On Killing by Lt Col Dave Grossman - Book Report/Review Example

? “On Killing” by Lt. Col. Dave Grossman Other (s) “On Killing” by Lt. Col. Dave Grossman Introduction The book “On Killing” by Grossman is a captivating book that is largely based on a comprehensive analysis of the various psychological processes that are often involved in the killing of human being particularly by soldiers. Throughout the book, Lt. Col. Dave Grossman reveals a number of physical and psychological effects of violence on soldiers including the prevalence of post traumatic stress, tunnel vision, impaired sonic perception among others. This book review provides a summary of the book, why I chose the book, its relevance to my professional development as well as why every military leader should make it part of their reading list. Summary of the Book The book begins with by introducing the three main hypotheses of the author including that humans are innately reluctance to kill fellow humans, the reluctance is normally broken down through combat conditioning techniques and lastly, that killing has a life long psychological effects on combat soldiers. Although significant evidence supporting Grossman’s theories exist in previous literature, the authors systematic examination of the behavior of combat soldiers provides a wide rage of new scientific explanations of various phenomena such as the high incidences of post traumatic stress among veterans and ex-combat soldiers and the rising cases of aggravated assault among others. Within the first few chapters, Grossman particularly uses different analogies to introduce the concepts of the book to the readers and explain human’s aversion to the act of killing. For example, he argues that throughout the animal kingdom, intraspecies conflicts rarely result in death and instead, most animals normally employ a great deal of posturing including growling, puffing up, raising hackles and clawing. He further suggests that physical confrontation in various animal species is often non-lethal, and at some stage, one of the parties normally choose to retreat or submit. In this regard, Grossman uses this analogy to support his arguments that humans are also innately inclined to follow similar patterns. In the following chapters, the author begins to examine the various techniques that have been developed by military trainers to overcome the aversion. For example, using Vietnam War as a case study, Lt. Col. Dave Grossman reveals how the American soldiers were conditioned to kill to a considerably far greater degree compared to the previous combat killings. Having successfully argued that humans possess an innate aversion to taking of life in his investigation of the combat psychology, Grossman highlights various ways of changing the scenarios of combat to limit stressful situations such as cases of up-close killing have been developed. For example, the author argues that this has been successfully achieved by incorporating machinery between the killers and the target enemy to enhance the emotional and physical distance. The author particularly looks into the military techniques such as the operant conditioning that enable soldiers to overcome psychic damage associated with the experience of killing another fellow human. One of the widely mentioned concepts applied in the training of combat soldiers to kill is the operant conditioning of their fears into automatic killing reflex. This is primarily based on the fact that when people become frightened or angry, they usually begin to loose some of their aversions to killing. According to Grossman, the contemporary operant conditioning training involves training soldiers to shoot at human shoot at objects as opposed to bull’s eyes that were previously used. These techniques were generally developed after military combat trainers began to closely study the reactions of ordinary soldiers after killing. On the other hand, Grossman also argues that the breakdown of the contemporary American, coupled with the pervasive depiction of violence in the mass media and video games has not only dehumanized the act of killing but is also increasingly conditioning children to normalize violence and killing just like the military conditioning of soldiers. The final chapters of the book deals with the various life long psychological effects of killing on combat soldiers. The author further suggests that the contemporary society has reached a stage in which the act of inflicting pain or suffering to a fellow human being is increasingly being treated as a source of entertainment and pleasure as opposed to revulsion. A great deal of these sections focuses on the traumatic experiences of combat soldiers when they return to civilian life. This assertion is supported by in-depth analysis of various interviews as well as numerous psychological profiles. Why I have Chosen the Book and its contribution to my professional Development As a military science student, I have particularly chosen the book because discusses very critical aspects of humanity and survival instincts that are relevant to my military career.The book offers a plausible explanation to the increase in teenage killers all over the world. Killing traumatizes soldiers leaving them with psychological scars that can change their future lives. The book clearly shows that producers of violent games are destroying numerous young lives under the guise of entertainment (Grossman, 330). In my view, the book is highly relevant to the contemporary challenges affecting soldiers particularly those in the combat zones. This book has really aided my critical ability to analyse the social attribute of wars. Wars normally traumatize almost everyone in the society. This psychological attribute of war greatly reduces the mutual understanding between