Why Do We Fight?
It’s a simple question that is not easily answered. To be in a conversation about war, who serves, and why they fight is itself a fraught undertaking, We all enter into the “conversation” from different places, life experiences, and are socialized into different belief systems, which constitute the basic underpinning for “how we know what we know.”
Many of you by your own admission have not spent a lot of time thinking about war and veterans in a systematic way, nor do you have a lot of social contact with people who have served and/or fought in wars. When I talk to students, they respond to the basic question with responses like: money, power, resources, to defend national interests, and freedom. Some give indication that that they have given some thought to the socio-economic status of soldiers/recruits – a social group that tends to lack financial resources, wants education benefits, or simply wants to escape economically precarious small towns, where many grow up not having hope, opportunity, or desire to see/experience anything different.
Whatever the case may be or what you think, there are no “wrong” answers. We fight for a lot of different reasons. What we must do now is move the conversation forward, setting aside personal beliefs and thinking critically (in terms of knowledge and power) and sociologically (in terms of social structures and processes). Here it might be helpful, as the sociologist C. Wright Mills once wrote, to think about war and veterans as both a “personal trouble” and a “public issue.” Put another way, we must learn to cultivate a sociological imagination.
Throughout this course, we’ll try to think simultaneously about issues of agency and structure. In particular, we want to think about how individuals and social groups may be situated within this structure – how they shape and are shaped by it.
So for example, we’ll look at the interlocking dynamics of race, class, and gender as this applies to military service. We’ll look at how our foreign policy reflects social dynamics bound up in issues of political economy.
At the same time, I want you to also think about how war makes people “feel.” Issues of nationalism, patriotism, citizenship, social solidarity, and group belonging are consequential to how we engage in what academics refer to as “self-making” projects. These issues, I think you will find, all have a major impact on who we are as people and what we come to believe as “truth.”
Film – Why We Fight
A documentary film that I sometimes show and encourage you to watch (Amazon Prime) is aptly titled “Why We Fight.” The title, in this case, refers to a series of World War II propaganda movies directed by Frank Capra that were commissioned by the U.S. government as means to justify their decision to enter the war.
The more recent film is directed by Eugene Jarecki and it charts the rise and proliferation of the military-industrial complex; it argues that in every decade since World War II, the American public has by and large been emotionally manipulated and misled. This made it easier for the the government to recruit “volunteers” and take them to war while fostering the rise of a military-industrial economy, which helped secure American political, economic, and military dominance throughout the world.
In terms of politics, the film does an admirable job of interviewing key players and thought leaders from all sides of the political spectrum. Interviewed are former politician/Senator John McCain, political scientist and former CIA analyst Chalmers Johnson, neoconservative politician Richard Perle, neoconservative commentator William Kristol, writer Gore Vidal, and public policy expert Joseph Cirincione.
Although it won the Grand Jury Prize for Documentary Film Production at the Sundance film festival, it received a limited public cinema release in Jan 2006, and was shortly thereafter released on DVD in June of the same year [the film also won a 2006 Grimme Award – a prize that is one of Germany’s most prestigious for television productions, as well as a Peabody Award in 2006].
Discussion Questions
Why do we fight? Is is for freedom or something else?
Who serves and why do you think they serve?
Why do mostly poor people serve, despite having very little chance of securing long-term financial advantages?
Why do we fight? Is is for freedom or something else?
I believe, on the surface, we fight for the spread freedom and liberty, but in actuality it is America’s interests that come first. America as a country has a high interest in continuing to be the world’s lone super power, and the world’s armory. Our economy, in all fifty states, benefits from the jobs created by the industrial military complex and the sell of American weapon systems to our allies. What would be the alternative? Should America have allowed the spread of communism and maybe let Russia, China, or terrorists arm the world? Would the world be safer without the over 300 U.S. military installations spread across the world? I think we also fight to stay in power because the thought of second place scares us all as a country. Without our strong military what would we be? Subjects of another country and lose our exceptionalism? Our economy is the world’s largest consumer market and the most technologically powerful economy. I think we fight to keep this status and stay at the forefront of the world, economically, technologically and militarily.
Do we fight for freedom? It depends on who you ask but I don’t think we do through the military, at least in the types of military conflicts and wars the United States has engaged in during my lifetime. Some who serve may believe that they are fighting for a good cause, but I’ve found that most of my fellow service members typically joined for personal gain, whether it be financial or for education. On some level, maybe it could be argued they’re fighting for their own freedom from the various hardships they faced before joining the military, although I find the argument that the military is exploiting their hardships far more convincing.
I believe the fight for freedom is real, but its not fought through the military. The military fights externally, usually at the expense of other people’s freedoms. There are far more internal threats to our freedoms related to inequality and civil rights. In these cases the military only acts to maintain the status quo by exploiting poor and working class young people, who are then sent to unjustifiable wars under the propaganda of “defending freedom.”
Why do we fight? It is for freedom or something else?
