Why young men go to war. (article)

[Stoof]

If you have seen any of Sabastian Junger's documentaries you probably enjoyed them.
I myself never joined the military but spent my first 18 years of life on an Air Force Base and have the mentality and respect engrained in my system.
This is a good read, especially in light of the recent media bashing of the glorification of war.

https://medium.com/war-is-boring/sebastian-junger-knows-why-young-men-go-to-war-f163804cbf6

It also makes a strong case for specific gender roles that we as a modern society tend to try and argue away.

-Cheers!

[treestand]

Interesting read but I don't buy the rites of passage claim. There is unarguably an evolutionary adaptation favoring the best warriors - our ancestors. Only the winners in those long ago tribal wars got to pass on their genes. But I don't think we seek out any rite of passage into adulthood. Parents may encourage their children to grow up and become adults and that might include some sort of rite of passage but it doesn't need to. Just saying...

[TimH]

Interesting article. I can agree with the majority of it.

I joined the Marine Corp in 1987 without even a thought whatsoever about going to war. All I knew is I was too immature to do any good in college and to undisciplined to make anything of myself in the workforce at 18yo and my folks were not going to let me freeload at home. For me, the Corp forced my hand to grow up and I did. I don't regret one second of it, nor do I even remotely consider myself heroic.

[Stoof]

Interesting read but I don't buy the rites of passage claim. There is unarguably an evolutionary adaptation favoring the best warriors - our ancestors. Only the winners in those long ago tribal wars got to pass on their genes. But I don't think we seek out any rite of passage into adulthood. Parents may encourage their children to grow up and become adults and that might include some sort of rite of passage but it doesn't need to. Just saying...

I hear what your saying. I don't think he really means to paint it with such a broad stroke though.
If you haven't seen Restrepo or Korengal, you should. It would probably give you a good idea of where he is coming from in this piece.

[Bill]

My history teacher (and track coach) in high school was one of the greatest and wisest men I ever met. I'll never forget that he said, "all wars through history have been fought for economic reasons, and sold to the public as for God and country- so mothers would send their sons off to die". It was at the end of the Vietnam War and I don't know if he was in a cynical mood that day, but the statement has stuck for over 40 years.