War Is a Force that Gives Us Meaning

Rating:
Summary: A Disturbing Book
Review: Everything about Chris Hedges's book, War is a Force that Gives Us Meaning, is disturbing. The vivid eyewitness accounts of war crimes, the rambling disjointed highly personal style that mirrors the chaos of battle, the link between brutality and sexuality, the use of historical literature that obliterates the distance mankind has traveled from Troy to Kosovo, and his own deep addiction to the thrill of war as a long time war correspondent. Even the dust cover of the book was intended to be disturbing. The full color picture shows a multinational group of women and men with their arms raised and holding the hands of the person next to them. It is evening, but their faces, and the America flags they hold, are illuminated by candles. They are not angry. Indeed, they might be praying or singing, but clearly they rally to some significant and somber cause. In the background are the lighted skyscrapers of a large city. No doubt this city is New York and these people are responding to the events of September 11. This is one way the mythology of war constructs symbols of meaning and imbues us with its purpose. President George W. Bush's Afghanistan war had the broad support of the American people.

Hedges likens war to an addiction, the high of which is all-consuming. A sustained superbowl weekend of tribal bonding, adrenaline rushes, sex, and violence. A placed stalked by the losers of peacetime-petty thieves and thugs who understand domination as a matter of force and terror. War, Hedges concludes, forms a central part of the human condition. He notes that "the historian Will Durant calculated that there have only been twenty-nine years in all of human history during which a war was not underway somewhere." From a historical sweep humans have never stopped fighting. It is a very disturbing revelation.

But individuals, tribes, villages, city-states, empires, and nations have all witnessed both peace and war. And perhaps the most disturbing aspect of Hedges's narrative is trying to figure out why we ever stop fighting. For the only answer that he provides as to why we stop fighting is that we simply become bored by the slaughter. When killing becomes too routine it loses its luster and bogs down. And when it loses its luster, and we see it plainly, we are like a wife-beater who is temporarily sickened and ashamed. In the damaged faces of the innocents we can find no sustainable reasoning or meaning.

Hedges argues that Americans were temporarily sickened and ashamed by the Vietnam war. But now that our collective memory has faded and new generations have been raised on the elixir of paranoid patriotism, our willingness to wage war has been revitalized. The nation with more weapons of mass destruction than any other nation on earth-than any nation in the history of mankind-is primed by this force that gives us meaning. No doubt about it, those mothers and fathers on the cover of the book were New Yorkers. Our New Yorkers. We shall have our retribution. They kill us, we will kill them.

Hedges is a warrior, he is not a pacifist. Hedges is addicted to war and he knows it and he hates it. But he believes that somehow, some way, love is the answer. "To survive as a human being is possible only through love." Continuing, he somewhat clumsily argues, "It does not mean we will avoid war or death. It does not mean that we as distinct individuals will survive. But love, in its mystery, has its own power. It alone gives us meaning that endures." Hedges knows war much better than he knows love, but it is a start. Particularly a start for a nation that does not understand war.

Rating:
Summary: ¿War, what is it good for? Absolutely nothing..."
Review: Chris Hedges in his memoir and cri de coeur, "War is a Force that Gives Us Meaning," has given us a gift of experience, heartbreak, and wisdom that should be required reading for every young adult who may some day have to face a nation's jingoism and drive to war; and every adult who has ever thought war glorious, necessary, or worth the blood of a nation's youth. His curriculum vitae are impressive. He served as a correspondent in El Salvador, Nicaragua, Guatemala, the Sudan, the Punjab, Iraq, Bosnia, and Kosovo covering foot soldiers and street fighters; and when he writes of the bloodshed, carnage, horror, and waste of war, he knows of what he writes.

In seven chapters Mr. Hedges takes us through a study of war that is somehow as thrilling as it is simultaneously repugnant, both scholarly and illustrative, his thesis is that war is an addiction that kills, if not the body, certainly the soul of every participant even as it gives a weird pleasure, or meaning to living.

Mr. Hedges is a graduate of the Harvard Divinity School, and a student of the classics at Harvard in 1998-1999 as a Neiman Fellow, and he brings both a strong ethic and a classicist's knowledge of the great books to his memoir. He's also a hell of a writer.

This is easily a five star book. It has the power to change the way you think, and in that, the power to save lives. Five stars, and three cheers!

