Not having served in the Marines, I cannot vouch for this article. But it strikes me as feeling real, to the extent that one way you can break down the barriers of Us vs Them is to redefine "Us" — through the literary tropes of Man vs Man, Man vs Nature, Man vs Himself. Create a more powerful enemy Them (the guys you are shooting at or being shot by being the easiest way), and the previous Us vs Them model begins to fracture.
To what extent this works outside of the crucible of combat or military discipline (where "Them" becomes the officer class) is hard to say. It does point, at least, to the Protean nature of divides and conflicts, where the enemy of my enemy might actually be recognized as a friend (or a lesser enemy, at least), and the intrinsic nature of differences becomes overwhelmed by circumstances and whizzing bullets. That doesn't make human tribalism any better (indeed, it's a reinforcement of it), but it does indicate that any given tribalism can be overcome …. with a sufficient external threat.
(Cf. Watchmen)
Race Relations in the Military: Why America Should Take Notes – Unprecedented Mediocrity
Currently, the national conversation on race has become a blundering failure in the face of several high profile deaths at the hands of police. However, I have a confession to make. I feel like I am watching this poisonous debate take… Continue Reading →
