I gotta say, I’m not a huge fan of war. I mean, I don’t think anyone is really, but there are people who call it a necessity. Or, as discussed in class, that they are important to the reorganization of the world. I have a few different perspectives to throw at this statement. Firstly is my own. My dad was in the Army, and was deployed in Iraq and Saudi Arabia for nearly a decade of my childhood. He didn’t have any crazy sense of patriotism, he didn’t go voluntarily. He had joined the reserves as a job banking on the idea that no one would be stupid enough to start another war before his number was up. Thankfully he came home safe. Every day though I think, from the perspective of one little person, how incredibly pointless it was for me to miss out on the experience of having my dad home every day.

My other perspective is somewhat pro-war. Speaking as a member of the human race, I do think in the long run war makes things better, culturally. There are the reasons we discussed in class, like the wonderful pension building and the glory of the IQ test. But there are so many other things too, worldwide that would not have happened without a major cultural revamp. Violence yields a type of beauty that peace will never know- I mean look at any country, like France for example. More revolutions and invasions than you can shake a stick at. And what do you get at the end of it? A haven of exquisite food and art. I don’t know another place on Earth that has produced something that beautiful out of nothing.

My third perspective is a bit depressing, but it’s got to do with nature, and the nature of things. Is war in our nature? I can’t think of another species that wages wars to the extent that humans do. Does that make us natural or unnatural? Is that what makes us human? Our willing determination to wipe each other out? If so I’m not so sure I’m so hot on the human race anymore.