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War serving a greater purpose?
Zayl
Veteran
Now just hear me out.
Throwing all political agendas aside, and focusing just on war itself, armed and vicious combat. I believe that it presents our species as a whole with lessons that we may need to survive as a whole. I think that War will only be banished from the face of this world if we learn all of the painful lessons and mistakes it has to offer. But beyond that, I think it is helping forge an iron will and constitution within our species that will not only help us survive the immediate trials of war. But also may help us survive natural disasters or other tragic events. I don't know about you, but during an earthquake I would put more trust in the soldier that has had his body and mind forged in the fires of war rather than some librarian or nurse during an initial rescue effort. Think about it, not only would the soldier be more accustomed to pain both physical and mental, he would be more resistant to giving into panic or disgust, and may be more willing to go that extra mile. Not to mention he would be physically more adept at the task. Something like that scenario is a short-term version of what I think War might present our race over generations. It will make us stronger and more sound over time. And when the day finally comes when War is no longer needed on our planet, we would be left with these benefits.
Granted the cost would be dire but you know what they say... to make an omelette... Perhaps I am being callous or naive, maybe both. But when it comes right down to it, the long term goals and benefits that are possible to gain, is war really so bad?
When these changes both physical and mental are ingrained into our species and passed down the generations even after war itself is gone, would that not make the tragedy of war worthwhile?
Throwing all political agendas aside, and focusing just on war itself, armed and vicious combat. I believe that it presents our species as a whole with lessons that we may need to survive as a whole. I think that War will only be banished from the face of this world if we learn all of the painful lessons and mistakes it has to offer. But beyond that, I think it is helping forge an iron will and constitution within our species that will not only help us survive the immediate trials of war. But also may help us survive natural disasters or other tragic events. I don't know about you, but during an earthquake I would put more trust in the soldier that has had his body and mind forged in the fires of war rather than some librarian or nurse during an initial rescue effort. Think about it, not only would the soldier be more accustomed to pain both physical and mental, he would be more resistant to giving into panic or disgust, and may be more willing to go that extra mile. Not to mention he would be physically more adept at the task. Something like that scenario is a short-term version of what I think War might present our race over generations. It will make us stronger and more sound over time. And when the day finally comes when War is no longer needed on our planet, we would be left with these benefits.
Granted the cost would be dire but you know what they say... to make an omelette... Perhaps I am being callous or naive, maybe both. But when it comes right down to it, the long term goals and benefits that are possible to gain, is war really so bad?
When these changes both physical and mental are ingrained into our species and passed down the generations even after war itself is gone, would that not make the tragedy of war worthwhile?
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Comments
to be able to "help" part of the population better during a disaster,
we take the soldiers, and get them to murder part of said population.
does it really worth it to you?
if it's not the murdering that makes them better at responding during natural disasters, then maybe it's the "surviving" ?
I don't think war is necessary in this case.
All you have to do is get a bunch of people and train them like soldiers.
have them ship in precarious situations in the middle of the jungle where they will need to survive by themselves if you need to.
but all silliness aside, i think that all you need is to get the soldiers to go and help during natural disasters when it happen wherever in the world, if what you want is soldiers who are good at doing that.
War can condition a person to be resilient, tolerant, dependable, strong, and capable of so much more than one who had experienced nothing of it; it can bring out the very best in us, but also the very worst. Where is it, I ask, the proper conduit through which a soldier should be raised from whence they would become an upstanding citizen of the world, instead of a single country?
If so, possibly true, but you can make great leaders in any number of ways. Doesn't have to be through wars.
At one time, many school principals had been gym teachers, because there was the feeling that gym teachers best knew how to lead sports teams.
I think what is missing from your analysis is the question: what problems are we facing as humankind? Or if you also care for animals and nature: what problems is our planet facing? If you have not answered this question, I think you cannot conclude much about what will benefit humankind, and what will not. If you do answer this question, then you might estimate to what extent war alleviates our problems, or makes things worse. Then we can have a proper discussion
And I am not talking about the killing aspect of war at all. I am talking about the survival aspect as well as the physical and mental training aspects that must arise in soldiers if they are to survive one of the most consistently dangerous situations on the planet.