Rating:
Summary: getting the message through
Review: While the book is imperfect (other reviewers have, I believe, accurately noted the limited analytical material), it is very accessible, easily read, hits key points about the human propensity to make war, and articulates some of the elements that characterize all wars--plus, his spiels about the addictive nature of war are compelling, palpable. I could feel the adrenalin rush...I have shared this book with many friends and acquaintances precisely because it is so readable. It is a reminder to all of us--regardless of our political persuasion--about the mindset that takes over when a nation goes to war. I don't think we can hear too many such reminders.

Rating:
Summary: A very important book not just for liberals
Review: I have to wonder if all reviewers have actually read the book. Far from the "ivory towers" of Washington, Crawford, Brussels, London, etc., Chris Hedges has actually been on the ground in the midst of firefights, watching real people die, and putting his own life at risk. Yet, unlike soldiers, he is able to talk to people on both sides -- and to enter combat zones in which the US is not engaged. Based on his real life experience, this book describes the reality of war without mincing words.

This book does *not* pretend to have an answer to ending wars. This book does *not* attempt to explain what causes war. To do so would be like explaining what causes fire -- a spark, sure, but there must be combustible fuel first.

Indeed, the author quotes Proust: "[Reading] becomes dangerous ... when, instead of awakening us to the personal life of the mind, [it] tends to take its place." Hedges does not do your thinking for you.

Instead, his book describes war as it actually takes place, drawn from opposing sides of conflicts across three continents. Such a description is only the first step in reducing the number of people who must die -- realizing that ignorance of the realities of war, willful or otherwise, and the glorification of violence constitute fuel waiting for a spark to ignite it.

Whether your leanings are liberal or conservative, the facts of war are the same. And we have a responsibility to make ourselves aware of this cruel reality -- to truly understand the extent of veterans' sacrifices, to better plan so as to minimize casualties (particularly civilian), and to better judge when entering war is in fact the lesser evil.

This book and the wealth of eye witness knowledge it contains are truly indispensable. I highly recommend that you read it then pass it on to everyone you know.

Lastly, though, I must comment that I was not aware that Ann Coulter has battlefield experience on her resume, so I would question why other reviewers would recommend reading *her* instead on the topic of the *reality of warfare*.

Rating:
Summary: Perfect example of the today's liberal 'journalist'
Review: Although I read this book with an open mind, I quickly learned that Mr. Hedges is not surprisingly just another ivy-league liberal elite journalist. While our leaders like President Bush have to make the hard decisions and support our brave men and women in uniform, those like Hedges critique from the background. He seems to come from the same mold as the ivory tower activist pro-homosexual judges who wreak havoc on our justice system. I saw Mr. Hedges interviewed on PBS and was not at all surprised to learn that he supported Kerry in the last election. That alone tells you how far out of touch this guy is with American values. Spend your time supporting our courageous troops before you delve into this book. I would reccommend other authors such as Ann Coulter or Andrew Sullivan well before Hedges.

Rating:
Summary: Lefties will adore it, the sane will see it for what it is
Review: ...and thats the bottom line.

When you pick up this book, you are likely to be in one of three camps -

1. Hardcore, rabid liberal who despises war in all its forms and thinks Bush is the devil. Your attraction to this book is based on your pre-disposed viewpoint of the world, and consequently, your review of this book is going to reflect that.

2. Curious Independant who wants to read something from a war correspondent from one of the two most liberal fishwraps in the USA, and is hopeful that there will be an air of professionalism and objectivity in the book.

3. Someone who thinks that the current war correspondents are actively trying to use their position to sway public opinion in favor of the mantra of their organization, or even more likely, their personal beliefs about war... and are curious about what Chris Hedges has to say that might prove their opinions about war journalists wrong.

99.9% of the people who have written long-winded diatribes extolling the virtues of this book are a part of the anti-war crowd, and their reading (and review) of this book are biased from the outset. This is something that liberals can point to and make themselves feel better over the past election and how the American people rejected their bigoted, hypocritical, shallow, aloof, morally bankrupt and narrow-minded thinking. "Open your MIND, Josh, open your MIND and understand how we are right!" Um, no thanks, I'm perfectly capable of promulgating the material in this book for myself, thanks, and by the way - take a bit of your own advice please.

