| Abstract | Why is it that American combat veterans experience the highest rates of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in the world, while soldiers from other countries have far lower levels? Amazingly, warriors of the past, such as Native Americans, rarely experienced PTSD-like symptoms.Why is it that American combat veterans experience the highest rates of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in the world, while soldiers from other countries have far lower levels?In his new book Tribe, Sebastian Junger argues that much of the difference lies not in the individuals, but in the societies to which they return.It turns out that PTSD is not just about coping with memories of death and destruction; it is an abrupt loss of tribal ties and a resulting crisis of meaning.The intense, shared purpose in life-and-death circumstances is intoxicating and fulfilling.Londoners who lived through the Blitz during World War II don’t really yearn for the danger or death of that time.He brilliantly uses the experiences of combat veterans to show the deep emotional appeal of collective experiences, even in horrific contexts.The sly achievement of Junger’s book is to critique to cultural deficiencies of American life through the experiences of combat veterans and, interestingly, Native Americans.The European and English “defectors” (sometimes, captives) emulated Indians, married them, were adopted by them, and on some occasions even fought alongside them.The opposite virtually never…
|
