War Is A Force That Gives Us Meaning By Chris Hedges Summary

In Chris Hedges’ War is a Force that Gives Us Meaning, we hear firsthand accounts of the horrors of war, the devastation it brings, and the countless lives affected by this manmade construct. Hedges solemnly recounts the destruction that he has seen, in armed conflicts spanning the globe, over the course of his fifteen years as a war correspondent. His recollection of these events, however, does not end with merely showcasing the death and ruin that war causes, but rather, the conveyance of a much deeper message—war is a drug. Powerfully illustrating the addictive, psychological effects that war can have on individuals, himself not immune, Hedges writes, “The chance to exist for an intense and overpowering moment, even if it meant certain oblivion, seemed worth it in the midst of war—and very stupid once the war ended.'' He describes war as an escape from the mundane, normal lives most of us lead, a chance to shed individual responsibility and to feel a part of a larger calling. Humans, yearning to bring meaning to their lives, have always searched

We must vanquish darkness and the good side must prevail. This is particularly true today, with the rise of the Islamic State and other Muslim terrorist groups who see us in the United States as infidels, hindering the uncorrupted Islamic society they wish to build. While stationed in Bahrain, I saw this anti-American sentiment firsthand, my fellow sailors receiving death threats from a select few hate-driven locals, including an incident where a plot involving an IED targeting our daily travel route was thwarted before, thankfully, anyone was