Freedom is one thing that we as a whole fight for. We want freedom for many different things. For example, freedom rights, freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of racism, etc. We also fight for peace. There are many things that people fight for. We fight because sometimes that is the only way to get what is needed. It does not have to be a violent fight or violent protests. It can be a non-violent fight like a petition or something a group can come together and push forward. We fight for money of course. Fighting those long hours of work to get money for bills, children, food, clothes, etc. The word fight may always seem like something violent or physical when that is not the case. Fighting for something you believe in can happen, fighting for something you need can happen, giving up a fight to make things better is just a waste because what are you really fighting for if you give up? There is so much more when it comes to fighting and so much more that people in this world fight for and most of the time fighting is how people get answers.
Why do we fight? Is is for freedom or something else?
I think America is fighting because we can. America has the most advanced weapons and military in the world, and we can be considered like a “world police.” When a problem occurs, we are more likely to turn to violence or give that threat of violence to make it known we are not a country to take things lightly. With our military reputation, most countries try and avoid problems with America and instead try and make us an ally. I also think America is already free, and no government will prevent us from being free. Some people can argue that America fights because it wants to, not from pleasure in violence but because it has a cultural belief that violence solves problems. America loves solving problems, so we equip ourselves with the best equipment necessary to do so. Overall we are fighting for many reasons, and this is just a different view.
Why do mostly poor people serve, despite having very little chance of securing long-term financial advantages?
To get poorer people into the service itself requires good advertisements. The infamous signing bonus promise from recruiters draws in a crowd. Another one is, “Don’t you know you can get that education for free through us?”. These examples of persuasion are for those down and out, those less fortunate, those who messed up, and so and so forth. Joining the service gives purpose to this crowd. For example, say you went to college but decided it wasn’t for you so you drop out your junior year. With three years of debt from the school you used to attend to and life’s daily expenses, etc you might not know where to turn. You then might see an advertisement for a branch of the military, so you google it. After surfing the branch’s site you decide to contact a recruiter. Then you get roped in from hearing the money you can make and the possibilities this job implies. This cycle runs in many different situations where stories vary. The takeaway here is that the advertisement of money/education and purpose draw in the less fortunate crowd.
I believe America fights for many principles. Freedom, power and money being the top three. When you come to America, freedom is an incredible luxury and we need to defend it. We have the power and the strength to not only protect our freedoms but help other countries as well which will enhance the freedom of others. I believe we mainly fight to protect our resources and our people. This way, no external forces could invade the U.S and overthrow our government.
I believe mostly poor people serve, despite having a little chance of securing long-term financial advantages because it’s a way for them to escape. Being poor means having very little resources and money, which gives you a disadvantage when going into adulthood. Serving in the military, could be a way to escape and get provided the necessities in a short amount of time, that will open up new doors. It could also be a way for them to be distracted for the time being. But also I believe it is a way for you to honor your country and try to overlook your circumstances that you were facing back home.
Who serves and why do you think they serve?
Many people serve for many varied reasons and it is not always for money. While some people definitely serve to have money and to be able to provide for themselves that is not always the case. The people who I always see that are serving is white males who are some sort of middle class or even low class. I think they are the ones who serve because when you look at the history of the military, white men started it. I also think they start because they want a sort of power or ranking to be able to say that they have become something or feel accomplished. Some people also serve as an escape I have spoken to an old friend who is in the military and they joined because they needed structure and to feel a sense of stability. When I heard this, I was shocked but it was remarkably interesting to listen to. Many people join the military for several reasons some for money, some for stability in life, some for power, and some for status.
Why do mostly poor people serve, despite having very little chance of securing long-term financial advantages?
I believe that poor people mostly serve for many reasons. They want to feel appreciated, they want to feel like they are doing something to help, and maybe they just want to do something good with their life. Or sometimes they want the benefits of it, they want the help financially, academically, or to have a place to live. Some people the military is their life and they have always been in it and they started when they were young with nothing in hand. I believe they do it because either they have nothing to do or they actually wanna help and try to make a change in this world. People offer to serve because they have hit rock bottom and have nowhere else to go. At that point, the military is the best option for them. There is a low chance that they secure a long term financial advantage but they could have joined because this was their starting point. This is what they wanted to lift them up and start new either within the military or outside of it, they needed to get motivated and start thinking positively.
Who serves and why do you think they serve?
I believe the reasons for serving differ from the branch in which the person enters. I know several people who were enlisted and are still enlisted in different branches of the military. It is my personal experience with friends and family that the reason for each person can mostly be found in the branch they chose. For instance, I have several friends have were enlisted in the Marines and their reasons were all the same, they simply had no other option. Their lives had hit a barrier and often times, they had hit rock bottom and their only way, in their minds to start over was to join the Marines. Why the Marines? Because no other branch would take them, whether it be because of a criminal record or educational reasons. In regard to a criminal record, it was much easier to get waivers approved through the Marines than any other branch. This of course is when they joined, which was about 14 years ago, I am not sure what the rules or waivers are like now. To paint a much different picture, I have friends and family who are enlisted in the Air Force and the reason they joined was to better their lives but not because they ran out of options but because they wanted a career, and they had the education and brains to enter the Air Force. They also wanted the join the Air Force to further their education. They feel honored to serve in the Air Force and they will stay until retirement whereas my Marine friends, got out of the Marines after their first 4 or 6 years, whichever they happened to sign for upon entry. I have friends who also served in the Army and they mostly fall under the same reasons a Marine enlists, they either have no other options or they need to better their life because maybe they are going down the wrong path. They also may have wanted to join a “higher” branch like the Navy or Air Fore but couldn’t because of their education level. With the Army, it is about 50/50 if they left after their first enlistment. The ones who stayed, mostly switched to the reserves, went back home and were able to secure employment while still being in the reserves. A lot of things factor into why a person joins the military and those factors can go anywhere from a person thinking they need to join because they have no other options for their life, to a person thinking they want to join because the military will only add to the good life they already have. As I said previously, I feel as though the branch you join truly determines which reason you fall under. I think the selfless act of wanting to fight for your country falls under one of the least reasons someone joins. Something always has to be in it for someone.
