Aliens in Enders Game by Orson Scott Card

“Children chosen over trained adults...to fight war…alien species: The Formics”

-WSJ

In Enders Game by Orson Scott Card, earth has gone through two fierce wars with an alien species called the Formics, or more commonly known as the Buggers. The first invasion, the Bugger’s were exploring life outside of their solar system. The second invasion the Bugger’s wanted to colonize earth. After the first Bugger invasion, the countries of the world decided to come together and create a single government. This new government was called the Hegemony and ruled earth by taking advantage of human’s xenophobia of the Buggers. Under the Hegemony, “countries” shared resources, technology, and soldiers. Child soldiers precisely. The Hegemony formed the IF (international fleet) after the second invasion to train and develop child soldiers against the Buggers. The IF created multiple stages of training including, Battle School, Pre-command School, and finally Command School. But why use children? Answering goes back to the Formic’s invasions of earth and the near extinction of humanity. Scrutiny of the decision was based not on the reason the IF chose child soldiers, but in the use of child soldiers. The Hegemony concluded that no matter the moral questioning children are better soldiers as they: don’t have anxiety over taking risks, are far easier to manipulate, and children don’t have huge ego’s standing in the way.

Risk takers often help soften regimented rules and bring out a more creative side to people. For example, at Battle School, Ender was moved up early from a newly launched group into specific groups called armies. Ender was transferred into Salamander Army with Commander Bonzo Madrid. Bonzo was always concerned with his pride,...

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.... Contrasting what adults tend to do, children often are eager to learn and do not believe they understand everything. Ender shows this trait while talking to Dink (toonleader) admitting Ender does not have plenty of skill in the Battle room. Dink response is to learn, and Ender follows suit in saying teach me. An ego can disrupt human interactions, however an ego helps self-preservation; the key is control.

To say adults are less than children is an understatement. To say children are more than adults is an overstatement. Children may be more apt at activities that require more risk-taking and being able to overcome ones ego, however children are also easy to manipulate. The exploitation of the children in warfare is not necessarily a moral decision, but in time of necessity, a morality evolution may take place. You have to decide if the end justifies the means.