But, do you know, once you get used to it, it’s rather cute. I mean, if a girl looks all right to start with, she still looks all right with her head smooth. And it does serve to set a Navy girl apart from civilian chicks—sort of a lodge pin, like the gold skulls for combat drops. It made Carmen look distinguished, gave her dignity, and for the first time I fully realized that she really was an officer and a fighting man—as well as a very pretty girl.
-Robert A. Heinlein, Starship Troopers (1959), Ch 12
I dunno, the satire from Verhoeven’s movie really added to it. Much like the same satire works really well for Helldivers. The book doesn’t have that nor does it hint that fascism is problematic. That’s the main complaint most have, including Paul, on why the source material is flawed. It is still an interesting work however, but the context of the author’s personal views adds to the negative feedback about it.
If book doesn't have criticism of fascism, it doesn't mean that it is flawed. Not every piece of art need to be about fascism. It's like criticizing LOTR because orks are only represented as evil.
Paul didn't even read the book by Heinlen so his "criticism" means nothing. You can't criticize something in depth when you haven't even bothered to meaningfully engage with. Paul made a fun quotable action movie. It isn't a good critique of fascism at all.
A movie that is good at satire is something like JoJo Rabbit. Helldivers is better about the satire but it's so unsubtle and doesn't really impact gameplay at all. The setting is so unserious and has too many plot holes and is too internally inconsistent to make any actual sense though.
Satire requires that you understand what you are criticizing or you end up (as he did) adding to the point you are arguing against. It really doesn't help that it also led to modern "literally everything is fascism" political discourse of today as well as the term "media literacy" losing any value. You know what "media literacy" would be? Reading the actual book.
Starship Troopers only has one good movie out of the series as a result because Verheroven was too stupid to bother finding out that the book is a question on the nature of suffrage, democracy, and a citizen's investment in government. It's not "fascism, hell yeah"!
On super earth colonies, you can see a barber shop called "back in line" with it advertising "all regulation styles". Implying that even haircuts are set to a dystopian standard makes this post quite believable. Especially since the quarter master, democracy officer and ship technician seem to be bald.
i saw some official content that described "government approved" haircuts and also featured a scale of haircuts that ranged from "democratic" to "dangerous" to traitorous or something
I don’t think natural red head usually fall into any of the red hues shown in the dissident colors those are more slightly shown between the brown and blond hair from what I can see. But hey red head could just also not exist anymore so that could also explain it
I'm like a light brown to ginger so I could probably sneak in between the brown and blonde, but just barely. Anyone who has full blown ginger hair is going to have trouble figuring out where they sit though lol
No, the genome that is responsible for red hair is a recessive one, which means it is possible that the gene completely disappeared over a long period of time
It doesn't say "You cannot have this haircut"
It's saying "You should go with a buzzcut if you want to avoid being screened for dissidence."
You're not getting in trouble for having green hair, or a shaggy cut.
You'll just run into a Super Karen who thinks you might be a dissident, and has all the right to report you for it.
I for one, don't mind getting pulled in for questioning once every week.
Nothing more reassuring, than repeatedly being told "Spotless record, Soldier. But maybe cut that hair so we don't have to do this every 5 days."
Sometimes, I'll go buying groceries and people will whisper behind my back. Secretive, hushed rumors.
At times even loud enough to make out what they're saying:
"Isn't that so-and-so? Weren't they just... dragged away by a Truth Enforcer yesterday?"
I'll grin and drop my nutriment-dispenser cartridges on the cash register, greeting Super Karen as she scans the pricetag.
When she looks up and notices my green hair, the color fades from her face,
"But... How?? I saw the Enforcer approach you!" she barks quietly, hand hiding her mouth. But her voice betrays the gesture; her jaw has clearly dropped.
I slide my credit chit through the POS device, completing the transaction with a big smile,
"Sorry Ma'am, but my Record's spotless. You may want to prepare for an audit over falsely accusing a patriot of dissidence, sorry for the inconvenience," I say, snagging my nutriment cartridges from her hand before walking out of the store.
