Smile For My Crosshairs, Part II
john posted in other on February 1st, 2007
In my original post on this topic, I wandered a bit aimlessly around the issue of the warrior, and the horror of the war itself, and the trapped feeling I had when dealing with the crude feelings of the soldier. Since I wrote it, a friend lent us a copy of Chris Hedges’ book, War is a Force That Gives Us Meaning, where his introduction does a far better job. Hedges was himself a war correspondent in many different locations.
Chris Hedges, ex-war correspondent, from his book, War is a Force That Gives Us Meaning, from the introduction:
The enduring attraction of war is this: Even with its destruction and carnage it can give us what we long for in life. It can give us purpose, meaning, a reason for living. Only when we are in the midst of conflict does the shallowness and vapidness of much of our lives become apparent. Trivia dominates our conversations and increasingly our airwaves. And war is an enticing elixir. It gives us resolve, a cause. It allows us to be noble. And those who have the least meaning in their lives, the impoverished refugees in Gaza, the disenfranchised North African immigrants in France, even the legions of young who live in the splendid indolence and safety of the industrialized world, are all susceptible to war’s appeal.