The Army Consists Of The First Infantry

All Journalists Hope That Their Work Will Inspire A Broader Conversation. I Think That's Just What Journalism Is.

The Most Profound Question Is, "what Would I Risk Dying For?" The Natural Answer Is "for My Family." But For Most Of History, We Didn't Live In Families. We Lived In Small Communities That Gave Us Our Sense Of Safety And Place In The World, So The Natural Answer Would Be "for My People." The Blessing And The Tragedy Of Modern Life Is That We Don't Need Our Community To Survive Anymore. When We Lose That Idea, We Lose A Sense Of Who We Are.

Of The Primary Emotions, Fear Is The One That Bears Most Directly On Survival. Children Show Fear. Adults Try Not To, Maybe Because It's Shameful, Or, In Some Circumstances, Dangerous. The Fear Response Is Automatic, Though, And Your Body Runs Through Its Reflexes Whether You Want It To Or Not.

I Have Been Working Since I Was 20, And I'm 38. I Actually Once Averaged Out What I Had Made Over My Professional Life. I Think I Could Have Made That Much As A Waiter Or An Insurance Salesman. You Know, I Spent So Many Years In My 20's Making $10,000 A Year.

Right Now, America Doesn't Ask Us To Do Anything Besides Pay Taxes. We Don't Even Have To Vote. But As Psychologists Will Tell You, When You Have To Sacrifice For Something, You Value It More. What About National Service For Young People? Everybody Between 18 And 24 Could Spend A Year Or Two Working For This Country In Some Capacity. It'd Be An Amazing Thing. And It Would Mix This Country Racially, Culturally, Economically.