06-06-2010, 11:32 PM
Of course, war and killing are not an instinct, but something that is taught and is learned. As Gwynne Dyer pointed out, "Anybody's son will do." Armies have been "doing it" for centuries. "Human beings are fairly malleable, especially when they are young, and in every young man there are the attitudes for any army to work with..." (War, c1985, p103)
But more to the example of Jona's nephew playing with toy soldiers (an image that really struck me) -- I think H.G.Wells sets the standard. A prolific writer and historian (Many credit Tom Clancy with beginning the Techno Thriller genre, but I give that pride of place to Wells.) H.G. Wells was not only an vowed pacifist but was also an avid player of war games. Indeed, he is often credited as the father of the modern hobby of miniature war games.
In comparing games to the real thing, H.G. had this to say:
"And if I might for a moment trumpet! How much better is this amiable miniature than the Real Thing! Here is a homeopathic remedy for the imaginative strategist. Here is the premeditation, the thrill, the strain of accumulating victory or disaster -- and no smashed nor sanguinary bodies, no shattered fine buildings nor devastated country sides, no petty cruelties, none of that awful universal boredom and embitterment, that tiresome delay or stoppage or embarrassment of every gracious, bold, sweet, and charming thing, that we who are old enough to remember a real modern war know to be the reality of belligerence.
This world is for ample living; we want security and freedom; all of us in every country, except a few dull-witted, energetic bores, want to see the manhood of the world at something better than apeing the little lead toys our children buy in boxes. We want fine things made for mankind -- splendid cities, open ways, more knowledge and power, and more and more and more, -- and so I offer my game, for a particular as well as a general end; and let us put this prancing monarch and that silly scaremonger, and these excitable 'patriots,' and those adventurers, and all the practitioners of Welt Politik, into one vast Temple of War, with cork carpets everywhere, and plenty of little trees and little houses to knock down, and cities and fortresses, and unlimited soldiers -- tons, cellars-full, -- and let them lead their own lives there away from us ...
Great War is at present, I am convinced, not only the most expensive game in the universe, but it is a game out of all proportion. Not only are the masses of men and material and suffering and inconvenience too monstrously big for reason, but -- the available heads we have for it, are too small. That, I think, is the most pacific realisation conceivable, and Little War brings you to it as nothing else but Great War can do."
H.G. Wells, Little Wars, 1913
This quote may be found here: http://www.imaginative-strategist.layfigures.com/
Now, I will admit that this does little to answer Jona's original central question, nor is it quite a eloquently honest as Ralph's statement, however I think that H.G. Wells is quite right and there is little reason to believe that because kids play with toy soldiers they have a inherent tendency toward war. More game with toy soldiers and fewer wars with real soldiers thank you.
My apologies for the digression.
:oops:
Narukami
But more to the example of Jona's nephew playing with toy soldiers (an image that really struck me) -- I think H.G.Wells sets the standard. A prolific writer and historian (Many credit Tom Clancy with beginning the Techno Thriller genre, but I give that pride of place to Wells.) H.G. Wells was not only an vowed pacifist but was also an avid player of war games. Indeed, he is often credited as the father of the modern hobby of miniature war games.
In comparing games to the real thing, H.G. had this to say:
"And if I might for a moment trumpet! How much better is this amiable miniature than the Real Thing! Here is a homeopathic remedy for the imaginative strategist. Here is the premeditation, the thrill, the strain of accumulating victory or disaster -- and no smashed nor sanguinary bodies, no shattered fine buildings nor devastated country sides, no petty cruelties, none of that awful universal boredom and embitterment, that tiresome delay or stoppage or embarrassment of every gracious, bold, sweet, and charming thing, that we who are old enough to remember a real modern war know to be the reality of belligerence.
This world is for ample living; we want security and freedom; all of us in every country, except a few dull-witted, energetic bores, want to see the manhood of the world at something better than apeing the little lead toys our children buy in boxes. We want fine things made for mankind -- splendid cities, open ways, more knowledge and power, and more and more and more, -- and so I offer my game, for a particular as well as a general end; and let us put this prancing monarch and that silly scaremonger, and these excitable 'patriots,' and those adventurers, and all the practitioners of Welt Politik, into one vast Temple of War, with cork carpets everywhere, and plenty of little trees and little houses to knock down, and cities and fortresses, and unlimited soldiers -- tons, cellars-full, -- and let them lead their own lives there away from us ...
Great War is at present, I am convinced, not only the most expensive game in the universe, but it is a game out of all proportion. Not only are the masses of men and material and suffering and inconvenience too monstrously big for reason, but -- the available heads we have for it, are too small. That, I think, is the most pacific realisation conceivable, and Little War brings you to it as nothing else but Great War can do."
H.G. Wells, Little Wars, 1913
This quote may be found here: http://www.imaginative-strategist.layfigures.com/
Now, I will admit that this does little to answer Jona's original central question, nor is it quite a eloquently honest as Ralph's statement, however I think that H.G. Wells is quite right and there is little reason to believe that because kids play with toy soldiers they have a inherent tendency toward war. More game with toy soldiers and fewer wars with real soldiers thank you.
My apologies for the digression.
:oops:
Narukami
David Reinke
Burbank CA
Burbank CA
