David Grossman published a couple books on the psychology of combat and violence that is pretty standard reading among the military and law enforcement circles.
In one of his most repeated topics he explains soldiers and police as such;
Most of the people in our society are sheep. They are kind, gentle, productive creatures who can only hurt one another by accident. Violence is still remarkably rare. This is because most citizens are kind, decent people who are not capable of hurting each other, except by accident or under extreme provocation. They are sheep. Not in a negative connotation but it a gentle way.
Then there are the wolves and the wolves feed on the sheep without mercy. There are evil men in this world and they are capable of evil deeds. There is no safety in denial.
Lastly, Grossman explains, there are sheepdogs, they live to protect the flock and confront the wolf. Soldiers, policemen, first responders. These are the well intentioned people trying to protect the flock. The sheep do not always like the sheepdogs as they may nip at the occasional sheep every now and then, or the sheepdogs may tell the flock where to go. Despite the inconveniences most sheep dogs are behaved, well intentioned and looking out for the good of the sheep.
This metaphor never sat well with me. There is an entire other animal missing that even a career military man like Grossman isnt aware of. The sheep have a hard time conceptualizing things that are not in their world. This is great and makes for a happier life
Some sheepdogs like to pretend they are one of them. Most of our flock is only vaguely aware they even exist. And the wolves are terrified of them.
We have our own breed of predator that is too dangerous to be used around our own sheep. A breed of predator that easily slaughters wolves. A breed of predator that is has to be packed up in a can and moved across the world to be unleashed safely. Like in the movie 300 where beasts unimaginable were brought in to the front line of battle and unchained.
This still happens.
This predator will happily kill any wolves you want. Just point him in a direction and stay out of his way.
What is my point? I dont know. Just rambling. I know these people gravitate together.
This is a volunteer military. You pick and choose what you want to do in the military. As a Delta officer once told me; You just do not wake up one day in the middle of your life and decide I want to shoot people in the head.
This breed of predator exists. To the embarrassment almost of the rest of society. I understand why and I am not judging. But if someone is not a sheep, or a wolf, or a sheepdog. If they take the chain off him and throw him back into the flock... that is why there really isnt an answer.
Sadr City. This went down every night for years.
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=2e8_1207494274&p=1
PS: I promise Im not whining. I just felt like writing this morning.
In one of his most repeated topics he explains soldiers and police as such;
Most of the people in our society are sheep. They are kind, gentle, productive creatures who can only hurt one another by accident. Violence is still remarkably rare. This is because most citizens are kind, decent people who are not capable of hurting each other, except by accident or under extreme provocation. They are sheep. Not in a negative connotation but it a gentle way.
Then there are the wolves and the wolves feed on the sheep without mercy. There are evil men in this world and they are capable of evil deeds. There is no safety in denial.
Lastly, Grossman explains, there are sheepdogs, they live to protect the flock and confront the wolf. Soldiers, policemen, first responders. These are the well intentioned people trying to protect the flock. The sheep do not always like the sheepdogs as they may nip at the occasional sheep every now and then, or the sheepdogs may tell the flock where to go. Despite the inconveniences most sheep dogs are behaved, well intentioned and looking out for the good of the sheep.
This metaphor never sat well with me. There is an entire other animal missing that even a career military man like Grossman isnt aware of. The sheep have a hard time conceptualizing things that are not in their world. This is great and makes for a happier life
Some sheepdogs like to pretend they are one of them. Most of our flock is only vaguely aware they even exist. And the wolves are terrified of them.We have our own breed of predator that is too dangerous to be used around our own sheep. A breed of predator that easily slaughters wolves. A breed of predator that is has to be packed up in a can and moved across the world to be unleashed safely. Like in the movie 300 where beasts unimaginable were brought in to the front line of battle and unchained.
This still happens.
This predator will happily kill any wolves you want. Just point him in a direction and stay out of his way.
What is my point? I dont know. Just rambling. I know these people gravitate together.
This is a volunteer military. You pick and choose what you want to do in the military. As a Delta officer once told me; You just do not wake up one day in the middle of your life and decide I want to shoot people in the head.
This breed of predator exists. To the embarrassment almost of the rest of society. I understand why and I am not judging. But if someone is not a sheep, or a wolf, or a sheepdog. If they take the chain off him and throw him back into the flock... that is why there really isnt an answer.
Sadr City. This went down every night for years.
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=2e8_1207494274&p=1
PS: I promise Im not whining. I just felt like writing this morning.
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I am sick of being a sheep.