Watch Saving Private Ryan. It covers the gamut of the war story. The visceral and disturbing bloodletting, the stories behind the story, and then the meaning to be extracted from the meaninglessness. "Earn this" is a good mantra. I think the world is quickly forgetting all those things that are valuable and meaningful. Perhaps wars are there to remind us how precious and important life is. Perhaps it is an unintentional culling of the human population, to rid the world of the fat, even if only psychologically. It's a pity we cannot make up our minds to be virtuous and decent, to take care of one another, as a matter of course. As a natural directive to living.
I remember I first saw Saving Private Ryan in Bristol. And then I went to watch it again. A chubby chap told me I was 'sick' for watching it. I get his point, but I wasn't watching it because I enjoyed the carnage. I enjoyed and marvelled at the sense these soldiers had of just how pecarious life is once you find yourself propelled into war.
It is when we learn to care for another, that we begin to learn - at the very least - how to care fof ourselves. Mostly, I think, we get that part mixed up.
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