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Here's an interesting article about killing following on from the TV program, which I didn't watch. I assumed from the trailers it was going to be fairly lowest common denominator, but the above article is rather interesting and has some useful linls off it ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
nickys should look at.
I suspect the central question - "Could you kill?" - is one that can only really be answered after the fact. I think I could, I'm sure I could to defend my loved ones, but I don't KNOW I actually would when it came to it. I certainly hope I never find out.
This reminds me of a TV program whose name I've forgotten (zotz might remember the one I'm talking about), back in the Eighties, whose gimmick was that people were interviewed in an empty room, supposedly by a computer. Very Tron style. Paddy Ashdown was being interviewed and he was asked "Have you ever killed anyone?" His face went totally blank and he replied after a pause "I don't know." Which for most combatants in a modern war is probably true.
I suppose the problem that the military has in getting people to kill at range is that the person pulling the trigger won't usually feel personally threatened by the target. If you're in hand to hand combat then it's definately them or you and there's little opportunity for introspection. Until the late 19th century most troops would be firing in the general direction of a group of others, and wouldn't be so aware of trying to kill someone they're aware of as an individual. You could select your cold blooded killers as your snipers. Once the target becomes an individual that can be empathised with it's much harder to kill them, I suspect. Hmm. I should stop philosophising and go feed my family, I think!
nickys should look at.I suspect the central question - "Could you kill?" - is one that can only really be answered after the fact. I think I could, I'm sure I could to defend my loved ones, but I don't KNOW I actually would when it came to it. I certainly hope I never find out.
This reminds me of a TV program whose name I've forgotten (
zotz might remember the one I'm talking about), back in the Eighties, whose gimmick was that people were interviewed in an empty room, supposedly by a computer. Very Tron style. Paddy Ashdown was being interviewed and he was asked "Have you ever killed anyone?" His face went totally blank and he replied after a pause "I don't know." Which for most combatants in a modern war is probably true. I suppose the problem that the military has in getting people to kill at range is that the person pulling the trigger won't usually feel personally threatened by the target. If you're in hand to hand combat then it's definately them or you and there's little opportunity for introspection. Until the late 19th century most troops would be firing in the general direction of a group of others, and wouldn't be so aware of trying to kill someone they're aware of as an individual. You could select your cold blooded killers as your snipers. Once the target becomes an individual that can be empathised with it's much harder to kill them, I suspect. Hmm. I should stop philosophising and go feed my family, I think!