the individuals in a given social settings. This is well captured in Lt Col Dave’s Vietnamese citizens from where he worked as a combat psychologist (Grossman 111). In addition, the book helps in the understanding of killing experiences in the military field where the book vividly dwells on the killing as an act which human beings had never explored scientifically. This book adequately discourages killing as a habit exhibited by many individuals. The social solidary that leads to war is perfectly well understood through reading this psychological literary work. The author has particularly based his findings on a wide range of sources including personal accounts, interviews of war veterans and victims, academic studies, published narratives as well as various statistics related to the psychology of killing in combat situations (Grossman 5). How I can apply the Knowledge gained The book has enabled me appreciate what military officers undergo throughout their careers. It has made me realize that most killers are taught to kill and nobody is born a murderer. Eliminating violent materials will make me a better human being. The book is a wakeup call for the government and parents and can enable parents raise their children without enhances risks of developing violent tendencies. For example, american citizens and especially children are being systematically exposed to killing on a daily basis through video games and graphic media. Access and exposure to violent and murderous games is akin to the training the military forces undergo. All people have a natural aversion to kill (Grossman, 33). Additionally, the knowledge gained from this book helps each and every individual to shun away the act of killing one another. Human beings normally have an innate and an inner feeling of antipathy to taking life. This book passes a perfect knowledge on the drawbacks of the enmity arising between individuals which normally lead to war and the killing of one another. The knowledge experienced through this book teaches on the suspension of scepticism and by the individuals in order to be granted a journey leading them far away from the darkness hearts. The darkness hearts in most cases according to this psychologist are normally rewarded with a note of hope (Grossman & Loren 123). The understanding of war should always be initially put into considerations other than waiting for the aftermath of the wars. This book acts as a perfect source of the knowledge on the better appreciation of the negative impacts of wars and killing of the fellow human races. The inhuman genocides of millions of people, wars and revolutions are seen as psychologically hindering the developments of the individuals. The writer, Lt. Col Dave Grossman through this book sees a world filed with wars: a world where human beings are incredibly malicious predators. In this book human beings are in addition considered as the perpetrators of the killings which are normally experienced throughout the world for used to killing to them is as natural as eating. This research reviews the book “on killing” by Lt Col Dave Grossman. Why Military Leaders should read the Book Military leaders should read the book to make them better in managing officers. To do the job effectively, soldiers are desensitized to human feelings to make them better killing machines. This is dangerous because when the job is done, soldiers still need to reintegrate with society. They should be counseled on an individual basis to make them functional civilians once they leave the military. According to Grossman’s book, soldiers today are more likely to kill than in the past. This is because the success of military training techniques has resulted in many more soldiers killing in the battle field making the United States succeed in the warfront. However many soldier regret the deaths they cause (Grossman, 88). Violent games have much more effect on individuals from violent and aggressive backgrounds. These individuals should be protected from violent culture to build a more humane society. The military leaders should exemplary consider this book as part of their reading lists in order to understand better the torment of men in war and the aftermath impacts of these wars better than they do now in the military barracks. What makes this book important for the military leaders is its significant nature in relation to extension of war to that of peace. This book enables the military leaders as they grow older and wiser to become more modified in their views towards the nature of killing and human nature in general. The stresses experienced through the nature of the military leader’s jobs is outstandingly discussed Dave in his book. This stress is portrayed as a suffering by the Vietnams veterans towards their revolutionary mission though it was a naturally experienced stress with absolutely no relationship with the whole war operation. It is therefore important for the military leaders to acquire these war related stress in order to avoid them in their entire military life. Conclusion In conclusion, the book “On killing” provides a wide rage of new scientific explanations of various phenomena such as the high incidences of post traumatic stress among veterans and ex-combat soldiers and the rising cases of aggravated assault. Although some statistics used in the book are not well authenticated, the book is a must read for all military soldiers particularly those in the frontline combat zones. Lastly, the book also serves as a wake up call to the contemporary effects of the increasing normalization of violence by the media and its potential effects on children. Works Cited Grossman, D. (1996). On Killing: The Psychological Cost of Learning to Kill in War and Society. New York: Little, Brown, and Company. Read More