In the words of Otto Von Bismarck, "people never lie so much as after a hunt, during a war or before an election." In keeping faith with this notion, numerous passages that have been read and discovered throughout the duration of this course thus far correlate with war and lies. Two passages that struck interest in myself stem from a military blog titled, "The Unlikely Short-Timer," and from Stuart D. Lee's play titled, "The Ghosts May Laugh." Both of the passages hold true to the fact that war is not as honorable, glorious, and glamorous as society makes it out to be. The connection to be made between these two passages concerning the realities of war showcases itself in the fact that a lie encompasses the entirety of a war more than a truth does.
[...] A lie we have been told ever since we were born. A lie we were told in school, in church, by our parents, by the newspapers. All day, every day. It's the lie all three of you have been repeating tonight with your bloody ghost stories (Lee, 83.) JONES reiterates the concept of over and over again as an attempt to emphasize the truthfulness in his point. In comparison, the second passage comes from a military blog, titled Unlikely Short-Timer.” To be more specific, the post I would like to focus on is titled, “Call It a Night.” “Call It a Night” discusses how its author feels about coming back home from the war and whether or not he wants to return. [...]
[...] Blindfolded, one arm tied behind the back Blind and paranoid and expected to smile and wave and win over strangers that don't give a fuck about you, doing the bidding of powerful men who also don't give a fuck about you (Usual Suspect, 2009.) This excerpt shows how the soldiers are not as strong, powerful, and honorable as society makes them out to be. The author talks about how high governmental officials glorify war and service, while the soldiers know the truth and see the brutality and humiliation. [...]
[...] I'll tell you, we use that slight gain in understanding and awareness to think up new ways to kill each other, or to order other people to kill, because we've all bought the lie that there is something we can go to after all of this—because we're special, we're chosen (Lee, 83.) The gritty, raw, truth within this passage enlightens the listeners to the grim reality instead of the romanticized glory of war. On another note, the passage from Stuart D. [...]
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