I think we fought cause of land at first. Everyone was fighting to see who would get the most land. Now I feel like after everyone fighting and claiming their land. It became more because many others wanted certain lands they felt like they had it first. As time went on it more of became a rival type thing. People having power and using it the wrong way which started a deeper war. Now it became about protecting their people for other countries. Yes there are many reason we fight but here in today world it seem more rivalries every higher power trying to prove something to each other. I do have many friends who join the army, navy, Air Force they go there cause they have no other choice and want to make something out of nothing. One first said she doesn’t look at it as fighting for the flag or American. It was more of going in there to protect her people. She also stated that she know what she there to do and she has one goal. She said she always ready to fight if they call.
Why do we fight? One of the reasons that people fight within the US is often because in my experience a lot of people feel it is a last resort within completing something within their lives. Many people in the communities and neighborhoods go out and join because it represents a last ditch effort to make something of themselves. Often time within inner city neighborhoods opportunities for colleges and jobs are not nearly as available as in other places. Much of why we fight also stems from the loyalty and national pride that people tend to have when describing the United States.
This country as a whole also has interests. Much of the reason why the United States tend to have bases in several countries around the world to to keep others in check and to also keep a special eye on certain things that the government feels it needs to protect. Oil and other natural resources are things that of special interest that the U. S. would want to keep their own eye on. Furthermore if a country attacks a country that holds what they deem valuable then spending whatever expense even if it means fighting would be considered in way a necessary evil. We fight also to be on the offensive to destroy an eminent threat that threatens the safety of the country or even the interests of the country.
I really believe that there are many reasons we, as Americans, go to war. There are good reasons and bad reasons. Bad Reasons often tend to blur with the Good Reasons and that can explain why many soldiers feel motivated to go to war despite knowing that they have to do many horrible things. Here are some reasons many horrible things. Here are some reasons I think the U.S. goes to war.
1.Power/Prestige
2.Feel Obligated to “Protect”/protect smaller and poorer countries
3.We are stopping any countries/groups from committing atrocities inside our country (“We get them before they get us”)
4.Money/Capital
5.Because we can-we have resources and billions of dollars in the latest military technology and we can fight if we want -National Pride
6.International Threats- We are a ‘World Leader’
7.Humanitarian efforts or “Personal” interest in civil war torn countries- we want to stop the “bad guys” and support the “good ones” in said country.
I think that most foreign countries are seen as smaller, weaker (well they often are) and in need of help whether it be because of civil war, economic issues, or the threat of another country. The U.S. likes telling others what to do, making sure that countries are democratic and compliant with American standards. As a result they will keep troops there to remind the people as well as other countries of America’s presence in said country. The best way to do that is to have troops visibly placed in these countries for the world to see. If there is a war going on in this country or territory they want the world to know that America, a world power, is present and “fighting for freedom”. The troops in these various foreign countries are basically America’s eyes and ears in foreign policy, affairs, and war. They can also carry out many covert and top-secret missions in these countries that the American government has planned. In addition to government motives, there are also many overlapping (good and/or bad explanations) as to why people in our country join the military. Some examples include:
1.Family legacy of service
2.Wanting to escape from current home situation (poverty, family, etc.)
3.Pride and nationalism
4.Respect (from other Americans)
5.Don’t know what else to do with your life
6.Feel that it’s your duty to serve
7.Want access to the latest technology ex. Fighter jets, communication systems
8.They will pay your college tuition
(There are many more possible explanations).
All of these reasons can be good or bad or both and I acknowledge that most Americans, including myself, have varying views on each of the reasons I gave.
In the beginning of the semester we were asked to write why we think Americans fight, majority of my response remains the same due to the experiences and prior classes I’ve taken. Americans fight in my opinion for power, goods, territory and past histories that have to maintain. In the few weeks into this class my knowledge on why we fight has definitely expand especially because of the documentary we watched in class. It fills me with complete anger because our people majority low-incomes minorities are putting their life on the line for economic institutions that will never benefit us in the long run. As citizens we take pride when family, friends and our community are wearing a uniform because we are completely brainwashed by the media and news station. Minorities and low-income soldiers go into the army majority of the times because it is their last option, they can’t afford or grades don’t allow them to attend college and the benefits of the army in their case will help them get by. In a personal note my cousin said he’ll rather go into the army than to continue in college, the reason the low-income teens see the army in a positive light is due to the fact of not being fully educated on the reality of the army. The majority of our society will never be fully educated because the elites benefitting from the army will never allow the proper access for that information and which is why manipulations to data are being conducted. We fight to increase the income of institutions benefitting from war and because we as a society is manipulated and brainwashed by the media.
