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3.82 AVERAGE
3.82 AVERAGE
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Definitely an interesting premise and I do believe there’s truth in what he writes, but the whole book just seemed disorganized. The chapters didn’t really seem to have a purpose, the train of thought was not linear, and he seemed to repeat the same point over and over again. We get it, hardship brings people closer together, end of story.
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
What people miss presumably isn't danger or loss but the unity that these things often engender. ~ Sebastian Junger
(Would have given 5 stars if footnotes were provided in addition to the source notes.)
(Would have given 5 stars if footnotes were provided in addition to the source notes.)
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
fast-paced
I like to think of this as a Malcolm Gladwell book, such as The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference, Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking, or Outliers: The Story of Success, but written by a well-seasoned embedded war correspondent unusually sensitive to his subject. For anyone who has read the author's popular Afghanistan war book, War, or seen the Restrepo documentary film, you can see a link to modern American soldiers returning home in the text. In fact, I had assumed this was going to be roughly equivalent to David Finkel's Thank You for Your Service companion piece to his Iraq war tome, The Good Soldiers: soldiers in intense war return home without much success, both rather emotionally charged books. This author takes a much different approach. It is not hard to see the book as separate lectures on communities, soldiers and communities in war, and soldiers returning home, but with the central emphasis on our local communities, not on people with weapons. Yes, lectures, but lucid stimulating analysis that have audience members impatient for the Q&A session, not dry readings required by a college curriculum. Each "lecture" gives the reader plenty to chew on. Our American "tribe" is found wanting in several respects, but this is not a highly-charged propaganda piece. It calmly lays out facts on competing social norms and lets the reader see sometimes startling differences, differences we Americans commonly have ignored and continue to ignore to our peril. This book is very much worth the read. The fact that it's a slender volume makes not reading it almost a crime.
Very important points! Junger talks about the success of different societies and the various effects of war on them and their people, both positive and negative. Our society has always prioritized individual gain over common benefit. I think it will be our ruin.
Sebastian Junger is a journalist that spent time in Afghanistan with the troops. This book explores what happens to soldiers when they return from war and try to adjust back into society. He explores "tribe" mentality that soldiers develop as a team and the disconnect they experience when they return to a society that is more of "me first" culture. Some food for thought here about societies such as Israel where all people must serve their country vs. ours where a minority (and minorities) of the population serve in the military.
challenging
informative
inspiring
fast-paced
I don't know why, but before I picked this book up I had the notion it was a more 'new age' look at tribe. Not the case. From Native American (American Indian) tribal traditions to the effects of a cohesive unit and community support in wartimes, Junger surmises the problems our current society faces as we move further and further from a collective, supportive effort where each member feels needed and useful. A few favorites:
"The economic and marketing forces of modern society have engineered an environment...that maximizes consumption at the long-term cost of well-being'...humans have dragged a body with a long hominid history into an overfed, malnourished, sedentary, sunlight-deficient, sleep-deprived, competitive, inequitable, and socially-isolating environment with dire consequences." (p. 23)
"Our society is alienating, technical, cold and mystifying. Our fundamental desire, as human beings, is to be close to others, and our society does not allow for that" (p. 94)
"A society that doesn't offer its members the chance to act selflessly in these ways isn't a society in any tribal sense of the word; it's just a political entity that, lacking enemies, will probably fall apart on its own." (p.110)
"The United States is so powerful that the only country capable of destroying her might be the United States herself, which means that the ultimate terrorist strategy would be to just leave the country alone." (p. 127-128)
"The economic and marketing forces of modern society have engineered an environment...that maximizes consumption at the long-term cost of well-being'...humans have dragged a body with a long hominid history into an overfed, malnourished, sedentary, sunlight-deficient, sleep-deprived, competitive, inequitable, and socially-isolating environment with dire consequences." (p. 23)
"Our society is alienating, technical, cold and mystifying. Our fundamental desire, as human beings, is to be close to others, and our society does not allow for that" (p. 94)
"A society that doesn't offer its members the chance to act selflessly in these ways isn't a society in any tribal sense of the word; it's just a political entity that, lacking enemies, will probably fall apart on its own." (p.110)
"The United States is so powerful that the only country capable of destroying her might be the United States herself, which means that the ultimate terrorist strategy would be to just leave the country alone." (p. 127-128)