Now lets get down to the material in this book. Its not worthy of 3 stars, I'd give it a 2.5 - its obvious that Mr. Hedges is an intelligent guy and there is no doubt that this book is an interesting read. The problem is that what this book tried to achieve has been done before (and better than) this one. The book reads like a self-help guide authored by a psychiatrist - Mr. Hedges battles with this incredibly complex topic in a manner that makes it clear that he struggles with how he feels until the end.

The book is very small window into a large house known as "War, and why we wage it." The author uses his own experiences and assumptions to make a case for why, in the end, war is never the answer. Of course, the truth of the matter is that its not that simple. There are despots out there that could care less what you or I think about why war is wrong - do you liberals really believe that Kim Jong Il will suddenly disarm if we all do for the greater cause of humanity? Don't be so naive.

I see quite alot of references to "the truth" in alot of these reviews. This is "the truth" - the premise of this book is lofty, but not realistic and completely impractical because of the human condition. Humans have waged war and have been violent since the dawn of time - the only times of peace have been temporary. There is no such thing as permanent peace. We tried to be peaceful and ignore what was happening at the outset of WWII, but in the end our pacifism rendered us completely susceptible to the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor. The United States will never be able to wave the white flag, claim ourselves a pacifist nation, and expect people to leave us alone - it simply doesn't work that way. Part of the human condition that leads to war is greed and hatred of American culture - yes, liberals, that includes you - and humans outside of our borders will always be jealous of and/or want what we have and they don't. War is not the best answer, but there are times where it is the only answer, and I see alot of reviewers who need to deal with and swallow that big ugly pill.


Rating:
Summary: Have the courage to take this book to heart
Review: The world would be a better place if all military commanders, politicians, parents, wives and soldier wannabes would read this powerful, disturbing and deeply personal reflection on war by a veteran correspondent. Unfortunately, War Is a Force That Gives Us Meaning is so thoughtful, authoritative and convincing that I fear the people who need it most, like FoxNews warmongers, chickenhawk jingoists and flag-waving nationalists, will find it too unsettling. Unlike most of them, the author has experienced the reality of war and bears its emotional scars.

I've read quite a few war memoirs, but this one is certainly the most moving, painful and thought provoking. This multifaceted book is not just a chronicle of a journalist's observations of war, but it's more of a personal confession that dabbles in everything from the value of reading the Classics to moral philosophy. The author's observations are very heartfelt as he, throughout the seven chapters that address various aspects of war, tries to convince the reader of the utter horrors and senselessness of war. The book is chock full of deep moral insights and disturbing anecdotes, but contains historical accounts and reflections on other insightful war literature as well. On one level, the book is a plea from the author to accept what he knows so that others don't have to learn the hard way.

From the Balkans to the Sudan and from Central America to the Middle East, Chris Hedges has pretty much seen it all, so he doesn't come across as some limp-wristed bleeding-heart journalist. Rather it quickly becomes clear that he's a recovering war junkie who has finally decided to come clean. He does this in a somber and matter-of-fact way, which is free of both narcissism and self-loathing. Hedges presents war as an addictive drug that is sold to us not only by our governments and our societal myths, but he also exposes war as lust, war as sex, war as senselessness, war as selfishness and many other aspects of its fathomless ugliness.

His reflections and insights are invaluable in this Post-9/11 world in which Americans are being duped into misunderstanding, hating and killing those "others" who, in many ways, are not much different than we are. Chris Hedges does his best to help people be more humane, more compassionate and more thoughtful. The author knows that getting us to recognize that war is always horrible and should be avoided (an idea which many people pay lip-service to but don't really believe) won't turn us into pacifists or even wimps, and he's certainly not out to do that. Rather, he's trying to convince his readers that killing human beings is a serious matter far beyond the comprehension of those who have never experienced the ravages and horror of modern war. Likewise, he's trying to clear the smoke screen and snap people out of their myopic patriotism so that they don't remain dupes of their governments or victims of the great war myths that they're being fed.

