Romanticising The Warrior

Philosophy Forums Society, Government, and Economics
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Fiction: Luke Skywalker. Batman. Conan. Dirty Harry.
Reality: Bruce Lee. Crazy Horse. Doc Holiday. Musashi.

 There can be no doubt that we respect and idolize our greatest warriors- people who's only unifying characteristic is how quickly they could pile the bodies around them if they so chose. They may have had ideals, they may not- but that's not really the root of what makes them interesting. 
 So, respect and admiration for the warrior - or the killer, just to cut to the chase.  What's it all about? Is it a left over from a less enlightened period? Something we should feel ashamed of ourselves for feeling, and try to get over? Or, is violence to key to what it is to be human that these people really do deserve the timeless respect they seem to have?  
 How many of us want to [i]be[/i] the killer? How many men, no matter what they say or what they present to the outside world, gain some of their self-respect from the private knowledge that when the chips are down, they can kick ass if they have to? Even if you've never worked out, trained to fight, shot a rifle or anything of the kind, do you harbor a secret self-assurance that you are big enough, fast enough, wily enough or just plain mean enough to 'hold your own'? How pervasive is the appeal of The Killer to men? Do women care about it at all?
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Hi Ucc,

Of the heroes you’ve mentioned, all have one thing in common: They are the good who refuse to give in to evil. It seems to me that their perennial popularity lies in the defensiveness of their violence and not so much their desire to kill.

No matter how romanticized, the wanton killer is rarely seen as a hero, but those who kill in the name of good triumphing over evil are always applauded, even if “good killing” has rather dubious definitions.

I don’t know that having the ability to protect self, family, clan, is a leftover impulse from a less enlightened time. Seems like that is always an issue in any time. Whether our protection comes from strapping on a gun, or through “enlightenment” we pay a proxy (police) to strap on a gun, it is about protection, not necessarily a desire to kill in order to prove our manhood.

I spent a considerable amount of time becoming proficient with a large caliber handgun plus I learned a few brawl stopping tricks, so I can hold my own. But quite frankly, it is my fervent desire to never have to use any of that knowledge. I’ve nothing to prove, but I’m also smart enough to not bring a knife to a gun fight. :laughing:

If you think about it, today’s warriors do their killing with legal briefs. That’s where the real violence resides… :unamused: