If military establishments in time of peace be judged proper, their purpose may be effected either by consigning the practice of military discipline to a certain part of the community, or by making every man, whose age is suitable for that purpose, a soldier.
The preferrableness of the latter of these methods to the former is obvious. The man that is merely a soldier must always be uncommonly depraved. War, in his case inevitably degenerates from the necessary precautions of a personal defence into a trade, by which a man sells his skill in murder, and the safety of his existence, for a pecuniary recompense. The man that is merely a soldier ceases to be, in the same sense as his neighbours, a citizen. He is cut off from the rest of the community, and has sentiments and a rule of judgement peculiar to himself. He considers his countrymen as indebted to him for their security; and, by an unavoidable transition of reasoning, believes that in a double sense, they are at his mercy. On the other hand, that every citizen should exercize in his turn the functions of a soldier seems peculiarily favourable to that confidence in himself, and in the resources of his country, which it is so desirable he should entertain. It is congenial to that equality which must operate to a considerable extent before mankind in general can be either virtuous or wise. And it seems to multiply the powers of defence in a country, so as to render the idea of its falling under the yoke of an enemy in the utmost degree improbable.
William Godwin
In case you have not noticed, I like to peer over Godwin's shoulder, after checking the 1516 Purity Law and the 1971 NHL rulebook, when I am in need of a little wisdom. For an Englishman, the fucker could rock. His above thoughts speak to our present day military predicaments like few present day thinkers do. Sometimes I think just about all of today's thinkers are all not thinking so good.
I am big on everybody who wants to to get in on the action to have a place made for them in our modern armies. i.e. Why is my job not reserved for me back home if I were willing to fuck off for Afghanistan as a medic?
Every citizen who wants one should be given a little training, a uniform, a big motherfucking gun or two and a roomful of ammo. But we should never conscript the unwilling to become a state's murderers, with the possible exception of politicians. Those fuckers should be on the front line swimming in blood.
Man does not live on beer and hockey alone. He needs some guns.
2 comments:
You led me to the wisdom of Godwin some time ago, Beer, and for that I am thankful. His words here, as well as your own are spot on.
I must take exception with the Purity Law though. For centuries before the Purity Law, the sweet taste of malt was balanced with bittering herbs of the brewer’s choice. Brewers were well aware of the medicinal properties of herbs as well as their culinary use. Very few brewers would have put the sedative Hop in a refreshing beer or ale. Hops were used to promote a restful sleep.
It was the Catholic Church that noticed that the poor slugs that drank beer bittered with hops would soon tire and not be able to run amuck. Like everything else the church does the Purity Law was written to control the population.
When I brew my own beers I use no hops. I have several recipes which include a variety of herbs. My homebrewed beers offer a much mellower buzz that does not fade with the evening.
I’d love to share a few with you some day.
A wide variety of herbs added to beer sounds like Freedom 5.5% to me.
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