09-12-2008, 02:12 PM
A very interesting book. It is somewhat comforting to know that people have to be trained and coerced even threatened to kill. It is not natural or easy. What is discomforting to know is that there are people out there training people to kill. Another interesting part covered in the book is the sexual element in killing (for some at least) This is rarely discussed or acknowledged and should be. Some light reading for the holidays. Not for everyone.
ON K I L L I NG
The Psychological Cost of Learning
to Kill in War and Society
By Lieutenant Colonel Dave Grossman
Contents
Acknowledgments
Introduction to the Paperback Edition
Introduction
IX
xiii
xxiii
Section I Killing and the Existence of Resistance:
A World of Virgins Studying Sex
Chapter One Fight or Flight, Posture or Submit, 5
Chapter Two Nonfirers Throughout History, 17
Chapter Three Why Can't Johnny Kill? 29
Chapter Four The Nature and Source of the Resistance, 37
Section II Killing and Combat Trauma: The Role of
Killing in Psychiatric Casualties
Chapter One The Nature of Psychiatric Casualties:
The Psychological Price of War, 43
Chapter Two The Reign of Fear, 51
Chapter Three The Weight of Exhaustion, 67
Chapter Four The Mud of Guilt and Horror, 74
Chapter Five The Wind of Hate, 76
Chapter Six The Well of Fortitude, 83
Chapter Seven The Burden of Killing, 87
Chapter Eight The Blind Men and the Elephant, 94
VI CONTENTS
Section III Killing and Physical Distance: From a
Distance, You Don't Look Anything Like
a Friend
Chapter One Distance: A Qualitative Distinction in
Death, 99
Chapter Two Killing at Maximum and Long Range: Never
a Need for Repentance or Regret, 107
Chapter Three Killing at Mid- and Hand-Grenade Range:
"You Can Never Be Sure It Was You," 111
Chapter Four Killing at Close Range: "I Knew That It Was
up to Me, Personally, to Kill Him," 114
Chapter Five Killing at Edged-Weapons Range:
An "Intimate Brutality," 120
Chapter Six Killing at Hand-to-Hand-Combat Range, 131
Chapter Seven Killing at Sexual Range: "The Primal
Aggression, the Release, and Orgasmic
Discharge," 134
Section IV An Anatomy of Killing:
All Factors Considered
Chapter One The Demands of Authority: Milgram and the
Military, 141
Chapter Two Group Absolution: "The Individual Is Not a
Killer, but the Group Is," 149
Chapter Three Emotional Distance: "To Me They Were Less
than Animals," 156
Chapter Four The Nature of the Victim: Relevance and
Payoff", 171
Chapter Five Aggressive Predisposition of the Killer:
Avengers, Conditioning, and the 2 Percent
Who Like It, 177
Chapter Six All Factors Considered: The Mathematics of
Death, 186
CONTENTS VII
Section V Killing and Atrocities: "No Honor Here,
No Virtue"
Chapter One The Full Spectrum of Atrocity, 195
Chapter Two The Dark Power of Atrocity, 203
Chapter Three The Entrapment of Atrocity, 214
Chapter Four A Case Study in Atrocity, 217
Chapter Five The Greatest Trap of All: To Live with That
Which Thou Hath Wrought, 222
Section VI
Chapter One
Chapter Two
The Killing Response Stages: What Does
It Feel Like to Kill?
The Killing Response Stages, 231
Applications of the Model: Murder-Suicides,
Lost Elections, and Thoughts of Insanity, 241
Section VII Killing in Vietnam: What Have We Done
to Our Soldiers?
Chapter One Desensitization and Conditioning in Vietnam:
Overcoming the Resistance to Killing, 249
Chapter Two What Have We Done to Our Soldiers? The
Rationalization of Killing and How It
Failed in Vietnam, 262
Chapter Three Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and the Cost
of Killing in Vietnam, 281
Chapter Four The Limits of Human Endurance and the
Lessons of Vietnam, 290
Section VIII
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Killing in America: What Are We Doing
to Our Children?
