This book review was written by Eugene Kernes
“War makes the world understandable, a black and white tableau of them and us. It suspends thought, especially self-critical thought. All bow before the supreme effort. We are one. Most of us willingly accept war as long as we can fold it into a belief system that paints the ensuing suffering as necessary for a higher good, for human beings seek not only happiness but also meaning. And tragically war is sometimes the most powerful way in human society to achieve meaning.” – Chris Hedges, Introduction, Page 10
“The imagined heroism, the vision of a dash to rescue a wounded comrade, the clear lines we thought were drawn in battle, the images we have of our own reaction under gunfire, usually wilt in combat. This is a sober and unsettling realization. We may not be who we thought we would be. One of the most difficult realizations of war is how deeply we betray ourselves, how far we are from the image of gallantry and courage we desire, how instinctual and primordial fear is. We do not meditate on action. Our movements are usually motivated by a numbing and overpowering desire for safety. And yet there are heroes, those who somehow rise above it all, maybe only once, to expose themselves to risk to save their comrades. I have seen such soldiers. I nearly always found them afterwards to be embarrassed about what they did, unable to explain it, reticent to talk. Many are not sure they could do it again.” – Chris Hedges, Chapter 1: The Myth Of War, Page 39
“States at war silence their own authentic and humane
culture. When this destruction is well
advanced they find the lack of critical and moral restraint useful in the
campaign to exterminate the culture of their opponents. By destroying authentic culture – that which
allows us to question and examine ourselves and our society – the state erodes
the moral fabric. It is replaced with a
warped version of reality. The enemy is
dehumanized; the universe starkly divided between the forces of light and the
forces of darkness. The cause is
celebrated, often in overt religious forms, as a manifestation of divine or
historical will. All is dedicated to
promoting and glorifying the myth, the nation, the cause.” – Chris Hedges,
Chapter 3: The Destruction Of Culture, Page 63
Is This An Overview?
To prevent a war that results in self-obliteration, requires an understanding of what war provides. How war functions and changes behavior. War is a destructive act, but tragically also has value. War can become an addition, like any other. War provides excitement, power, purpose, and meaning. War removes the trivia, the shallowness of life. Allows people to rise above the divisiveness. War makes reality more understandable, by simplifying reality. A clear dividing line is made between us and them. Makes people ready to pursue suffering for a higher good. Enables people to do evil, that is difficult to reconcile with after the war.
War is perpetuated by myths, news, entertainment, and
history. Myths twist all information to
serve the myth. The myths are meant to
separate people, to prevent communication with the opposition. Myths invoke a threat to community’s sacred
values, with the community perceived as the victims who are justified in their
violent reciprocation. With the myths,
the opposition is demonized, with their values inverted to justify
cruelty. Wars that lose their mythic
stature, are doomed to fail. Without the
myths, war becomes recognized as organized murder.
By What Cause?
The cause needs to be just to fight. Wars are difficult without an appropriate cause. Which is why states take tremendous time and effort to promote their cause. At war, the state becomes the guide for moral righteousness. To try to expose the myth, would mean removal from the group. Reporters provide legitimizing support for the for the state.
Death of innocent ignite conflicts. The innocent builds the cause. Each group perceives themselves as victims. Sharing and distorting the excess of others. Victimhood is cultivated by showing the injustice carried out against their group. Atrocities are justified by the atrocities of the opposition.
The dead do not have equal value. The dead of others mean little, while the
dead of supported group matter. The
opposition lacks humanity for killing, but the killing done by the supported
group is praised. War turns people into
killers. For want of power, or under
peer pressure. Martyrs provide a way to
prevent arguments for compromise or tolerance.
The dead speak and ask for revenge.
Who To Silence?
The dissidents to conflict are the earliest to be silenced, for they are the most dangerous, as they provide an alternative way to think. The opposition is not silenced, for they enable the sought after conflict. Most people self-censor their views to not be branded as outsiders to their community. Unwilling to help neighbors to prevent being attacked themselves.
States destroy their own culture to prevent the people from finding critical and moral restraint. Without the restraint, states are more effective in their attack against the opposition. Replacing authentic culture with a warped reality. Generating a conflict between good and evil. To glorify the myth. Seeing the humanity of the enemy makes for ineffective soldiers. Therefore states obliterate self-awareness and self-criticism. War removes individual consciousness and responsibility, in favor of communal effort.
The problem with silence, is that the silence of past atrocities, enables further atrocities. War does not free people from ethics of responsibility. But at times, immoral behavior needs to be reciprocated with less immoral behavior.
The press sees itself as part of the war effort. War is perpetuated by the news, as wars
garner more views. The press is being
shown only what the military wants them to see.
The press share only what the state wants people to see. The press show little of reality. Reporting what makes people feel better about
themselves.
Is There A Difference Between How War Is Portrayed And
Actual War?
Real conflict is very different than what is portrayed by
the entertainment industry. Most people
do not behave the way they expected to in actual combat. Imagined heroism is quick to fall apart. Individuals betray themselves, for want of
safety. To avoid the primordial
fear. There are few heroes, who usually
do not support what they did. Combat
humiliates. Words used to inspire,
become hollow and repugnant.
Caveats?
This book covers many sensitive
topics, sensitive wars, sensitive traumas.
A diverse history is provided to support the claims. But the history is limited. To understand the history of the various
conflicts would require more research.