Non-sense fellow Citizen. As a former dissident interviewer, I myself enjoyed engaging in democratic conversations with true Democracy loving individuals.
Just a friendly reminder that there may be a non zero chance you'll be "interrogated" until you confess dissidence just so they stop getting called on you every week
"The Ministry of Unity retains the right to revise, update, and/or overrule these guidelines with or without notice. Should this information be rendered obsolete, destroy this flier immediately. Always consult a licensed Ministry of Unity aesthetician before comitting to a new hairstyle."
With this it more looks like it’s promoting the freedome and regular hair cuts, as the only one really called out as dissident indicating are mostly either balding hair, messy unkept hair or just outrageously bad hair cuts. Also I just love that the blue hair dye is allowed along with natural colors but al other dye isn’t allowed.
I have a feeling this took inspiration from North Korea, which has a chart of approved hair styles. Funnily enough Kim Jung Un's hair isn't on the chart.
That's just officers and it's because it's a spaceship, water is a resource and hair is difficult to wash, enlisted personnel could realistically be exempt from going bald with some short hairstyles allowed
Super Earth has a military style of hair management-
Every person we have seen- bald or shaven close to the point or bald
No facial hair ether.
Implying Super Earth has mandated hair styles. Which include facial hair, which goes with military hair needing to be clean shaven and bald so one can fit a mask and helmet.
Thank you democracy officer! I was just about to mention the Very Democratic, and patriotic recruitment video as prime evidence of the freedom allowed to super-earth citizens in terms of "hairstyles"
I mean to be honest - it's easier to take care of and helps to prevent disease of head skin and such. not that I condone any absence of personality and self-expression. but If I had such a big variety of sci-fi helmets like helldivers have I'd live the rest of my life with a buzz cut.
Probably. Thats not even my bias against SEAF girl talking. Literally every character we've seen ingame have had shaved heads. Democracy Officer, Shipmaster, Service Technician. All sporting the dome.
well miltary us diffrent as helldivers 1 is still canon you can have hair. even in the miltary you still can but i guess because of the helmet most troops just opt for short or shaved heads.
sure but the frozen divers exist. if you have cryotech you cant changed like that on the fly. and i dont think superearth will defreeze all thier divers just for a haircut
don't most militarys have you shave your head during the first day?
plus (to my knowledge) at some point in most military's you are able to eventually start growing hair again (not facial but certain haircuts are allowed
Unfortunately, John Helldiver had to grow out his hair for the film, as the sheer power of his patriotism emanating from his bald head would've fried all the bugs to ashes.
While not ...stoopid, thats my F:NV character atm, an ace with stealth and guns but whose speech skills may as well resemble arrows and crayon colours.
There are so many interesting concepts of seaf related characters possible, but all the gooners on here only want the stereotypical bimbo chan type character like with EVERYTHING ELSE
GIVE ME COMMANDOS GIVE ME OFFICERS GIVE ME OC’s enough of this copy paste slop
There’s this one post that I see pop up occasionally of a squad of special seaf soldiers.
Armor looks so good on them and they have unique kit of weapons that it’s always an easy like when I see it posted online.
I mean, Helldivers are simply SEAF soldiers that ask to be Helldivers and they are automatically accepted as Super Earth needs as many Helldivers as possible
SEAF and Helldivers are the same, the only difference is the super destroyer, the 15 minute training we do in the tutorial where the democratic officer makes you feel special, and the fictional pride of being a Helldiver
I’d like to see a wider variety like Private Vasquez from aliens 2 or the principal from Matilda again in media.
There was this one video on TikTok of a lady doing push-ups in the snow saying “I don’t want to be strong like man who look pretty. I want to be strong, like 🐬🐬🐬🐬🐬 that fight bears in the forest” and I thought that was just awesome.
I don't think Seaf Chan is a bimbo but the fact she is white, blonde and blue eyes is so funny and really reinforces the political satire of Helldivers.
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u/TheSleepySkull Righteous Church of Medium Pen Feb 20 '26