My son at 14 wants to be a marine and kill Osamas in the desert

Well as you said, he is only 14

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It is not the specifics, but the philosophy.

If you look beyond the specific scenarios and see the metaphor, you will see the Art of War in its entirety is as effective now as ever.

 

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It does not surprise me that you have read Sun Tzu, The Art Of War.

 

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Sun Tzu speaks in metaphors and parables. And people gotta keep in mind that the Art of War is a STRATEGIC guide not a TACTICAL guide.

 

If I had to pick between Clauswitz and Sun Tzu, I'd pick the latter.

 

Rent the uncut version of "Hamburger Hill" or the original "All's Quiet on the Western Front." And get him to read Wilfred Owen's poetry. He needs to learn about the reality of war not Ramboesq jingoism.

 

Johnny Got His Gun would do it for me.

 

send him to work in a red cross aid station, treating those the idiot yank solders blew up

 

Dude- get with the program. Everyone's looked this stuff up- or am I really that off base?

I learned how to make pipe bombs when I was 14. Why? Because they made them in "Terminator" and was amazed you could make bombs from homemade stuff. So I went to the library and learned how.

Never made a pipe bomb- I just want to know how to. And when my son asked me, I told him of course- we can make bombs right now if we wanted to! Doesen't mean we should, though. I think there is some wisdom in that.

 

He knows war is hell. He knows soldiers die. He knows his uncle served in 'Nam and saw plenty of the bad stuff. I was just asking- is he made for it at 14 or is has media and government done its job and created a demand for heroes from our youth?

 

He won't be going at 14. He'll be going at 18.
Grow him up into someone who can either handle it or won't want to.

 

what's that supposed to mean? :bugeye:

 

There's more than a handful of people who think about joining the military at almost any young age. Fewer that do it, some even are forced into it others born into it. However, hiding the fact that it's there is kind of counter productive. If he wants to join, there's not really a lot you can do to stop it. It's a decision that will be made with little regard to your emotions as a parent.

I think that many who do serve do so with a pure heart and a lot of them become corrupted by combats harsh adrenaline rush some haunted by it but very few who do it with no thought to it. Although every man has his breaking point, some are just too scared to say no.

Anyways, best of luck with him and hopefully he goes officer or picks a good job if he decides to enlist or become commissioned.

 

i would recommend him to watch some documentaries first, namely:

1) Inside job
3) The power of nightmare
4) America: Freedom to Fascism
5) Zeitgeist
6) Fahrenheit 9/11