When was this? Any context?
I hope that as we all learn to cope with climate change, they let the king’s guard wear shorts. Tiny ones, like a postal worker would wear.
Kilts.
I love how they are trained to not help. Good job, braindead drones.
There are dedicated stretcher bearers to take them away.
you do realize that there being dedicated stretcher bearers makes it about a hundred times worse, right?
Dedicated medical personnel is bad?
Except they do.
I don’t see any of the other “soldiers” moving in to help here. Or are you talking about the random person that runs in? And if so, how does that prove in any way that the soldiers themselves aren’t trained to ignore fallen comrades? These pictures just make it look worse cuz his buddies literally just have to stand there and wait for someone else to rush in
Those aren’t “random people”. They’re literally in military uniform. What are the ones next to him supposed to do about it? Make a big fuss and cancel the parade over a common occurrence? In fact, this happens quite commonly across the world.
When I sung in a choir in primary school. we were literally told if someone faints in front of us during a performance, to ignore it and keep singing. We thought it was an over-exaggeration. Until the Christmas concert when someone literally fainted in front of us during it and we kept singing. Of course, the teachers then came and rushed to their aid and carefully brought them away. So during organised performances like this- it’s quite standard not to freak out if somebody faints.
For some reason my mind replaced “faints” and “fainted” with “farts” and “farted” when I read this. Had to go back and re-read lol.
Maybe don’t put a group of human beings in a situation where they’re constantly passing out then? Especially if they’re children, it’s wild that that’s the comparison you use. The issue here isn’t JUST that they’re expected to do nothing when comrades are in trouble (yes, even with trained help there), but it’s ALSO that people like you excuse it because it’s “the norm.” Like sure, yippee, they have trained help for when they pass out, but apparently they’re EXPECTED to pass out? Ok
By that logic we should close all roads because we EXPECT automobile crashes to happen, we should cease all construction and industry because we EXPECT accidents to happen, we should ban all sports because we EXPECT injuries to happen, etc.
I’m chiming in as someone who actually fainted during a choir practice. Our teacher cautioned us at least five different times not to lock our legs for that exact reason, but in the moment I wasn’t thinking, and I locked my legs. It happened only one time, and I was the only kid who fainted in the entire four years I sang in that choir. But oh, how inhumane of our school for hosting a choir recital (gasp!). It sure was evil of them to put us in a situation with a normal level of risk while trained first aid personnel were present.
I think maybe you’re just severely overestimating how much it happens. The other person used the word “commonly,” but you used the word “constantly,” and that is not the same thing at all. We have to prepare for the most common mishaps because there are inherent risks in everything we do. But I assure you, if people were constantly passing out in parades and choir recitals, we would stop having them.
This is an example of the slippery slope fallacy. Logic would not take you down that line of thinking.
They’re not expected to. But it happens. If you have concerts, people usually pass out. That’s why you have trained medical staff on standby, no matter the event. It’s just that the military has an organised way of doing it… Because it’s the military.
Are these people ACTUALLY their military though, or just for show? I always thought they were just for show but I don’t actually know. Not that it makes a huge difference, just curious
They’re actual soldiers.
They do put on public displays, but they’re actual soldiers in the army. Their primary duty is as a guard.
they are not doctors nor qualified to help and even so, they know there is someone on the sideline who is the person to help in these situations
So ignore the bigger problem because the already provided temporary solution might keep your friend from suffering permanent damage, after being put into a situation known to lead to this outcome.
I don’t see any of the other “soldiers” moving in to help here
It’s crazy how hard people miss the memo on this.
You are in parade formation. One of your coworkers collapses from strain. You do not help because your boss hazed you into subservience. This is fine because idk maybe someone else will be by to handle things eventually.
Fucking corporatist mindset on steroids. People are denuded of their empathy in their quest to perfectly follow orders.
I wonder how any one of these freaks behave in a torture blacksite when their bosses line up another round of “enemy combatants” for waterboarding…
Wonder what happened to that guy. I don’t think he didn’t face any consequences for embarassing them.
I don’t see why he would have? Fainting is a natural human biological function. And if you think that someone - who put their life on the line for our country - succumbing to that is an “embarrassment”, then you are an embarrassment.
I think the point is powerful people with money don’t give a shit about the peasants. I don’t think that’s the case here, but I’m using my context clues to understand the point, given that OP used this language: “living decorations”.
The royal family aren’t too powerful de facto. At least Elizabeth II was quite down to earth and an excellent lady. Charles III isn’t too bad either
Still more powerful than us. Do you have a palace with a bunch of red coat guards? Does everyone on the planet know you and your family? Do you still worry about money and retirement and providing for your family? Would your life be turned upside down if you lost your job and couldn’t find something for a few years?
You just described the majority of heads of state. Except for the fame part (everyone on the planet knowing someone, even then, the Commonwealth Royal Family aren’t the only famous family)
He most likely locked his knees standing at attention too long. It’s not an uncommon occurrence in training. I saw one guy do it during a locker inspection and whack his head hard on a bench on the way down. The fall itself is the real danger.
I think I gave you the wrong impression, I don’t think that. I just thought they might have strict rules and all that and his superiors might not be so kind to him.
This isn’t North Korea. If anything, his comrades would probably take the mick out of him
This looks like a screenshot from an early-2000s strategy game
It’s way older. This happened in the 70s or early 80s. It was at a time when Queen Elizabeth (the one on the horse) was still young enough to ride. And no, you don’t get disciplined when something like this happens.
Officially
Oh, I know
Remember, kids, don’t lock your knees ~ someone who did marching band for years.
