How to Feel About Those You Kill

[Drychnath]

I have given thought, from time to time, on the best way to deal with the emotional baggage that would almost inevitably arise from killing another human being. It seems to me at this point, that it would be better not to try to remove oneself from the emotional response, but to have one that works appropriately for the purpose.

I would wish to hate whomever I kill. They want to destroy me, to destroy my life, and to destroy what I love. They are different than I, less than I, and so I shall hate them, and revel in their destruction.

[johnjacobjingleheimerschmidt]

wow, this is quite the, err.. macabre topic. however it's also interesting.

IF i were put into a situation in which i had to deal with the act of killing another human being, i'm not sure exactly how i could...removing myself from the emotional part for one isn't healthy, and is, quite honestly, contrary to my respect for other human life, and demeaning to those i have killed. i think i would also have to find a way to hate my enemy, one can hate them, and still respect them, i think i would look at it from this perspective, i would hate them for putting me into a situation in which i had to take another human's life, for threatening my life. i do believe i have too much respect for individual human beings to lump them all under a "they're enemy, they're atteacking me, therefore are worse than me, and so they must be killed" perspective.

[Pike]

Well speaking of death you all know that I have to have some kind of thought on this. I have spent long amounts of time thinking about weather or not I could take human life. I came to the conclusion that I came up with that I would be able to take human life. If it was my job or if I was defending my life but a problem I came up with was what about people who are close to me. Could I take their lives if I was asked to? A long time ago I was asked if on the field of battle if I could kill some one I loved if they where severely wounded and would not survive and I couldn’t answer that question. Human life to me is a great thing and I would never kill some one unless circumstances where met that I cant tell you as of now because I don’t really know them. Could I kill my enemy? Yes. Could I be a heartless murder and slaughter human life as if it did not matter? No. If I took life I could get over it or not think about it for the time being but not forever the ghosts of the dead would haunt me eventually but I believe I could move on with my life

[DarkNeopagan]

you would be amazed at how little time it takes to respond to your life being threatend. there is no time to think, you just react. it all boils down to him or you. most peoples instincts are for self preservation, even the most grim person doesn't want his life taken by a stranger. as someone who is not a violent person i found it suprisingly easy to proctect my life.

[Drychnath]

It would seem to me that soldiery, being a profession, offers certain innate defenses against negative impact and routes through hesitancy regarding killing the enemy, not least of which is training. My assertion has more to do with killing in a personal sense of the word.

I should like to overcome my conditioning to the contrary, and enjoy the feel of bones crunching beneath my blows and the spray of blood. Of course, they would probably wind up being diseased, so perhaps I could live with no spray. I have no philosophical objections whatsoever to the prospect of enjoying the sufferings of my own enemy. In point of fact, enjoying their defeat is the ideal.

[Asaeroth]

I don't think I could kill for many 'personal' reasons...I could kill to protect my friends, I could kill to protect myself. I could likely kill for a few other things, but I'd rather not mention them here. I don't think much would enrage me enough to kill.

However, if I kill, I don't think I'd hate them. I think I'd be more likely to respect them, to try to understand them, and in doing so, understand either 1) why they had to die or 2) Why it was better for those that matter for that person to not be alive any longer.

I do not think I could kill without looking at the corpse and wondering the obvious questions, but I also think that I would never regret my decisions. I have always felt that my life, however crappy it may appear, is worth defending. As are the lives of those around me.

Sidenote 1: If I'm going to die, I do not want to be executed. I would try to escape, however poorly planned the attempt may be.

Sidenote 2: I'm sorry my previous post seemed useless to you Ben, but frankly, I felt that it was enough. I -am- disturbed on a basic level by what is said there. I do not feel it is in any way a problem to want that to be known.

[DarkNeopagan]

on the subject you should all see the movie "SAW"

[Asaeroth]

darkneopagan said:

on the subject you should all see the movie "SAW"

I've seen it...it's....a bit disturbing, some of the things it makes you think about. You see life differently.

[johnjacobjingleheimerschmidt]

saw parts of it, wasn't too interested in it, really...do we really need to experience near-death to appreciate the life we have? ...i don't believe that.