Probably you heard about the phrase “marines eat crayons”. In fact, quite a number of memes were created for this. Quora and Reddit even have threads talking about this topic. Branches of the military are determined to tease each other just for fun. But we will not go there. Let’s leave that teasing and “fun insulting each other” to them.
This article doesn’t mean to belittle or make fun of this branch of the military. For some, It may sound like a derogatory term if not a harmless joke. And offending someone is the last thing we want to happen here. But for the sake of information, we thread off some ideas on how this statement came about.
Origin of “Marines Eat Crayons” phrase :
A thread on Quora tells about the origin of “marines eat crayons” the phrase was born. Though personally, we cannot say that I am sure it is the real and true story, not even websites for the marine branch or the college sorority involved would confirm it. All we think is that the origin of this statement/phrase is not something veteran marines knew so much about. It could be a new phrase invented by whoever it was.
The Crayola-themed party.
A college sorority throws a themed party. The invitations to the party were in the Sorority Secretary’s care. When her car broke down, a gentlemanly marine helped fix her vehicle. With the marine’s charm and looks, the sorority secretary handed him a flyer for the party. She invited him personally to the party. He asked if he could come with his friends to which she agrees.
To cut the story short, the party could have been a horrible and boring one despite the matching costumes of the sorority sisters. You guess it right, a crayon-dress costume. The battalion of marine men in massive trucks turned out to be the life of the party who saved the sorority party.
Pleased about the success of their party, the sisters invited the marines for the next several nights and for many more events that follow. They even had the marines back to the house for no particular reason at all. Obviously, the marines and the sorority sisters built a kind of connection or friendship because of these parties they spent together.
Most Common Implications Why “Marines Eat Crayons” :
Here are the most common implications on “marines eating crayons” and the facts that discredits such implications.
1. The “less educated” branch : Marines
Marine recruits are mostly fresh out of high school. There would be instances that they never got that far in school. Some say, you just need to complete a number of push-ups and pull-ups and you can easily become a marine. Another joke about the Marine even says, “Muscles Are Required, Intelligence Not Essential”. How harsh, right?
But these could not be true. are not true. Yes, the minimum requirement for a Marine recruit is at least a high school graduate, but their education will not stop from there especially if they aim to become an officer and not an enlisted marine.
To be an enlisted member, you will receive training, and you should commit to a four-year minimum enlistment contract. After that, with good conduct and a decision that life in the corps is for you, you can extend your contract or re-enlist.
A Marine Corps Officer should have a qualification of at least a bachelor’s degree and complete an officer program. Doctors and lawyers may directly commission into the Marine Corps.
That said, we cannot say that the Marines are the less educated branch who only flex their muscles. They certainly undergo extensive training or at least should have a minimum high school education.
2. They are “dumb”.
The so-called brainwashing within the Marines is somehow where this “dumb” attitude comes from. Being the proud branch that they are, the Marines perhaps the stereotype rooted in their herd mentality. Thus, being thought of as a branch that lacks intelligence and who only follows the orders of superiors.
To say that the Marines are dumb is somewhat contradictory to their longstanding mantra to “improvise, adapt, and overcome.” Smart and tough people have the qualities that can equate to surviving with little provision. Improvisation is a skill Marines have mastered. The Marines are adaptable, deploy them in the most-unwanted field, and they will easily adapt. Through all the challenges, they overcome it with all pride and glory.
3. Their maturity level is like that of a 3-year-old who eat crayons.
The Marines branch is known as the least intelligent branch of the military who are also “dumb”. Hence, the association with toddlers or mentally challenged people.
Who first comes to mind when you think of snacking on crayons? Exactly, 3-year-olds or mentally challenged who know less that crayons have toxic chemicals. Their thinking and reasoning are the same as those of a three-year-old. You can’t leave kids unattended with the crayons, otherwise, they would put that in their mouths and chew on them. Even if it tastes wax and bad.
FUN FACT:
If there’s something admirable about the Marines, it’s their attitude to turn a challenge into opportunities. They are a branch of the military who are sport despite the ridicule and wrong assumptions and claim it as their own. Not everybody has a mental toughness like that of a Marine.
If next time you hear about Marines eat crayons, don’t be surprised. Don’t ever laugh about it or ignore it. Why? Because it’s true. They do eat crayons — an edible one of course!
Tashina Coronel served in the Marine Corps for 10 active years. She’s a veteran and the owner of Okashi Sweets. Inspired by ridicule and wrong assumptions about the Marines, she decided to start selling crayons Marines could actually eat. Sweets creator Coronel is on her 7th year in the dessert industry since she left the Marines.
According to Coronel, it was actually a jab at Marines from other services who tries to make fun of them. But true to the characteristics of a Marine, they can turn ridicule into something to laugh along with. She decided to make an edible novelty item that Marines can eat.
It first started as a gag gift, but quickly spread like wildfire. The edible crayons Marine Corps edition along with the edible glue has become a known product now. Speaking of sweets
Conclusion:
Now we can say that we finally got the answer to the question of why do marines eat crayons. And that there’s no truth to that but a mere harmless joke, though derogatory remarks to some. Kids may put things to their mouths, but that doesn’t make them less intelligent. They are simply babies who know less. It’s unfair for grown men who underwent rigid training and have the education to be called “dumb” or has the intelligence of a child. Yes, it could be a joke, and making fun of someone (who is a sport) is just harmless, but remember it is always better to remain kind and thoughtful of other people’s feelings.