A Virus of Violence, 299
Desensitization and Pavlov's Dog at the
Movies, 306
CONTENTS
viii
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Notes
Bibliography
Index
B. F. Skinner's Rats and Operant
Conditioning at the Video Arcade, 312
Social Learning and Role Models in the
Media, 317
The Resensitization of America, 323
333
348
354
ON K I L L I NG
The Psychological Cost of Learning
to Kill in War and Society
By Lieutenant Colonel Dave Grossman
Contents
Acknowledgments
Introduction to the Paperback Edition
Introduction
IX
xiii
xxiii
Section I Killing and the Existence of Resistance:
A World of Virgins Studying Sex
Chapter One Fight or Flight, Posture or Submit, 5
Chapter Two Nonfirers Throughout History, 17
Chapter Three Why Can't Johnny Kill? 29
Chapter Four The Nature and Source of the Resistance, 37
Section II Killing and Combat Trauma: The Role of
Killing in Psychiatric Casualties
Chapter One The Nature of Psychiatric Casualties:
The Psychological Price of War, 43
Chapter Two The Reign of Fear, 51
Chapter Three The Weight of Exhaustion, 67
Chapter Four The Mud of Guilt and Horror, 74
Chapter Five The Wind of Hate, 76
Chapter Six The Well of Fortitude, 83
Chapter Seven The Burden of Killing, 87
Chapter Eight The Blind Men and the Elephant, 94
VI CONTENTS
Section III Killing and Physical Distance: From a
Distance, You Don't Look Anything Like
a Friend
Chapter One Distance: A Qualitative Distinction in
Death, 99
Chapter Two Killing at Maximum and Long Range: Never
a Need for Repentance or Regret, 107
Chapter Three Killing at Mid- and Hand-Grenade Range:
"You Can Never Be Sure It Was You," 111
Chapter Four Killing at Close Range: "I Knew That It Was
up to Me, Personally, to Kill Him," 114
Chapter Five Killing at Edged-Weapons Range:
An "Intimate Brutality," 120
Chapter Six Killing at Hand-to-Hand-Combat Range, 131
Chapter Seven Killing at Sexual Range: "The Primal
Aggression, the Release, and Orgasmic
Discharge," 134
Section IV An Anatomy of Killing:
All Factors Considered
Chapter One The Demands of Authority: Milgram and the
Military, 141
Chapter Two Group Absolution: "The Individual Is Not a
Killer, but the Group Is," 149
Chapter Three Emotional Distance: "To Me They Were Less
than Animals," 156
Chapter Four The Nature of the Victim: Relevance and
Payoff", 171
Chapter Five Aggressive Predisposition of the Killer:
Avengers, Conditioning, and the 2 Percent
Who Like It, 177
Chapter Six All Factors Considered: The Mathematics of
Death, 186
CONTENTS VII
Section V Killing and Atrocities: "No Honor Here,
No Virtue"
Chapter One The Full Spectrum of Atrocity, 195
Chapter Two The Dark Power of Atrocity, 203
Chapter Three The Entrapment of Atrocity, 214
Chapter Four A Case Study in Atrocity, 217
Chapter Five The Greatest Trap of All: To Live with That
Which Thou Hath Wrought, 222
Section VI
Chapter One
Chapter Two
The Killing Response Stages: What Does
It Feel Like to Kill?
The Killing Response Stages, 231
Applications of the Model: Murder-Suicides,
Lost Elections, and Thoughts of Insanity, 241
Section VII Killing in Vietnam: What Have We Done
to Our Soldiers?
Chapter One Desensitization and Conditioning in Vietnam:
Overcoming the Resistance to Killing, 249
Chapter Two What Have We Done to Our Soldiers? The
Rationalization of Killing and How It
Failed in Vietnam, 262
Chapter Three Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and the Cost
of Killing in Vietnam, 281
Chapter Four The Limits of Human Endurance and the
Lessons of Vietnam, 290
Section VIII
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Killing in America: What Are We Doing
to Our Children?
A Virus of Violence, 299
Desensitization and Pavlov's Dog at the
Movies, 306
CONTENTS
viii
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Notes
Bibliography
Index
B. F. Skinner's Rats and Operant
Conditioning at the Video Arcade, 312
Social Learning and Role Models in the
Media, 317
The Resensitization of America, 323
333
348
354
"The philosophers have only interpreted the world, in various ways. The point, however, is to change it." Karl Marx
"He would, wouldn't he?" Mandy Rice-Davies. When asked in court whether she knew that Lord Astor had denied having sex with her.
“I think it would be a good idea” Ghandi, when asked about Western Civilisation.
"He would, wouldn't he?" Mandy Rice-Davies. When asked in court whether she knew that Lord Astor had denied having sex with her.
“I think it would be a good idea” Ghandi, when asked about Western Civilisation.
