Something to chew on...
- Thread starter MarinePMI
- Start date
Interesting read, PMI, thanks. Seems there are other paths that some choose to avoid that dull life. Some choose crime. Some just walk in different directions that most cant comprehend, much like those he describes, perhaps pirates of a different nature.
As one of the borderline cases he described, I'd have appreciated it if he expounded a bit more. It was a nice snippet though.
“Out of every one hundred men, ten shouldn't even be there, eighty are just targets, nine are the real fighters, and we are lucky to have them, for they make the battle. Ah, but the one, one is a warrior, and he will bring the others back.”
¯ Heraclitus
Read Col Grossman "On Killing".
The men that matter in battle are exceedingly rare. Their high level of functioning in such chaos almost makes them border line socio path according to the psychology types.
I have a theory.......Conventional wisdom has it that these people want the blood and crave the gore. I see it that they recognize a feature in themselves that makes them good at doing their chosen profession. It is their great empathy for their comrades and the understanding that they can keep them alive is why they stay.
My theory would drive libs nuts - Men that kill because they love? It just doesn't compute. In the past such men were celebrated and given high honor. Today society would prefer them kept in closed spaces with a door marked "Only open In case of War"
Training will get you so far but to crest the hill there needs to be a Pirate to clear the top and push the capable few.
We are fortunate to have them.
Ive never been so what do I know.
Here is a British Pirate from WWII
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Churchill
¯ Heraclitus
Read Col Grossman "On Killing".
The men that matter in battle are exceedingly rare. Their high level of functioning in such chaos almost makes them border line socio path according to the psychology types.
I have a theory.......Conventional wisdom has it that these people want the blood and crave the gore. I see it that they recognize a feature in themselves that makes them good at doing their chosen profession. It is their great empathy for their comrades and the understanding that they can keep them alive is why they stay.
My theory would drive libs nuts - Men that kill because they love? It just doesn't compute. In the past such men were celebrated and given high honor. Today society would prefer them kept in closed spaces with a door marked "Only open In case of War"
Training will get you so far but to crest the hill there needs to be a Pirate to clear the top and push the capable few.
We are fortunate to have them.
Ive never been so what do I know.
Here is a British Pirate from WWII
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Churchill
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You're spot on Brother. And the quote from Heraclitus is one of my favorites. I used to have it on my wall.
That writer at OAF is good. I enjoyed that read and lingered around on some of the other writings in there. Thanks for posting.
And another writer from the past that sort of speaks to this issue. .....
[IMG2=JSON]{"alt":"Rudyard Kipling","data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"https:\/\/www.poetryloverspage.com\/poets\/kipling\/gif\/kipling.jpg"}[/IMG2]
Rudyard Kipling
[IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"https:\/\/www.poetryloverspage.com\/gif\/scroll2.gif"}[/IMG2]Tommy
I WENT into a public 'ouse to get a pint o' beer,
The publican 'e up an' sez, " We serve no red-coats here."
The girls be'ind the bar they laughed an' giggled fit to die,
I outs into the street again an' to myself sez I:
O it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' " Tommy, go away " ;
But it's " Thank you, Mister Atkins," when the band begins to play
The band begins to play, my boys, the band begins to play,
O it's " Thank you, Mister Atkins," when the band begins to play.
I went into a theatre as sober as could be,
They gave a drunk civilian room, but 'adn't none for me;
They sent me to the gallery or round the music-'alls,
But when it comes to fightin', Lord! they'll shove me in the stalls!
For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' " Tommy, wait outside ";
But it's " Special train for Atkins " when the trooper's on the tide
The troopship's on the tide, my boys, the troopship's on the tide,
O it's " Special train for Atkins " when the trooper's on the tide.
Yes, makin' mock o' uniforms that guard you while you sleep
Is cheaper than them uniforms, an' they're starvation cheap.
An' hustlin' drunken soldiers when they're goin' large a bit
Is five times better business than paradin' in full kit.
