On Killing

[shamrockpow]

Recently got around to reading:
On Killing: The Psychological Cost of Learning to Kill in War and Society

Very highly recommended for anyone that is interested in military history, understanding psychopaths, or just human nature.

The bottom line premise that the author (a former Army Ranger and current West Point Psychology professor) gives is that 98% of us are incapable of killing a fellow human being even when threatened. He then goes on to describe the various tactics the military has used to overcome this aversion over time and what the consequences might be for both soldiers and society as a whole.

Has anyone else read this?

[non grata]

i have a long time ago... it was interesting to see the rationales behind the increase in the capacity of killing of soldiers from war to war. he digs deep into exploring the potency of today's soldier, the hard-wiring and re-wiring of transforming citizens into soldiers and back again, ptsd, and a uniquely modern set of internalized dilemmas that soldiers face now. a supremely relevant read now.