The Myths of War

I just finished reading War Is a Force That Gives Us Meaning by Chris Hedges in which he delves into our fascination and intoxication with war. As a war correspondent, he describes his addiction to bloody conflicts in depressing detail. He describes some of the scenes and tells some of the stories he has heard. The book is an eye-opening look into the myths we use to justify the killing of millions of people.

The author's brutal honesty provides the proper basis to examine war's appeal and that no one is safe from it's destructive power. The true power of the book can only be experienced by reading it yourself - it may be difficult to get through but it is a good read and highly relevant because it sheds light on the blindfold that national leaders and citizens themselves have used throughout history to justify and often cover up the atrocities that occur.

After finishing, I couldn't help crying because of the images and the stories Hedges brought forward. It made me think of all of the people in my life that have fought in the military and how the experience changed them. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is searching to understand a little bit more about our, as in human civilization's, bloody past and present.