Brokaw's much hyped-coined term 'greatest-generation' did, which I would say that there is no one 'great-generation' really). So, yeah, I was romantic (later disillusioned with) about joining up (I was about to follow through on Special Forces/Special Ops recruitment/training in 1990, but after witnessing the whole debacle/problems in South Korea peninsula, and the common hatred of American G.I.'s/forces everywhere in the world- whether in Europe or Middle-East or Asia etc, and them not wanting us there), I changed my mind due to a moral choice of conscience, and left the military early.
I had played a few then-low-tech-graphics video arcade and home video games in the 1980s before joining and was not as heavily influenced (as today's youth are) by such devices (tools of brainwashing/recruitment/mindsetting patterning etc), the one shot, one kill, game over-start again nonsense... (I feel for the current generation of young impressionable minds being manipulated by the vast, vast field of computer/graphic-simulcrae video home consul imaginary, time-distracting/wasting game corporate market).
That said, I was also heavily (as many are, from the early 20th Century onward) by film or movies depicting brotherhood/comraderie, test-thru-battle/war, --the final wake up for me was December 1989 and the Oliver Stone film about real life paraplegic/paralyzed U.S. veteran Ron Kovic's mostly-true story 'Born on the Fourth of July' showing the conseqences of war (specifically Vietnam)and the mental/physical consequences (I was shipped to Korea for an extended hardship tour of 17 months, during the 1st Gulf War). Yes, I had seen Stone's 'Platoon' in 1986, and still joined up in 1988.
I had seen a lot of Akira Kurosawa samurai movies and studied the way of bushido, and thought I would become a Green Berets/Spec Forces soldier, as this in my mind was similar to being a knight or samurai of sorts.... a modern day warrior with a code of honor. Also, thought college money would be a good bonus (as I came from a poorer lower middle class family, single mother raised small family)
Now I know that it is more important to be morally upright as opposed to might-is-right.
"The pioneers of a warless world are the youth who refuse military service." --Albert Einstein
Stephen Eagle Funk, a 20 year old U.S. marine reserve, said he refused to be sent to Iraq to take part in a war he believed was "immoral because of the deception involved by our leaders."--from page 170 of David Icke's Tales from the Time Loop.
Stephen further spoke to warn other young people about the manipulations of the military:
"War is about destruction and violence and death. It is about young men fighting old men's wars. It is not the answer; it just ravages the land and the battleground. I know it's wrong but other people in the military have been programmed to think it is OK. All they (the military) want is numbers. What I'm doing is really trying to educate people to weigh their options- there are so many more ways to get money for school." --from page 171, Tales from the Time Loop
I learned the hard way about the consequence of military service.
I do adhere to the need for national military volunteers and service, but only to protect their home soil (in my case the USA itself, not its faulty foreign policies), I think that some kind of national two-year minimum civilian or military (if its stationed within the country's borders) should be mandatory (it would sober all young people up and make them more mature and appreciative of what America does offer/enable/grant, and it would help stop the rich/elite kids/students from avoiding service to their country and profiting from the sacrifices of the mass of poorer young people in America, although I know that these rich/priviledged/elite kids would probably find a way to get out of almost anything, especially as the saying goes- they are some senator's silver spoon-fed kid...).
If there really is a paranormal war between opposing factions of humans and aliens/ets (angels/demons) as I have gathered from fellow U.S. veterans (Spec Ops) I have met in Vets Affairs/Admins, then yes, I would advocate joining up and fighting any potential alien threat to Earth/humanity, the only problem being-- how can one know whose side who is on? I would oppose alien/human/elite/overlord rule/dominance/secrecy and enforcement by elite ultra military (forcing their plans/agenda/malevolency) on the American and worldwide public (as may be the current case/scheme/game/status-quo/oligarchy).
[edit: there will always be a certain number of adolescent/young&old people who prefer the violence of war and its effects/environment (danger/adrenaline), as they are so influenced by violent lyrics of heavy metal/rap/mtv/tv/video-games/ etc, as depicted in a scene of Michael Moore's movie Farenheit 9-11, just like there is a ready supply of seemingly souless multitudes (police/military/paramilitary/govt) willing to enforce unjust authority/laws (like manning future potential concentration/'detention' camps for 'dissidents' or anti-NWO advocates) causing further erosion/loss of rights/freedoms for security's sake (or other perceived, problem/reaction/solution, thesis/antithesis/synthesis hyped-real or imagined threats making us willing to give up more and more freedom)]
[edit: Finally, I remember some other famous-person quote from David Icke's books, to the effect of--- it takes more moral courage to stand up and do the right thing (as opposed to physical violent force, the mostly quick/easy route and disastrous/harmful way), along the lines of the Patrick McGoohan secret agent with a conscience characters of DangerMan and The Prisoner cult British sci-fi/espionage 1960's t.v. series, still sometimes shown today on BBC America and on dvd).]
That's my rant for now,
I got started on that tangent by the indoctrination methods of film/movie/History Channel war-footage documentaries predominant showings/influence and from video games...
-Indigo (I still have a conscience, and am an Amnesty International partner of conscience/supporter)
Christ, the narrow path, saves those willing
Interesting that everybody took that sudden interest all at once. 