Numerous people believe that the U.S. government fights for freedom, liberty and democracy around the world. Personally, our government is entering wars for economic reasons. In addition, they are establishing power and control in other countries to regulate their resources, politics and population. Furthermore, American military bases are built in strategic locations around the world. It is naive to believe that the American military always occupies a foreign territory with altruistic intentions. It is known that war for some Americans is a very successful business, especially as they never need to fight themselves.
The American military is volunteer-based, and the vast majority of the soldiers are blacks and Hispanics, predominantly from the lower stratum of the society. American soldiers receive free education, housing and food for their time in the military, in exchange for their lives and souls. American soldiers are also subject to scientific experiments, because the institutions they fight for do not care about their lives, or their future. American soldiers are becoming institutional victims because of the greed of institutional power. Therefore, the U.S.A fights wars because of greed, and the desire to control territories and their resources.
Why we fight? That’s a question I always ask myself every time I see something war related on the television or social media. Then I ask myself what is the purpose of war? Is the media really telling us the truth about whats going on? Honestly I don’t think anyone knows why but can only theorize a rational reason why America is apart of so many wars. I hope we fight to maintain the power over our country and to protect it’s residents. Fighting can be used as a defense mechanism to ensure we don’t lose out authority and get overruled by our “enemies”. Perhaps, fighting is a tool to instill fear to our opponents to not attempt to attack us. Maybe fear is a primary component to maintain control over our opposition and the residents of our country. But i do know sometimes we have no choice but to fight because we are at threat from violence and we need to preserve our dominance. Unfortunately, sometimes we fight to obtain power over other lands and exhaust their resources and knowledge. Fighting can be a nobel thing to do and then it can be a malicious thing to do.
Why people choose to fight? Maybe they believe in the cause (whatever that may be) or they find it as a way out of poverty. I honestly think the military take advantage and utilize individuals with low socioeconomic status by promising them benefits that may not be well worth it.
We (as people and America as a whole) fights for many different reasons. War is costly, makes people kill other people, and causes turmoil in more than one country.
I used to believe that we as a whole fought for freedom, to protect the rights of the citizens and to protect the fundamental beliefs that America stood for. However, when you actually think about why we fight, that becomes an overused, corny, and quite frankly, empty statement. Individuals fight for their own reasons – whether it be to receive a free college education, because they’ve reached a pit in their lives, because they don’t know what else to do, because their parents did so, or because they’ve always wanted to be a hero – regardless of what that answer is, it is obvious that the picture the media paints is not the same as the real reasons to why individuals choose to fight in wars.
American as a superpower chooses to fight for a multitude of reasons. I feel as though America likes to know that they’re the strongest and the most powerful – that they’re the big kids on the block. If we don’t fight our aggressors, then that just leaves us looking weak and give them an opportunity/reason to fight us. The United States could also choose to fight because war is good for the economy – it creates jobs and it creates production. It “unites” the American people and gives us all a direction to head in.
As of today, the United States of America is currently involved in many different types of “wars”. In theory, a war can be defined as an action taken to prevent a threat. When a threat is imposed upon the civilians of a nation, the government decides whether or not to retaliate against a created “enemy”. These enemies come in all different shapes and sizes; drug cartels, terrorist organizations, and foreign nation-states. Wars aren’t necessarily fought through physical fighting. For example, the Cold War was fought via an exchange of threats and sanctions between the U.S. and Russia.
Why do these Wars happen? And why do we partake in them? Most countries have existed and have been created through the ancient process of war. Throughout history, countries have always sought to be the greatest empire by physically taking over other existing territories. Although empirical rule has taken a back seat, this old concept of physically taking over control has still held common. Despite all of the negative effects war has on civilians, many nations believe that war is the most effective way to dispose of a threat. Countries who lack a strong army are deemed as weak and therefore can be seen as a target for a political coup. In order for nations to defend themselves in their own political front, they must build up strong armies to gain both fear and approval from their civilians.
Why do we fight? That question can start fights. My answer to that question can be summarized by a line in Marlon Brando’s classic 1953 movie The Wild One: “What have you got?” (https://youtu.be/_4NkkAQllfo). The late great comedian George Carlin had a slightly different answer, “We like war. We are a war-like people” (https://youtu.be/RKrjSMYI1Fw). Sad to say, both Marlon Brando and George Carlin were right. We will fight over anything because we like it and (as the George Carlin clip shows) we are good at it.
This answer triggers two new questions: Why do we like it and why are we good at it? The answer to the second question is easy. We are good at it because we have plenty of practice. Since the 1776 War of Independence we have fought over a century’s worth of wars to displace the Native Americans from their lands, the 1812 War, the 1846 Mexican American War (ever wondered why so many Western states have Spanish names?), the Civil War (ah, the irony of calling a war “civil” when there is little civility in war), the 1898 Spanish American War, World War I, World War II (sad when we number world wars), the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the First Gulf War, the Afghanistan War, and the second Gulf War. The previous lists only major wars, never mind countless smaller scale military operations (i.e. Invasion of Panama, Invasion of Grenada, etc.). Out of that list, we lost only the Vietnam War and fought the War of 1812 and the Korean War to a draw. Practice makes perfect.
