Grossman’s analysis begins with a striking historical observation: in World War II, only about of combat soldiers actually fired their weapons at the enemy.
: He posits that this aversion is a deep-seated evolutionary adaptation. Just as many animals use ritualized combat rather than lethal force against their own kind, humans have a biological "safety catch" against intraspecies killing. The Science of Overcoming Resistance On killing : the psychological cost of learning...
The Burden of the Trigger: Exploring "On Killing" In his seminal work, On Killing: The Psychological Cost of Learning to Kill in War and Society , Lt. Col. Dave Grossman challenges the long-held assumption that human beings are naturally violent or eager to kill. Instead, Grossman argues that most humans possess an to taking a fellow human’s life. This article explores his core findings, the evolution of military training, and the lasting psychological toll on those who cross this primal boundary. The Inherent Resistance to Killing The Science of Overcoming Resistance The Burden of
: These methods were highly effective; by the Vietnam War, the firing rate among soldiers skyrocketed to approximately 95% . Instead, Grossman argues that most humans possess an