georgebcrawford 's review for:

4.0

Pretty decent and fairly compelling. I've often wondered if hard times and sacrifice lead to a better society, Junger seems to think so. I read a bit of criticism that he was all "what we need's another war!", but I don't agree.

Obviously, he skews toward conflict as a place where community bonds are strengthened - he is a war journalist after all. However, it's not just war that brings out these behaviours. After Hurricane Katrina, crime fell. Same with 9/11.

If nothing else, I've added Rebecca Solnit's A Paradise Built In Hell as a follow-up, perhaps immediately.