re: #153 jamesfirecat

The book directly calls out/counters your last point.

The recruiter is missing several limbs/has cybernetic replacements for them, and explains that if a deaf and blind person wanted to serve in order to get citizenship, they’d find him a job counting the numbers of hairs on caterpillars somewhere that would qualify/they’d find a qualifying position for someone no matter how physically disabled/uneducated a person is.

Also the main characters father is offered the chance at citizenship simply by running a factory that is producing war related goods.

You don’t have to agree with Starship Troopers (I don’t either) but it behooves us to keep each other honest.

You’re correct; it’s been a long time since I read the book.

I’m still of the opinion that nearly everyone is still a contributor to society in some fashion. As noted above, the context of “Starship Troopers” is that Earth is facing an existential threat. Heinlein’s book also came out right after the USA suspended nuclear testing, but still viewed the USSR as an existential threat to the USA.