We often suppose that wars are fought over things like resources, border disputes, and ideologies. My guest calls this "the spreadsheet approach to war" and argues that, in reality, such factors only come in as justifications for the much deeper drives at play.
Mike Martin is a Senior Visiting Fellow in the Department of War Studies, King's College London and the author of Why We Fight. Today on the show, he draws on his background in biology and experience serving in the British army to offer an explanation as to why individuals and nation-states go to war. Mike argues that there are two fundamental impulses behind the drive to war: the drive for status and the drive for belonging. We discuss these motivations and how leaders and ideologies corral and amplify them. We end our conversation with how this view of war could prevent conflicts and allow them to be fought more successfully, and also be a lens for how to help men flourish in a healthy way.
Resources Related to the PodcastIs Cannabis a Safe Drug?
Advice on Making Love Last . . . From a Divorce Lawyer
Unlock the Power of the Unfocused Mind
The Life We're Looking For
The Psychology of Effective Weight Loss
The Most Insightful Personality Test
Finally Learn to Say No
Set Your Future Self Up for Success
The Fourth Turning — How History's Crisis Period Could Unfold
Here's What It Could Look Like to Put the Trades Back in School
The Science of Getting Psyched Up
Thick Desires, Political Atheism, and Living an Anti-Mimetic Life
Master Microtransitions to Improve the Happiness, Success, and Flow of Your Life
Would You Have Been a Patriot or a Loyalist?
How to Read a Tree
Stop Being a Complainer
Become a Morning Workout Person
Cormac McCarthy, The Road, and Carrying the Fire
How Emerson Can Help You Become a Stoic Nonconformist
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
The Modern West