Why do we like it? That is a much more difficult question to answer. A partial answer is that we are good at it. If we had a long losing record we would be pacifists by now. On the other hand, if we believe we will always win, we are more likely to engage in war. This is shown in the Ralph Bakshi’s classic animated fantasy movie Wizard (I could not find the clip, but in the entire movie it is the 18:44 – 19:22 minutes: https://youtu.be/8Ptj7VoaWOs).
A more complete answer as to why we like to fight will have to look at multiple factors. Are we genetically predisposed to fight wars? We sit on top of the food chain and we fought our way tooth and claw to get there. Evolution is not destiny, but it certainly made us good at fighting. We can refrain from fighting. After all, there have been a few years through our history that we were not engaged in war somewhere. We always have an “official” reason to fight a war: manifest destiny (displacing Native Americans), “a day that will forever live in infamy” (Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor), “we fight them there so we don’t have to fight them here” (Afghanistan and 2nd Gulf War), defend an ally (also known as fighting for oil, the 1st Gulf War), and so on.
The real reason? I will go on a limb and say we fight because, like John Snow in Game of Thrones, we know nothing (https://youtu.be/fKgCgnLl8k8).
There are many reasons as to why ordinary citizens like myself choose to fight. I believe that people choose to fight because either they are what people call a true patriot, have no other choice because of a family tradition, need the excitement and thrill that comes with being in the action, or they just need the benefits because they can not afford living out in the world on there on. I think that people that see themselves as true patriots believe that they are fighting for the good will of the country and they are protecting us from foreign enemies. That is a great belief to have but in my honest opinion, I think that having enemies will never end because there are just too many countries that see us as public enemy number one. Many countries feel as if we get into their business unnecessarily. Sometimes that is true but I do believe that some of the United States’s motives for involving themselves in other people’s wars in because they do not like bullies. I feel that in a way the United States is like that big brother or sister we have that stands up for us when there is a kid at school picking on us. That is a great way to be but in the end, we end up using up our resources which cause us to spend money we do not have. There ends up being a chain reaction because from that, taxes get raised because we have to replenish the resources we have just used in order to help protect another country. But I know we do this because it helps us to establish allies and we hope that in our time of need, those countries will come to help us when we need it.
I come from a family of army veterans. My grandfather, father and brother have all been in the army. I honestly do not know the reason as to why my grandfather joined the army but I know my father joined the army because he needed a way to provide for my older brother because he was just born. My dad knew that college wasn’t something he could get into right away and he sought out to join the army because he knew it was something my grandfather would approve of and help him with. The down fall to me about joining the army is that it keeps people away from their families. I grew up with out my dad because that he was in another country plus he had a new family and a wife. But him being out of the country hurt his family here because it was years of us not seeing him. I feel that families should not put pressure on their children to joint he forces because if they do not want to truly do it, they will be getting themselves into something that involves having your heart into so that you could focus and try not dying god forbid they are sent into real harm.
Then you have those people who are crazy Call of Duty fans and feel that the game just is not enough and want to actually be in the action. I think those people are brave and stupid at the same time. Brave to want to put yourself out there but dumb to think that live action will be anything like a video game. Sometimes they turn out to be the best soldiers and are probably able to deal with the deaths of the people they kill easily than others. I know that if I were ever to have to kill someone, it would take a lot out of me because that is something I am not use to. I think it is hard for people to have to accept that having to actually kill someone is apart of the job. I think that some people hope that they would never ever have to shoot to kill because they know it is something that would effect them tremendously.
Lastly, the people who join because they need the benefits are doing what they have to do to survive financially. I know that I have personally said that joining would be something that would have to be my last resort if I truly could not afford to live on my own. And also it would help me pay for school. I honestly would only join because of the school because school is too expensive. I do not think there is anything wrong with joining just to get help because it is not easy for everyone.No everyone can get that job that they want.
With human nature being what it is, it is no surprise that war is a part our history books and will continue to be. The animal instinct to physically dominate those whom you disagree with will always be there. We continually have to work at establishing rules and structures for deterring and overcoming these instincts. In addition to this, we all have our own interests to protect and expand on.
Of all the reasons one can list, I believe resources and power are two of most common reasons for war. Power can be very addictive and too much of it can be detrimental to the point of risking innocent lives for.
When one group of people want to impose their will on another, the best way to do is by fear, force and violence. You cant negotiate power. One person has to reign over the other by any means necessary.
Secondly, resources are the driving factor behind many of our decisions. We get up to go to work so we can have money to pay our bills, eat and enjoy our lives. On a larger scale, some countries can invade another for their natural resources. From the beginning of time, humans have been in search of resources and often we aren’t satisfied with what it is we have but instead we want what we do not have.
If humans learned to control our emotions as well as desire for power and worldly possessions , I think wed see far less wars.
You comment that power is addictive and that “one person has to reign over the other by any means necessary.” Your comment reminded me of something a geologist/volcanologist friend of mine once told me. He did plenty of field work in the Volcanic Highlands of Central America. He told me the main military base in Guatemala City, the capital of Guatemala, had a large mural painted on the outside wall of the compound, reading “La paz existe solo cuando logramos imponerla.” That translates to “Peace exists only when we impose it.” In other words, you will have peace only if you submit to us.
It is obvious why we fight. We want the power and make our living better. This society is based on Capitalism. The money is the most important thing in the Capitalism society. If you have money, the power follows automatically. For instance, Donald Trump is the one of the most powerful man in this society. He has an enormous money and he is one of the candidates of Republican party. That means he has great power.
Then why participating war relates to having money and power? The easy way to make money is stealing from other people’ money. The purpose and goal of fight is simple. Conquering weak people, take power and take their money. For example, the United States had a war with Iraq after 911 and finally the United States won the war. A former president George Bush who stand up the war, made Iraq pay enormous oil money and the United States took a great power at that time. That is what the Republicans point out now and they believe that having a great power of military is very important. I strongly agree with this state. The president Obama and the secretary, Hillary Clinton does not stand up the war even Seria and IS attacking the United States and the result is that the United States lose their power and the other nations look down on them.
I believe that go to war is showing that they have a power and it is the important way to take power and money.
Why we fight is a complicated answer. Usually the reasons can be boiled down to one construct, money. It is the only variable that is constant throughout the wars fought and serves as the motivating factor in even our smallest conflict. As of recently we as a country do not need many resources. In fact the USA, aside from a few rare earth metals, is a net exporter of resources including oil and natural gas. We try to wrap the message up into some nationalistic message with vague terms like “freedom” and “democracy” but it boils down to gaining control of a market. The real irony of the situation is although we act like this great bastion of freedom and democracy for the world we are neither. We do not even crack the top 10 of rankings in freedom or democracy.
Fighting is also in our nature. We, like much of the natural world, are a violent species. Our skulls actually evolved to sustain punches to the head. One of our closest relatives, chimpanzees, have been recorded waging all out war between rival troops. Archaeological evidences shows the early humans fought wars as well. We are biologically inclined to fight.
Individuals that choose to fight do so for a variety of reasons as well. The government invests billions of dollars in propaganda ranging from video games, movies to sponsoring various sports matches. For years they have slowly created a culture of service in the military. They shower you with thoughts of jobs prospects, helping citizens around the world, honor, duty and hundreds of other idealistic concepts. The main point of the ads though changes with the current mood of the country, tailor made for attracting the poor and lower class. With so many industries leaving our country, small town America has no work so the promise of jobs or free tuition for college is an offer that is hard to pass up.
Since its inception, America has been involved in one conflict or another. Our Nation has been at war more often than we have actually been at peace. The American Revolution, the Civil War, and WW I + II were very serious crises that faced our nation and that we had to stand up and fight in. Beyond these, we have fought in so many wars to do what we fought and defeated England to escape from. Imperialism and colonialism have become part of the American way, driven by greed and the Military Industrial Complex.
These days, our nation will bomb, lie, misinform, and do anything that it deems necessary to keep its interest and money flowing from the Military to the Private Sector. War pays well for some, and unfortunately these people are in power or in positions where they can advise or make decisions that ultimately negatively effect all of us. We spend more than the next 8 countries on our military, and there are politicians still calling for an increase in military spending. The issue is so complex and nuanced that is almost feels impossible to break, but if we can begin to educate the masses and have people truly understand the cost of war and the truth beyond why we “fight”, they will see that it is not for freedom at all but in fact for money and for all the wrong reasons.
Depending on who you ask, you might get a different answer to why we fight. Some people might say things like: to spread freedom and democracy around the world. Other people might say for oil and money. The government might fight for these things but your everyday average Joe might not know or care about these reasons. Their reason for joining the military of “fighting” might be completely different. It could be that they are jobless and are looking for a way to earn money or a degree. They might also be looking to give meaning to their lives any way they know how.
Whatever an individual’s reasons are they are most likely different than the reasons why the war started in the first place. But it’s not always clear why the war started in the first place. From my experience wars are started because of self-interest or the protection of self-interest. Be it territory or economic grain, the desired end result is always tied into wealth. Sometimes it’s very clear and direct and other times it can be so indirect that it’s hard or nearly impossible to follow. That is why often people are confused and conflicted if they should support the war or not.
We don’t even know what peace is.
War is a tradition and America has been in a constant state of conflict since its birth. America has left a brutal mark on the world from the revolution of the late 1700’s, to the conquests of the 1800’s, then the accidental meddling of the early 1900’s, and now the world policing of the 1950’s and onward. This shouldn’t be a surprise considering America was a British colony and the latter were basically addicted to war. They fought the French, the Spanish, themselves, and many more. So it shouldn’t be a surprise that imperialists learn to be imperialists from imperialists. Non-stop fighting has an affect on a society. It shows people an easy way to obtain the desired amount of wealth, status, and glory. That affect is what makes Americans into warlike brutes.
I think that the U.S. fights because they see something that they want and they decide that they want to take it. The U.S. can get away with it so they continue to do so. I also think that soldiers fight because of the benefits. Most of the time, they see that the armed forces can get them out of their current situation.
