Response to...War is a Force That Gives Us Meaning

Of all the essays we read about war, this one speaks directly to the truth of its horror and attraction. Author Chris Hedges likens the emotions of war to an addiction to the excitement and glory of battle and the lust to banish the enemy. But like any other addict, there is a price to be paid, he says. It seems that war is sometimes necessary; to make a stand, to banish a dictator, to retain a way of life, to protect the innocent. But there is a psychological disconnect in the heat of battle, where killing is a worthy pursuit, or being killed is an honorable sacrifice. Like a drug addict or a drunk, the soldier chases his high to the exclusion of all realization of future consequences.