In its essence, War Is a Force That Gives Us Meaning is an effort to get people to sense and experience war on a vicarious level, and I feel that Chris Hedges is as successful in this effort as any author could be. He does a graphic, subtle and profound job of showing how killing damages the soul of the killer. He discusses how enemies are dehumanized not only in the minds of soldiers, but in the consciousness of entire nations, thus making war and mass killing palpable. After reading only a few pages, I respected the author for his ability to see government propaganda for what it is (regardless of how it's packaged) and for his readiness to question conventional wisdom. He ruthlessly exposes the simplemindedness and lack of reflection about "the other" that's still going on during this so-called "War on Terror" and he brushes aside the "false covenants of race, nationalism, class, and gender" that are often used just to manipulate the masses. Unfortunately, I think a lot of people won't have the courage to finish this book, since reading it will help them see most flag wavers as the bigoted cheerleaders that they are. Indeed, this book reminds us that the goal of patriotic rhetoric is to "invoke pity for one's own" and while America mourns her dead, "we are blind to those whom we and our allies in the Middle East have crushed...They seem not to count". If there's a contemporary piece of writing that will help to open one's eyes to the ugliness that's going on in the world today, then this book is it. It's all about how to stop hating, start thinking and learning how to love. War Is a Force That Gives Us Meaning certainly gets the job done.

Rating:
Summary: amazing must read timely topic
Review: The author was on night line last friday. He is one person i'd love to sit down to dinner with and just listen to. He has seen things that are fundamentally not learnable from books, lessons too deep for words. Even though this book is a good try to transmit these important things to his readers, it must fall short because the emotional impact is not transferable.

Death, murder, evil, state sponsored rape-torture-genocide.

These are the pieces of our world that he has seen. A war correspondent for 15 years, he has been in all the hot spots, not just for a day or two in a nice hotel and commuting to the front, but living with the people for years. It is one book i'd love to see every new soldier/sailor/airmen take the time to read before he is seduced by the dark evil side of man's nature. A topic apropos for today as it has not been for a generation here in the US, timely, important, well written, involving, tearful, sad, frustrating, crushing- and that is just part of the way he effected me while reading and thinking about this book.

Make this author the head of the government's bureau of propaganda. Give him the widest possible media attention and lets hear his ideas throughout society.
But it won't happen, sadly so, for we will continue to ignore good advice and go on killing.

just drop what you are currently reading for an hour or so, it's a small and short book, and try to learn from his unique, hard earned and terrible POV.

Rating:
Summary: The Thrill of an Adrenaline Rush is only exceeded by...
Review: I am not a student of history or war, but a therapist to people who have participated in the horror of it. As enlisted men, officers and even former enemies they got past it, but never got over it. The soldiers and officers I have seen have been unable to effectively keep the "code of silence" that plays up the glory and plays down the gory details of war to others and more costly to themselves. What started as a leak into their dreams and daytime activities slowly but inexorably metastasized throughout their lives leaving any chance for peace of mind in its wake.

Many of them were as Hedges described, initially seduced and then addicted to the excitement of war not realizing until too late how the thrill of an adrenaline rush is only exceeded by the devastation from an adrenaline crash.

The psychological devastation that war causes is not knowing how to proceed after you've become aware that as invincible as you thought you were was as vulnerable as you turned out to be; as bulletproof as you thought your were was as fragile as you turned out to be; and as certain as you thought your were was as wrong as you turned out to be. How do you move forward with these realizations playing like an unending tape loop in your head? Add to this the bewilderment about what the war was about anyway.

A few years ago one of these patients summed up war this way: "The seducing, using, and in the end discarding of young men to wage a battle between the egos of older men who in the name of God desperately try to hold onto power they never deserved to have in the first place."

Chris Hedges book is not just pungent and poignant, it is a poultice of validation that what these people must live with in their imaginations in not imaginary.






Rating:
Summary: War, Peace, and Arms
Review: Author of War is a Force the gives us Meaning, Chris Hedges, is a war correspondent for the New York Times and a graduate of Colgate College and Harvard Divinity School. Hedges' authority and astute perspective on the process of war are fueled by his personal witness of insurgency and warfare in locations such as El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Colombia, Gaza, Sudan, Yemen, Bosnia, Turkey, and Iraq. He mixes this experience with references to classic literature to convey a story of war as a culture-distorting force. Hedges' describes this force as the myth of war. All things considered, War is a Force that gives us Meaning presents an interesting look into the effects of war. On its own it is an enjoyable read, but when paired with a piece, like the Man, the State and War by Kenneth Waltz, its value increases. I would recommend this book and its presentation of the effects of war as a valuable supplement to the study of the causes of war.