The man is worthy of great respect, but it's not hard to see why he frightened people. It was clear, at points, that he was enjoying it. You're not supposed to enjoy war, everyone tells you.
One of the hard things for veterans to convey is, I think, how much they did enjoy it. It's easy for people to hear that it sucked, as of course it also does much (even most) of the time. It's easy to believe that it is frightening or upsetting. It's even easy to accept that it was exciting, like a car wreck can be.
To hear that it was enjoyable, that's something else. War has moments that engage your vital powers completely, in a way that never happens elsewhere. It involves intense friendships, intense enmities, demands virtue and engagement. It is, in a way, the best and most complete life you will ever live.
That's true, as true as the rest of it. But it's not acceptable.
The belief that being united as One in war, led Britain to adopt tyrannical Leftism starting with kicking Churchill and his party out. Don't need em any more. While Thatcher stemmed the tides, it wasn't permanent.
Humans are very naive creatures that think if their group is United, so can everyone else. It's not that easy.
Ancient weapons are normally very individual based, since most people lack the interest, time, or talent to utilize them well in battle.
ReplyDeleteModern weapons are designed so that even idiots (like Arabs) can use them, although not to their most effectiveness.
Also sounds like a polymath, with the combination of unconventional guerilla warfare, music, ancient muscle powered weapons, and various other things.
ReplyDeleteThe man is worthy of great respect, but it's not hard to see why he frightened people. It was clear, at points, that he was enjoying it. You're not supposed to enjoy war, everyone tells you.
ReplyDeleteOne of the hard things for veterans to convey is, I think, how much they did enjoy it. It's easy for people to hear that it sucked, as of course it also does much (even most) of the time. It's easy to believe that it is frightening or upsetting. It's even easy to accept that it was exciting, like a car wreck can be.
To hear that it was enjoyable, that's something else. War has moments that engage your vital powers completely, in a way that never happens elsewhere. It involves intense friendships, intense enmities, demands virtue and engagement. It is, in a way, the best and most complete life you will ever live.
That's true, as true as the rest of it. But it's not acceptable.
CS Lewis talked about the joy of war near the end of "Mere Christianity." It's a brief but powerful statement that has stuck with me.
ReplyDeleteThe belief that being united as One in war, led Britain to adopt tyrannical Leftism starting with kicking Churchill and his party out. Don't need em any more. While Thatcher stemmed the tides, it wasn't permanent.
ReplyDeleteHumans are very naive creatures that think if their group is United, so can everyone else. It's not that easy.
Why am I not surprised he was a motorcyclist?
ReplyDelete