Then it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an` Tommy, 'ow's yer soul? "
But it's " Thin red line of 'eroes " when the drums begin to roll
The drums begin to roll, my boys, the drums begin to roll,
O it's " Thin red line of 'eroes, " when the drums begin to roll.
We aren't no thin red 'eroes, nor we aren't no blackguards too,
But single men in barricks, most remarkable like you;
An' if sometimes our conduck isn't all your fancy paints,
Why, single men in barricks don't grow into plaster saints;
While it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an` Tommy, fall be'ind,"
But it's " Please to walk in front, sir," when there's trouble in the wind
There's trouble in the wind, my boys, there's trouble in the wind,
O it's " Please to walk in front, sir," when there's trouble in the wind.
You talk o' better food for us, an' schools, an' fires, an' all:
We'll wait for extry rations if you treat us rational.
Don't mess about the cook-room slops, but prove it to our face
The Widow's Uniform is not the soldier-man's disgrace.
For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an` Chuck him out, the brute! "
But it's " Saviour of 'is country " when the guns begin to shoot;
An' it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' anything you please;
An 'Tommy ain't a bloomin' fool - you bet that Tommy sees!
And another writer from the past that sort of speaks to this issue. .....
[IMG2=JSON]{"alt":"Rudyard Kipling","data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"https:\/\/www.poetryloverspage.com\/poets\/kipling\/gif\/kipling.jpg"}[/IMG2]
Rudyard Kipling
[IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"https:\/\/www.poetryloverspage.com\/gif\/scroll2.gif"}[/IMG2]Tommy
I WENT into a public 'ouse to get a pint o' beer,
The publican 'e up an' sez, " We serve no red-coats here."
The girls be'ind the bar they laughed an' giggled fit to die,
I outs into the street again an' to myself sez I:
O it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' " Tommy, go away " ;
But it's " Thank you, Mister Atkins," when the band begins to play
The band begins to play, my boys, the band begins to play,
O it's " Thank you, Mister Atkins," when the band begins to play.
I went into a theatre as sober as could be,
They gave a drunk civilian room, but 'adn't none for me;
They sent me to the gallery or round the music-'alls,
But when it comes to fightin', Lord! they'll shove me in the stalls!
For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' " Tommy, wait outside ";
But it's " Special train for Atkins " when the trooper's on the tide
The troopship's on the tide, my boys, the troopship's on the tide,
O it's " Special train for Atkins " when the trooper's on the tide.
Yes, makin' mock o' uniforms that guard you while you sleep
Is cheaper than them uniforms, an' they're starvation cheap.
An' hustlin' drunken soldiers when they're goin' large a bit
Is five times better business than paradin' in full kit.
Then it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an` Tommy, 'ow's yer soul? "
But it's " Thin red line of 'eroes " when the drums begin to roll
The drums begin to roll, my boys, the drums begin to roll,
O it's " Thin red line of 'eroes, " when the drums begin to roll.
We aren't no thin red 'eroes, nor we aren't no blackguards too,
But single men in barricks, most remarkable like you;
An' if sometimes our conduck isn't all your fancy paints,
Why, single men in barricks don't grow into plaster saints;
While it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an` Tommy, fall be'ind,"
But it's " Please to walk in front, sir," when there's trouble in the wind
There's trouble in the wind, my boys, there's trouble in the wind,
O it's " Please to walk in front, sir," when there's trouble in the wind.
You talk o' better food for us, an' schools, an' fires, an' all:
We'll wait for extry rations if you treat us rational.
Don't mess about the cook-room slops, but prove it to our face
The Widow's Uniform is not the soldier-man's disgrace.
For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an` Chuck him out, the brute! "
But it's " Saviour of 'is country " when the guns begin to shoot;
An' it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' anything you please;
An 'Tommy ain't a bloomin' fool - you bet that Tommy sees!
