“Does war bring out the bestial side of human nature or the best?” That's the question that Canadian historian Margaret Macmillan asks at the beginning of her book titled War: How Conflict Shaped Us. Macmillan has synthesized a vast body of literature about war, and she has seen how new technologies and weapons have changed the course of history, and the dynamics of war.
Steven Paulson asked her if we humans are inherently violent. This is her answer:
I come down on the side that we’re not inherently violent but we may have violent tendencies that evolution has left us. When we’re afraid, we have a tendency to lash out, but I don’t think that means we are necessarily violent. We often see examples of altruism and people living together. What is more important is why people fight—and I’m thinking of war, not just random one-on-one fighting. People fight wars because of organization, ideas, and cultural values. The more organized we are, unfortunately, the better we seem to get at fighting. War is very organized. It’s not the brawl you get outside a bar or the random violence you might get when someone feels frightened.
It is certainly a paradox that the more organized and nicer we become, the better we become at waging wars.
More about this over at Nautilus.
What are your thoughts about this one?
(Image Credit: stevepb/ Pixabay)
Comments (1)
And what if the zombies did manage to walk on the bottom or float their bloated corpses your way. You'd be screwed in your fortress with no way out.
I can think of two old forts that match Fort Boyard. There is Fort Delaware in the middle of a moat island far enough north in the Delaware River to have "fresh" water (highly suggest filtering and boiling). Also Fort Jefferson in the keys which may have a repairable system to catch rain water.
If I could find a way to limit the people a cruise ship or US carrier may not be a bad place to spend time during a zombie invasion.
Plus, of course there's always the Zombie Survival Guide book to tell you everything you need to know (or so says the hubby) So, off to the library, on my bicycle, with my .22 rifle....after that I have no idea where would be a "good place."
Though, I REALLY AMercer's slaughter house idea.
All I know is, I am NOT going to the mall or anything similar because we all know what happens when you go to the mall during a zombie outbreak.
During the early stages of a zombie apocalypse, fellow humans are as dangerous if not more so than the undead.
You've got a great shelter? Good. Keep your mouth shut. Because if you don't, you'll be surrounded by desperate survivors. And many of them will gladly kill you to take over your fortified position.
All the French would laugh at that idea :)
Sors! t'as plus le temps!... Les zombies arrivent!
I say find the nearest slaughter house that is geared up for cattle. With a little bit of work you can create a system to get the zoms into the holding pens. These are designed and built to hold angry/scared cattle, each of which weigh over 1500 pounds or so. Those pens could easily handle zombies. You may have to extend the height of the pens to keep the climbers at bay. If you get a horde of zombies show up you lure them into the holding pens. Those pens will be strong enough to hold them.
Next up, you have bolt guns that are ran off of compresses air. If you can get a way to keep the compressor going then you can use these bolt guns to kill zombies. Direct zombies into the regular killing chutes. Of course some modification would have to happen to get these killing zones zombie ready. Zombies are smaller than cattle but it can be done. Isolate them one at a time and use the bolt gun on them one at a time. Pull the bodies out and burn them in some other part of your new compound.
A slaughter house will have many different pens and holding areas. Some of these can be used to contain bonfires. Some can be used for gardening. Heck, you may even be able to raise a few cows in there. The rest of the slaughter house, fortified of course, can house many people.
All of this presupposes you have the time, materials, and know-how to get the place up to zombie-ready conditions.
http://img483.imageshack.us/img483/5074/p70101497ci.jpg
Unless there are zombie-contestants, in which case you may have to joust with them in order to retrieve the key to the tiger-filled treasure room before the clepsydra runs out.