Lessons Literature Can Teach You
Freedom Is Beautiful, The Fight For It Is Not. You Should Never Glorify War.
Take it from a World War I veteran: Freedom and the destruction it takes to get it are not equally worthy of praise.
Even when it’s necessary, war should never be glorified.
Conflict is inherent to human nature, no doubt, but that doesn't mean we should praise it. The destruction of lives and property is generally frowned upon in individual instances. Yet, when these atrocities take place in bulk behind the façade of God or country, it suddenly becomes a duty to condone these actions.
Of course, there is just war — Ukraine being the primary example. A much larger, more powerful country invaded an innocent nation. They didn't ask for it, nor deserve it. Supporting the Ukrainian people is a moral necessity. Tragically, to get back their liberty, many innocent people will die.
A distinction must be made: You must support Ukrainians unflinchingly, undoubtedly, and without hesitation. What you must never do is glorify the acts of war.
For those of us watching this war unfold in the confines of our relatively comfortable existence, it is vital to recognize one thing: war is horror. It doesn't matter if it's just or not. Children will die. People will starve. Homes will be destroyed. Humanity will be crushed by itself. It's not a video game where you can restart every time you fail.
Over 100 years ago, a whole generation learned of this horror. Millions of youth were sent out to kill each other in the first World War. The eternal book, All Quiet On The Western Front, best encapsulates the mind-numbing destruction they saw.
It's a book packed with the naked reality of combat—the lessons from which some people today need, while others tragically already know.
Let's take a look.
> War Is Not An Adventure <
In the opening pages, Erich Maria Remarque, author of All Quiet On The Western Front, writes:
“This book is to be neither an accusation nor a confession, and least of all an…