This is an extremely loaded question. Why do we go to war if it drains our countries money, drains the military mentally, and the population as a whole? There can be all different answers to this giant question. Is it to preserve peace? Maybe because we are drawn into it by allies. Some may believe that failure to act against aggressors would lead to invitation for more aggression. Is it because our country is greedy? Or because of the countries ego and fear as well? Is it possible that we fight to better our way of life and/or to protect it? We go to war because we have the weapons and want an excuse to use them. Try them out because we have our hands on them. We may also ask ourselves why we find thousands of citizens joining the military. Possibly because they feel they are unable to make it in the civilian world. Or because they thrive on a strict and structured schedule. People may join the army for the benefits it comes with, money for college, training, status, travel, and camaraderie. A feeling of contributing to society and our country or an opportunity for leadership. Many people enlist because it is a family trade while others do it due to inherent aggression.
Wars are cause by greed and power. American history has included many wars to try and dismantle the structure in place where labels affect ones role in current norm system. Oppression has been a result to the labels known today and in our past. The mechanism to separate the people has resulted genius plan to remain oppressed because the more labels society has, the easier it is to have people build walls and hate one another successfully making groups smaller to address and keep in order. Once labels in place are eliminated will we the people return to a majority and accomplish changes needed for proper governmental function to serve its people and not financial growth of large corporation that oppose the nation’s best interest.
The ease in which current structure has enjoyed where fear and obsession over differences versus the ability to encourage growth and goodness taking into account the much needed investment we need to place in our natural resources that are currently depleting at a scary rate is quite appalling. We need to be less focused on monetary useless ideology where endless ambition never ceases to amaze me. We also need to end this craze for power. We are destroying what we have of a planet and each other with different levels of war both internal and at a national and global level.
The result of why we fight as well as outcomes included are:
Disparity, disregard of human life and value, ignorance and fear, belief that respect comes from acts of violence, corruption, government failing its people, profiting from institutions such as found in the criminal system, inadequate health resources, greed of large corporations such as pharmaceuticals and agricultural…
War is keeping people sick in order to have customers and feed profit of big pharmaceutical corporations with their successful forms of propaganda in the medical industry where we find policies in place to save even more money for such like the sunshine act!!! They advertise on television and in person aggressively to all physicians with financial gain. That is by far the definition of corruption by not eliminating the conflict of interest in government.
War is also involve in the disconnection found in society where our children no longer know how to communicate, they know nothing of play, due to the unrealistic standards placed by society within the educational system and have broken self-esteems due to the introduction of technology and its fake superficial propaganda being fed that has skewed self-worth definition. We live in an age with by far more illness and insecurities.
Technology has truly advanced us in so many ways but also has made us weaker. Technology has developed scientific ability to create weapons not needed, involve children in new era we can no longer control due to the pace in which the system has not been able to keep up in constructing proper methods to protect its citizens from harm. Social media is a disaster where people no longer live to live but to post. We are missing human true connection. We are missing the significance of love. Science is amazing but ultimately becomes meaningless when the people who are supposed to enjoy its purpose have no true connection with one another. For issues to be resolved without conflict leading to cause we need to care and love and we cant learn that with greed power and science. Our passion must first be our people than all else.
The rant of human need is real. War is not beneficial to none. It solves nothing.
Why do we fight? When I ask myself with whom, why and how will it benefit me. But this is about War and Society. People will enlist for many reasons. Many want a career. They want to leave their environment and/ or surroundings. While in the Military/ Army everything is provide for you. All expenses on the Army. I always wonder does the Army talk about the negative aftermath of having been in the Army. Many individuals are not the same when they return home. One’s mental status changes. Your behavior changes. Yes you are given all you wanted from the Army but I have seen individuals that are not the same. And some have difficulty adjusting back into the outside world from the Army. Many do not return home from War. I ask myself how much do they help you after fighting in the war? Now the US fight for many reasons as well. We fight for freedom, peace and/or justice. We fight for survival and for what is right for our country. We fight to protect what is ours. We fight for what is essential to us for example we hear many stories about oil/ gas. So why do we fight? There will always be many reasons why we fight. There is no wrong or right answer. I believe what’s important is the outcome. Was the fight worth it.
War: a state of armed conflict between different nations or states or different groups within a nation or state.
I have always had the impression of United States becoming involved in many wars, and believed that we are trying to assist other countries for alliance purposes. But now I have come to realization that there is much more that just becoming “friends” with other countries or to protect our own nation.
Power I feel is such a pertinent aspect in war as well. United States has a built a reputation of being one of the strongest/powerful nations in terms of military and combat. We have built that reputation after all the wars that this nation has been involved in. From winning many wars it holistically creates the belief of being such a powerful country. The United States has fought because of certain disputes and issues with other countries as well. But, from the wars that we won, it creates a powerful idealism when others hear of the Unites States.
Another reason for war, is resources. Resources is such a key aspect of the sustenance of nation. Hence, fighting for resources has become such a huge reason. Although resources are abundant in some countries it is limited. Many reasons for wars are for the fact that countries lack resources. Resources means more business, with equates to money and power.
Why we fight? 217
I think theres many reasons to why we fight. We fight because we are angry, we believe in the thing we are fighting for. Some people fight with other people because they want to prove their point and they want to be heard so to them fighting is the only way to show them their voice. I think the reason why we go and fight in war is because we don’t know how to settle our differences with words. Also war is a business. Too many companies make money off of producing weapons and training soldiers to send them to fight.
