The cyclical nature of war mirrors daily life. That feels odd to say, but I think it’s true. There are typical beats in the story — moments of triumph and tragedy. But, there are also those in-between periods full of beauty and brutality, or perhaps beauty
May 17, 2023·edited May 17, 2023Liked by Nathan Glass
You say things far more eloquently than I ever could, but I think the instinct to war is never lost, only suppressed. There is an enormous rage inside a lot of people that comes out in terrible ways, whether it's raging on social media or spewing vitriol at another person. I'm always fascinated how easy it is to make a complete stranger completely lose their mind over a simple question: "why are you so angry?"
I think the war time of the past generation has a nostalgia because even though people were getting shot at and blown apart on the battlefield, society still knew how to be kind and decent to each other. There was value in simple things because resources were scarce. Music and art was memorable, and melodic, because the soul needed to sing and stay optimistic.
There's more to say but I think that's enough for now. Thanks as always for another great post. I love your description of your grandma!
To grow we need resistance and sometimes turmoil. War is an easy way to provide that much of resistance. It is much harder to make yourself grow in a setting of normality and boredom. War provides a noble excuse for excitement of survival. When boredom after the battle settles in, try to be still and see if the inner battle can answer some questions of growth.
It's so true that life can be clearer, more vivid, concrete, and in some ways simpler when the battle lines are drawn and forces are pummeling each other. Peacetimes create a vacuum, Kundera's unbearable lightness of being, the aching need for structure. It's a reminder that life is always quiescent but never quiet.
I’ve never understood the war concept to the core. Imo, it’s smth useless, which just requires a lot of innocent lives. Although, I kinda understand that it can’t be as easy as one leader goes in a fight against another one, directly, one to one, that easy. The winner takes wte there was desired. In real life it’s probably a much more complicated process.
I’m from a country, which is still getting out of the shadow of WW2 and Soviet Times. My mother’s stories from her grandmother (who surived both 1st and 2nd WWs) are quite horrifying, to say the least. Like, they were hiding into a forest for a week or so in order to not to be departed to Siberia just because they owned a land; good neighbours were getting the warning right on time about the upcoming “event”. I purely sit here and write this comment just because ancestors in my family were respected enough among others to get that warning. There’s, ofc, a lot of other atrocious things, but, let’s not go there.
But, well, I guess, that’s how the world goes. It changes, and wars is the part of the process. Although, I’d definitely would skip smth so savage as these things. Let’s be honest, peaceful times might seem boring, but people in general can make a drama and spice up the things, basically, using anything. We really don’t need million armies for that purpose with the guns in their hands, when we can simply ruin our lifes in a more convenient manner just because we are bored.
You say things far more eloquently than I ever could, but I think the instinct to war is never lost, only suppressed. There is an enormous rage inside a lot of people that comes out in terrible ways, whether it's raging on social media or spewing vitriol at another person. I'm always fascinated how easy it is to make a complete stranger completely lose their mind over a simple question: "why are you so angry?"
I think the war time of the past generation has a nostalgia because even though people were getting shot at and blown apart on the battlefield, society still knew how to be kind and decent to each other. There was value in simple things because resources were scarce. Music and art was memorable, and melodic, because the soul needed to sing and stay optimistic.
There's more to say but I think that's enough for now. Thanks as always for another great post. I love your description of your grandma!
To grow we need resistance and sometimes turmoil. War is an easy way to provide that much of resistance. It is much harder to make yourself grow in a setting of normality and boredom. War provides a noble excuse for excitement of survival. When boredom after the battle settles in, try to be still and see if the inner battle can answer some questions of growth.
It's so true that life can be clearer, more vivid, concrete, and in some ways simpler when the battle lines are drawn and forces are pummeling each other. Peacetimes create a vacuum, Kundera's unbearable lightness of being, the aching need for structure. It's a reminder that life is always quiescent but never quiet.
I’ve never understood the war concept to the core. Imo, it’s smth useless, which just requires a lot of innocent lives. Although, I kinda understand that it can’t be as easy as one leader goes in a fight against another one, directly, one to one, that easy. The winner takes wte there was desired. In real life it’s probably a much more complicated process.
I’m from a country, which is still getting out of the shadow of WW2 and Soviet Times. My mother’s stories from her grandmother (who surived both 1st and 2nd WWs) are quite horrifying, to say the least. Like, they were hiding into a forest for a week or so in order to not to be departed to Siberia just because they owned a land; good neighbours were getting the warning right on time about the upcoming “event”. I purely sit here and write this comment just because ancestors in my family were respected enough among others to get that warning. There’s, ofc, a lot of other atrocious things, but, let’s not go there.
But, well, I guess, that’s how the world goes. It changes, and wars is the part of the process. Although, I’d definitely would skip smth so savage as these things. Let’s be honest, peaceful times might seem boring, but people in general can make a drama and spice up the things, basically, using anything. We really don’t need million armies for that purpose with the guns in their hands, when we can simply ruin our lifes in a more convenient manner just because we are bored.