It was hot and he was wearing a bear on his head.
Þe Army teaches it, too.
This idiotic thing should be a crime against humanity, because it’s a crime against your “subjects”.
Fucking “monarchies”.
Military parades are hardly monarchy-specific.
Happens in every army, monarchy or not.
Shit you don’t even have to join ROTC/military. You can just join band in high school and you’ll get your chance to watch kids drop. Cross country/track… football. When it’s hotter than hell and humid and your stacking pads and pushing yourself, some people just die.
I don’t think Americans understand quite how militaristic their society is.
Would you like to know more?™
A kid fainted straight off the risers at my 3rd grade Christmas program
Seriously I know a ton of guys who do MMA/Boxing and served in the military and they almost all told me their time in the military did the most damage and often it was parad shit that fucked them up. One guy had his first TBI fainting just like this guy and hitting the back of his head on the ground. Or it fucks up their knees and ankles. And no one watches that shit. There is no reason for it, it’s just there to entertain the dumb nepobabies that make ip the officer class.
I always thought military training was about improving people’s ability to fight for their country, not reduce it. And yet, it’s not the first time I’ve heard that kind of story.
The bootstraps people would tell you that it’s about “discipline and order, two things that are essential in a functional military”.
I love getting rid of my own braincells! Lack of then is essential in a functional military!
Military should have safety standard. Marching and falling over is too unsafe. They should only be sent into the heat of battle.
Marching is a highly efficient way to move large amounts of people.
Twirling your gun around isn’t though
I’m talking about this picture, about the “royal guards”, a totally stupid idea in the 21th century. This is just more bullshit added to it.
Pretty sure every head of state in the world has military guards.
There’s worse things happening in Brazil.
Off with their heads.
They’re going to be forced to current that uniform as climate change worsens.
Heat?
Locked knees.
Absolutely it. Happened to me standing for a memorial service. Lots of stories from military where this happens, and “don’t lock your knees” is often taught first thing.
Does locked knees prevent you from falling backward or from passing out?
Locked knees causes you to pass out. If I understand it correctly, while standing around casually, you still move around a bit, which causes muscles in your legs to contract and relax, which squeezes your blood vessels and helps pump blood back up to your torso. If you lock your knees and stand perfectly still at attention, your leg muscles are no longer doing that, so blood pools in your legs and you grey out at 1G.
From my own experience in marching band, this is worse in hot weather. I think it’s because in hot weather you’re more likely to be dehydrated, so less water in your blood = less total volume of blood, and your capillaries dilate in an attempt to circulate blood closer to the skin = more volume in your circulatory system, == less blood pressure in the first place. I never once remember someone passing out during the winter. Happened a lot in the summer though.
Especially on 9/11/2002. Our genius principal decided we were going to have a memorial service on the one year anniversary of the attacks, with all students and faculty in attendance. There was one facility on campus that could seat all 1200 students and 120 faculty at once: The football stadium. And even then it was a tight squeeze to get everyone into the Home side bleachers…no worries though, we’ll put the 40 student JROTC and 120 student marching band in uniform on the field itself. They’ll play the national anthem at the beginning and then stand there at attention for the entire 45 minute pointless speech. In the direct sun on a hot and humid Carolina morning. 5 JROTC and 4 from the band passed out.
why was your memorial service in November
Sounds horrible. Up until graduating from highschool, year closing ceremonies were a big thing in schools in my country (Europe). So in some of the hottest days in June-July, you have kids dressed in cheap suits stand on hot concrete in the school’s court, sweating under the scorching sun. Always had somebody escorted out when feeling ill, luckily nothing as bad as falling over. But still, what a pointless thing
My graduation took place in that same stadium, on a morning in late May. We were all facing East, wearing suits, jackets and ties under cheap polyester smocks. What a farce the whole thing is.
weird thing, here we just go back to school to try to find our name on a list attached on a wall. Well now they check online
Europe isn’t a country
Your mom is a country.
From passing out. Locking knees can reduce blood flow
The trick is tense your leg muscles when standing at attention for long periods of time. Or subtly shift weight from one foot to the next.
Yes extreme heat plus those stupid outfits.
Same, mate. Same.
Probably got written up for slacking off on the job too
Doubt it
Is someone forcing them to do that job?
no. They’re army veterans who usually take good pride in it.
They are an active regiment in the British Army. You’re probably confusing them with the Beefeaters, who wear an entirely different uniform, and are mostly ex-service persons.
Probably should have been more specific. Usually the guards are ones who have already been deployed and are coming to the end of their service. They are veterans, just not ex-servicemen.
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If it works like the recruiting works the same way in the US they where probably lied to/tricked.
I believe the king’s guard only recruits from enlisted veterans. They also have to have been deployed to an active warzone. In those terms, it’s both quite relaxed and an important position. The pomp and ceremony that visitors see is only a small part of their job.
The King’s Guard is a rotation of one of 5 active front-line infantry regiments in the British Army.
That actually sounds like a much nicer option for veterans than the homelessness or underemployment they can experience in other countries.
It’s worth noting that their job has zero room for errors. They are expected to be basically invisible, outside of the ceremonial parts. They are also (I believe) authorised for live fire, at their own discretion.
They walk a political tightrope, and the last major fuck up I heard about was decades back now.
Not quite, Royal Guards typically know what they were getting into - it’s a little more involved than just joining the military and being tricked into the position.
Savages…
What’s up with the fake 'fros?
They’re bearskin hats. Just a tradition.
Poor bears.
The British army are/were looking into synthetic alternatives…
They’re soldiers. Not living decorations.
The elites toys.
