On Killing: The Psychological Cost of Learning to Kill in War and Society
by: Dave Grossman
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Product Description:
The twentieth century, with its bloody world wars, revolutions, and genocides accounting for hundreds of millions dead, would seem to prove that human beings are incredibly vicious predators and that killing is as natural as eating. But Lieutenant Colonel Dave Grossman, a psychologist and U.S. Army Ranger, demonstrates this is not the case. The good news, according to Grossman - drawing on dozens of interviews, first-person reports, and historic studies of combat, ranging from Frederick the Great's battles in the eighteenth century through Vietnam - is that the vast majority of soldiers are loath to kill. In World War II, for instance, only 15 to 25 percent of combat infantry were willing to fire their rifles. The provocative news is that modern armies, using Pavlovian and operant conditioning, have learned how to overcome this reluctance. In Korea about 50 percent of combat infantry were willing to shoot, and in Vietnam the figure rose to over 90 percent. The bad news is that by conditioning soldiers to overcome their instinctive loathing of killing, we have drastically increased post-combat stress - witness the devastated psychological state of our Vietnam vets as compared with those from earlier wars. And the truly terrible news is that contemporary civilian society, particularly the media, replicates the army's conditioning techniques and - according to Grossman's controversial thesis - is responsible for our rising rates of murder and violence, particularly among the young. In the explosive last section of the book, he argues that high-body-count movies, television violence (both news and entertainment), and interactive point-and-shoot video games are dangerously similar to thetraining programs that dehumanize the enemy, desensitize soldiers to the psychological ramifications of killing, and make pulling the trigger an automatic response.
The twentieth century, with its bloody world wars, revolutions, and genocides accounting for hundreds of millions dead, would seem to prove that human beings are incredibly vicious predators and that killing is as natural as eating. But Lieutenant Colonel Dave Grossman, a psychologist and U.S. Army Ranger, demonstrates this is not the case. The good news, according to Grossman - drawing on dozens of interviews, first-person reports, and historic studies of combat, ranging from Frederick the Great's battles in the eighteenth century through Vietnam - is that the vast majority of soldiers are loath to kill. In World War II, for instance, only 15 to 25 percent of combat infantry were willing to fire their rifles. The provocative news is that modern armies, using Pavlovian and operant conditioning, have learned how to overcome this reluctance. In Korea about 50 percent of combat infantry were willing to shoot, and in Vietnam the figure rose to over 90 percent. The bad news is that by conditioning soldiers to overcome their instinctive loathing of killing, we have drastically increased post-combat stress - witness the devastated psychological state of our Vietnam vets as compared with those from earlier wars. And the truly terrible news is that contemporary civilian society, particularly the media, replicates the army's conditioning techniques and - according to Grossman's controversial thesis - is responsible for our rising rates of murder and violence, particularly among the young. In the explosive last section of the book, he argues that high-body-count movies, television violence (both news and entertainment), and interactive point-and-shoot video games are dangerously similar to thetraining programs that dehumanize the enemy, desensitize soldiers to the psychological ramifications of killing, and make pulling the trigger an automatic response.
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Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: 
- On Killing Review
Has some good points to think about when in theatre but can be edited to only a couple dozen pages.
Rating: 
- A Highly Flawed Work on an Important Topic
LTC Grossman's book is highly overrated by far too many readers. His book does offer some valuable information on the combat efficiency of people over time on the modern battlefield. There is also some excellent insight into post-traumatic stress disorder. He suggests that in the past soldiers had more time to reflect and examine their experiences before returning to peaceful lives back home. Either armies had to march home, which could take days if not weeks, or they had to take a ship, which could ... Read More
Rating: 
- On Killing
This book was suggested to me by a former MP in the Army.I have passed it along to both career military and pastors alike.This gives great insight to how the mind works regarding taking the lives of others.For those who need to get soldiers to do their duty to kill the enemy, this is the theory behind the practice.For those who are responsible for raising children, or caring for young people, this is a study in the aspects of our society that break down the walls in the mind that tell a person ... Read More
Rating: - Tells it like it is...
I spotted this book in a book store while I was TDY, and couldn't put it down.It pulled me in and wouldn't let me go.
I am a combat veteran of OIF, and found myself comparing my situation to the phases of combat Lt Col Grossman describes in his book.He is dead-on, at least in my aerial combat experiences.
It's comforting to know that I wasn't the only one who had these feelings.
I would definitely recommend it for vets and the great people that work with vets.
Rating: 
- Quite interesting...
The scholarship of the book is not what was expected and it is often not clear what is opinion, or from memory of other readings, versus derived from more scientific study.It is also technically imperfect from the perspective of writing and editing.However, these pimples should not stop someone from reading this quite interesting and useful work.The value in this book lies in the perspective and thought provocation it provides.
This book should me on, and likely already is, all PME reading lists. ... Read More
- On Killing ReviewHas some good points to think about when in theatre but can be edited to only a couple dozen pages.
- A Highly Flawed Work on an Important TopicLTC Grossman's book is highly overrated by far too many readers. His book does offer some valuable information on the combat efficiency of people over time on the modern battlefield. There is also some excellent insight into post-traumatic stress disorder. He suggests that in the past soldiers had more time to reflect and examine their experiences before returning to peaceful lives back home. Either armies had to march home, which could take days if not weeks, or they had to take a ship, which could ... Read More
- On KillingThis book was suggested to me by a former MP in the Army.I have passed it along to both career military and pastors alike.This gives great insight to how the mind works regarding taking the lives of others.For those who need to get soldiers to do their duty to kill the enemy, this is the theory behind the practice.For those who are responsible for raising children, or caring for young people, this is a study in the aspects of our society that break down the walls in the mind that tell a person ... Read More
- Tells it like it is...I spotted this book in a book store while I was TDY, and couldn't put it down.It pulled me in and wouldn't let me go.
I am a combat veteran of OIF, and found myself comparing my situation to the phases of combat Lt Col Grossman describes in his book.He is dead-on, at least in my aerial combat experiences.
It's comforting to know that I wasn't the only one who had these feelings.
I would definitely recommend it for vets and the great people that work with vets.
- Quite interesting...The scholarship of the book is not what was expected and it is often not clear what is opinion, or from memory of other readings, versus derived from more scientific study.It is also technically imperfect from the perspective of writing and editing.However, these pimples should not stop someone from reading this quite interesting and useful work.The value in this book lies in the perspective and thought provocation it provides.
This book should me on, and likely already is, all PME reading lists. ... Read More
