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 PodcastHow to Deal With the Worry of Waiting
The Naturalist’s Art of Animal Encounters
The Power of Keeping Your Mouth Shut in a World That Won’t Stop Talking
A Kantian Guide to Life
Finally Follow Through
Bat Bombs, Truth Serums, and the Masterminds of WWII Secret Warfare
Anxiety Is a Habit — Here's How to Break It
The Fitness Supplements That Actually Work
The Essential Framework for Understanding The Art of War
Why You Like the Music You Do
Authority Is More Important Than Social Skills
Throw a 2-Hour Cocktail Party That Can Change Your Life
The Myths of Trauma
Leadership Lessons from a Disastrous Arctic Expedition
Jane Austen for Dudes
Get a Handle on Your Shrinking Attention Span
The Survival Myths That Can Get You Killed
Escape the Happiness Trap
Dante's Guide to Navigating a Spiritual Journey
Move the Body, Heal the Mind
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
The Modern West