Original artwork, not a still
A child in a Federal Network newsreel, Starship Troopers (1997)
I'm doing my part!
— Starship Troopers • 1997
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
The line is the film's cleanest piece of satire: a child volunteering for a war with the thoughtless pride of a school-recycling drive. It is quoted for any cheerful bit of civic duty that is really a demand for obedience, and the catchphrase has gone on to be used on protest signs and in memes about civic virtue.
Context reviewed
In context
Spoilers for Starship TroopersShow the scene
Starship Troopers (1997) opens with a Federal Network recruitment newsreel. Young volunteers from all over the globe are shown joining up to fight for the future, and each one, a child included, cheerfully declares 'I'm doing my part!' The narrator then asks the viewer whether they are doing their part, pitches the Mobile Infantry, and promises that service guarantees citizenship. Director Paul Verhoeven played the propaganda straight, and Wikipedia notes that his assistant Stacy Lumbrezer and the author Paul Sammon appear in the newsreels.
Sources (2)
- Wikipedia: Starship Troopers (film)PlotReference checked
- Springfield! Springfield!: Starship Troopers transcripttranscriptReference checked
Context reviewed
