I have a feeling if the American public really desired to understand the complex nature of the battles our soldiers face overseas, they could do it right now. It’s 2008 now. We don’t need CNN or MSNBC or traditional media outlets to disseminate the information we need to understand the nature of the war we’re fighting. (and it’s most definitely inferior in terms of production and grandness)
All the high-level theory about the nature of counterinsurgency can be found online if you’re actively looking. And we have some great embedded reporters with valuable dispatches.
But I’m getting a sneaking suspicion that a majority of Americans are resisting the call to inform themselves. Because information is difficult to understand, to process, to create. Just like with sports and entertainment, they’re searching to TV media experts for the answers in five minutes or less, so they can simplify their knowledge of the region to a few soundbytes and lapel pins and get back to watching Dancing With the Stars.
We can blame the politicians and old media all we like for starting this war, but we enabled them to go through with it in our jingoistic rah-rah. While they bear plenty of responsibility for their own positions, and for trying their best to shut us out, we have allowed ourselves to be blinded by partisan squabbles instead of focusing on the issues that matter. Our soldiers are still there, and as much as some countries and detractors would like to believe that it should just be treated as another job, that they are pawns of American imperialism, our ignorance of their suffering is painful.
We know several things. Saddam dead. We torture too much. Iraq planning bungled. Taliban resurgent. We don’t try to explore much behind it, just hope people can bring it to a close so we can get back to peacetime. Videogames and bad reality TV and parties. Lots and lots of parties. Ignorance is bliss and liquor is quicker.
But things will never return to the way they were. They will only change and dissolve and then evolve into something else.
We are too busy procrastinating away the precious time that we have on things that don’t matter (myself included) that we’re missing the bigger picture of how we can better inform ourselves and contribute to the conflict of our generation. And this war is only one step in thinking about the broader challenges ahead: How can I find ways to make this world better? And what can I do to delve into the deeper questions?
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Comments ( 2 )
The first thing I thought of when reading this post was “The Prosecution of George W. Bush for Murder” by Vincent Bugliosi. I’m reading it currently after reading about it on Ryan Holiday’s blog.
I don’t know if you’ve read the book or seen his presentations about it on YouTube, but I highly, HIGHLY recommend reading this book. It’s amazing the information Bugliosi presents that we all overlooked/didn’t know about.
All that is beside the main point that you make however: “But things will never return to the way they were. They will only change and dissolve and then evolve into something else.” This is a great point, and can be found everywhere and anywhere, as it’s relevant to business, life, etc. I think this boils down to one thing: do you want to see the world as it truly is, or do you want to life in the past?
Great point, and great post.
Dominic added these pithy words on
Jul 27 08 at
8:23 pm
I’ve heard about the book, but man, talk about a loaded title. It makes me uneasy to even pick it up, but I’ll probably get to it next month.
Avinash added these pithy words on
Jul 28 08 at
11:42 pm