@KnightofBuddha
I also think it is a little sad that you think in the billions upon billions of years our species has the potential to live in we will not eliminate the need for war, at least amongst our species. I think the changes the environment of war may bring to the bodies and minds of humanity may very well one day serve to aid us instead of harming us.
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Ideally, one day thousands, maybe tens of thousands of years from now the average human would have the body and iron will of a soldier, the intellect of a scholar, and the compassion of a monk. And yes I do mean "Ideally" in the true definition of the word, and I am aware that this may never happen exactly as I feel it will. I also firmly believe that not all soldiers are mindless trained killing machines. And quite frankly, who would you rather have try to rescue you from a collapsed building? A soldier, or some random bystander? Or would you rather wait and hope that emergency workers arrive and find you in time?
So again, it is not the ability to kill that I am valuing here at all. Rather it is the ability to have the physical fortitude, the mental acuity, and the constitution that is required to survive in the most extreme of conditions that may benefit our species one day, in ways it already is.
I had an irrational fear of being homeless and after surviving a huricane in the ghetto...I started researching extreme survival training on my own.
All I can say is that the fear is gone and if the time came I would be ready to bug out with my bob and whatever knowledge I acquired for having the foresight to take time to learn it.
If and when catastrophe happens, I'm not waiting around to be saved. Those were the lessons learned of katrina, people dying in their homes waiting for help.
I appreciate that you speak very well and kindly of soldiers and those who choose the profession of arms, and are not just automatons. Trust me, I'd trust a GI in most circumstances over any civilian.
Would we all like to see an end to war? Of course.
Has there been any evidence that that is in the offing? No, not one iota.
I feel for soldiers - devoting their lives to the pursuit of ending life further to a greed-centric political agenda.
The fact that we continue to war is testament to our underdeveloped intellects - if we all stopped and considered that we are nestled on a rock in the middle of space with noone else (apparently) around us then surely we should all hug eachother and look after eachother as there is one earth and one humanity and this is it.
I would much rather be in the hands of a nurse than a soldier - I dont need to be conditioned to kill in order to survive - my body and brain are already hardwired to kill and I reject that through choice and reason.
While it might be true that someone trained for war is better prepared for survival than the average person, a warrior is trained above all else for the purpose of killing. Saying you think war is a benefit to human kind because of this byproduct is like saying cancer is good because it helps you lose weight.
I know people who have been elite warriors and now they cannot even function in normal society, because in normal everyday life being paranoid, hyper aggressive and ready to kill at a moments notice is called being "crazy", but in war it is what keeps you alive.
War has already evolved and escalated to the point were we can blow ourselves up with nuclear weapons over a 100 times over.
I think that the negative affects of war outweigh whatever benefit it produces .
Sorry if my writing comes off a little strong, but I don't mean any offense.
Of course, war and the large military establishments are the greatest sources of violence in the world. Whether their purpose is defensive or offensive, these vast powerful organizations exist solely to kill human beings. We should think carefully about the reality of war. Most of us have been conditioned to regard military combat as exciting and glamorous - an opportunity for men to prove their competence and courage. Since armies are legal, we feel that war is acceptable; in general, nobody feels that war is criminal or that accepting it is criminal attitude. In fact, we have been brainwashed. War is neither glamorous nor attractive. It is monstrous. Its very nature is one of tragedy and suffering.
If you want to learn the lessons of war pick up a book not a gun?
It's also 1 percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration.
And there's very little that glamorous about the whole deal.
The reality is when getting new toilets - instead of walking 100 paces with a shovel - is the most exciting thing to happen in a month!!
be practical....look at the obvious - don't be smart a...
war brings suffering, pain, destruction, thousands years of unsolved conflicts...
get real...
Give me a shovel.
I've two friends suffering with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder; one whose got three very young children and he's just a mess. Some 'wars' never finish for some people.
I live in the world as it is, not as I wish it to be.