I think many people when they go to fight someone or go to war they leave for their family, for money to get revenge or because they feel like its their only option at this point. Where there is war, there is a lot money to be made somewhere by some group of people. War is beneficial
I also think that power plays a big role in this. Everyone wants to more powerful than the next person, so going into war, going into a fight you go in to show that you aren’t afraid and that you have more power over them. People in war fight over territories, to protect the nation. People can also fight to protect their loved ones or they think it’s for the good of others.
Why we fight? This is a good question: the government and media would like you to believe we fight to preserve our Democracy and Freedom but why are we always going into foreign lands to preserve U.S. Freedom and Democracy. Our elected officials are constantly reminding us that as U.S. citizens we need protection from evil forces who want to hurt or harm to us. Fighting can also be looked at as a expansion of territory or resources. War seems to be a big and profitable business and it sells any where from the boots on the ground to the drones in the air as well as the tanks and the food soldiers eat. Every state in the U.S. has a stake in every war, every fight we enter. War employs people. Citizens are urged to fight to strengthen our power as a nation and this does come with a cost of human sacrifice. In the end, is it worth it.
Human beings have been killing each other for a long time and they seem unable to stop. There are several reasons why America keeps fighting abroad and squandering innocent lives. Traditionally, a country will go to war to defend its nation and interests at home and abroad. If America is attacked on its soil by a foreign entity or its properties overseas are being endangered as well as its citizens, it will retaliate to the threat as a defense mechanism. Moreover, it will be a warning to others factions not to engage in violent and terrorist acts against America and Americans.
A war can be declared to prevent conflicts from arising or behind beliefs that are, most of the time, unfounded. The government will exploit patriotism to pursue an imperialistic agenda. When corporate interests align with political forces, there is a willingness and eagerness to start a “profitable” war under the auspice of spreading democracy. There is much more going on privately than freedom such as the domination of the entire globe, economic colonialism and the building of an empire.
Nationalism and pride also contributes to fighting and are the reasons why many Americans decide to join the military. They are proud of their country and are willing to fight for their beliefs and ideals even if it means imposing them on others that have different cultures and values.
As an idealist, I want to believe that America will fight to liberate oppressed people and remove the obstacles that lead to democratic changes. The ugly truth is that all acts are dictated by self interest. If helping defenseless civilians will not return any profits or is not part of a calculated agenda for future gains, why bother?
To add on to what Adda is saying: We fight because we want to defend our own interests. There are things we want in the world and we are not scared to go out there and take it using violence.
There are four types of people who join the military:
I Its a family trade (father did it, grandfather did it, etc.)
II For some people, its a job (These are the people from small towns that no one’s heard of; service and country are all they know.)
III Some people are patriotic (myself included); they believe that it is their obligation to serve. (I don’t believe that it is in anybody’s duty to serve though.)
IV Some people want a legal means of killing other people. They are usually psychopaths or sociopaths.
V. Some join for adventure (They do it to prove that they can; to find out what they’re made of, to be regimented and structured, some do it to see the world.) for a career (professional soldiers, some become officers and eventually work at the Pentagon).
Those are some of the main reasons that I can think of; there might be others.One of the few things that this country knows how to do very well is make war; we spend more on defense (about 5% of our GDP) than the other 18 countries of NATO combined. The young men and women are taken at the prime of their lives and sent into combat don’t know what war is; it is not good for them and its not good for America. It destroys lives as well as this great country we call home. All the while, big co-operations get rich because they sign contracts with the government to make the guns, bullets, boots, bombs, missiles, etc that the men need to do their jobs.
I think the United States fights for social, economic and political gains. Traditionally, the idea of war was for conquests- the more land a country occupies, the more power and riches it will bring. That is quite true because the country is also occupying the land’s resources and people, which can be used for labor and expand trade. However, I feel that the U.S. fights so that they can be part of something bigger like to spread “freedom” and “democracy” or gain control of resources. In the end, the U.S. cannot seem to mind their own business. I say this because of how the relationship between the U.S. and Middle East changed dramatically post 9/11 and WWII. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the U.S. went to Japan and bombed their lands, not once but twice. This led to the death of civilians and troops. U.S. may have the urge to expand their economy by gaining control of more resources elsewhere, such as oil fields from the Middle East. The idea of having an outside force intruding another country (or vice-versa) is dangerous and troubling. I feel that this will exacerbate the problem.
I have a couple of friends who have joined the army or navy, in hopes of being part of a victory, they want discipline and they want to try something new. Some say that they hope to bring honor and going up in the hierarchy of America’s social class system. Some say they want to give back and help the U.S.by offering their service. A close friend of mine joined the army because another family member have done so and wants to continue the family “tradition” or legacy. A friend of mine told me that the army pays for your education after your service and that was appealing to him, especially he wants to go to an IVY league college and it is costly. Just the thought of civilians joining the army or the troops stationed outside of the U.S. is daunting and overwhelming. The fact that you many not know when that person will return home or how thy are doing within the military society. I have two veterans in my cohort that were involved in the army and discussed how PTSD was apparent among the militant groups and how it is a very structured top- down system.