Journal Entry #14
The books that I have read so far, The Prince and War, have been both enjoyable and constructive in my understanding in what makes a good leader. Both of these books explore how good leadership manifests itself, and how good leaders solve problems and overcome adversity. Being only a few month from beginning my four year experience at West Point, it would be accurate to say that I read theses books during critically formative time in my life. Had I read these books earlier in my life, they might not have garnered the same appreciation from me, and it is possible that I would not have enjoyed the books at all.
Journal Entry #13
War
Sebastian Junger
202/296
Junger would be best-suited to host an Oprah-esque talk show, to preserve the serious and somber tones of the war. He is interviewing Captain Daniel Kearny, commander of Battle Company and effectively all other soldiers operating from the KOP.
1. Why did you join the army?
2. How long have you been a soldier? Do you expect to continue for a long time?
3. How well do you know your soldiers?
4. What do you know about the people whom you are fighting?
5. Do you get scared?
6. What do you miss most about home?
7. What surprises you the most when you return from a deployment?
8. Do you agree with policymakers who want to continue the war?
9. What was the closest you ever got to dying in combat?
10. Do you believe peace will come to Afghanistan?
Journal Entry #12
War
Sebastian Junger
150/296
Being in Afghanistan, Junger is part of a war over which he has no control. People around him get wounded and die on a daily basis, and not because of negligence on their behalf, but because of pure misfortune. For example, while lying down in his bunk in the KOP, a contractor has wounded by a stray enemy bullet that pierced his tent. Although Junger is a civilian and thus at the mercy of the combatants, the US soldiers around him have found ways to relieve the stress of always being threatened. By joking about death being inevitable and always being ready for combat, the soldiers can come to terms with the facts that some things in the war will be out of their hands.
Journal Entry #11
War
Sebastian Junger
101/296
Presently, the war in Afghanistan does not have a riveting hold on students of Columbia High School. Because the war has been going on since current students were toddlers, it seems to be a familiar backdrop on the stage of international events. There has always been, however, a small number of students who graduate from Columbia and go on to join the military, to fight the United States's wars. Some of these students do not immediately attend college, which can be advantageous. In a time where the job market is shrinking and education is becoming a costly commodity, graduates who join the military might be more financially secure in the future than those who attend college after graduation.
Journal Entry #10
War
Sebastian Junger
66/296
Misha Pemble-Belkin is one of the several soldiers with whom Junger became acquainted while in the Korengal Valley. Born and raised in Oregon, Pemble-Belkin (known by his comrades as "Butters") had parents who were fervent war protesters who made sure that their son was never exposed to violent imagery like water guns or certain cartoons. However, when Butters joined the army, his parents were proud of him and supported his decision. Now in a warzone, Butters' upbringing is still apparent: he speaks in a soft and slow voice, and plays guitar or draws in his spare time. Butters' perspective on the war is like that of Butters' comrades: it cannot be understood by an outsider like Junger.
Journal Entry #9
War
Sebastian Junger
24/296
War by Sebastian Junger is a narrative that describes the life of soldiers fighting in the Korengal Valley of northeastern Afghanistan. Junger uses a very personal style in his writing, and is able to effectively impart upon the reader exactly how soldiers act around the Korengal Outpost (KOP). Their behavior is a far cry from the discipline and professionalism with which soldier act statesides. The men of the KOP walk around in boxers and T-shirts, smoke cigarettes or otherwise relax when not patrolling or on guard duty, and frequently get into fist fights with each other for the sake of amusement. Despite this, the soldiers of the KOP perform admirably and effectively in combat, and are deeply affect by each casualty suffered by their company. This process illustrates how warriors of every society and era have maintained a gruff and coarse personality, a personality that compliments a warrior's war-fighting ability.
The books that I have read so far, The Prince and War, have been both enjoyable and constructive in my understanding in what makes a good leader. Both of these books explore how good leadership manifests itself, and how good leaders solve problems and overcome adversity. Being only a few month from beginning my four year experience at West Point, it would be accurate to say that I read theses books during critically formative time in my life. Had I read these books earlier in my life, they might not have garnered the same appreciation from me, and it is possible that I would not have enjoyed the books at all.
Journal Entry #13
War
Sebastian Junger
202/296
Junger would be best-suited to host an Oprah-esque talk show, to preserve the serious and somber tones of the war. He is interviewing Captain Daniel Kearny, commander of Battle Company and effectively all other soldiers operating from the KOP.
1. Why did you join the army?
2. How long have you been a soldier? Do you expect to continue for a long time?
3. How well do you know your soldiers?
4. What do you know about the people whom you are fighting?
5. Do you get scared?
6. What do you miss most about home?
7. What surprises you the most when you return from a deployment?
8. Do you agree with policymakers who want to continue the war?
9. What was the closest you ever got to dying in combat?
10. Do you believe peace will come to Afghanistan?
Journal Entry #12
War
Sebastian Junger
150/296
Being in Afghanistan, Junger is part of a war over which he has no control. People around him get wounded and die on a daily basis, and not because of negligence on their behalf, but because of pure misfortune. For example, while lying down in his bunk in the KOP, a contractor has wounded by a stray enemy bullet that pierced his tent. Although Junger is a civilian and thus at the mercy of the combatants, the US soldiers around him have found ways to relieve the stress of always being threatened. By joking about death being inevitable and always being ready for combat, the soldiers can come to terms with the facts that some things in the war will be out of their hands.
Journal Entry #11
War
Sebastian Junger
101/296
Presently, the war in Afghanistan does not have a riveting hold on students of Columbia High School. Because the war has been going on since current students were toddlers, it seems to be a familiar backdrop on the stage of international events. There has always been, however, a small number of students who graduate from Columbia and go on to join the military, to fight the United States's wars. Some of these students do not immediately attend college, which can be advantageous. In a time where the job market is shrinking and education is becoming a costly commodity, graduates who join the military might be more financially secure in the future than those who attend college after graduation.
Journal Entry #10
War
Sebastian Junger
66/296
Misha Pemble-Belkin is one of the several soldiers with whom Junger became acquainted while in the Korengal Valley. Born and raised in Oregon, Pemble-Belkin (known by his comrades as "Butters") had parents who were fervent war protesters who made sure that their son was never exposed to violent imagery like water guns or certain cartoons. However, when Butters joined the army, his parents were proud of him and supported his decision. Now in a warzone, Butters' upbringing is still apparent: he speaks in a soft and slow voice, and plays guitar or draws in his spare time. Butters' perspective on the war is like that of Butters' comrades: it cannot be understood by an outsider like Junger.
Journal Entry #9
War
Sebastian Junger
24/296
War by Sebastian Junger is a narrative that describes the life of soldiers fighting in the Korengal Valley of northeastern Afghanistan. Junger uses a very personal style in his writing, and is able to effectively impart upon the reader exactly how soldiers act around the Korengal Outpost (KOP). Their behavior is a far cry from the discipline and professionalism with which soldier act statesides. The men of the KOP walk around in boxers and T-shirts, smoke cigarettes or otherwise relax when not patrolling or on guard duty, and frequently get into fist fights with each other for the sake of amusement. Despite this, the soldiers of the KOP perform admirably and effectively in combat, and are deeply affect by each casualty suffered by their company. This process illustrates how warriors of every society and era have maintained a gruff and coarse personality, a personality that compliments a warrior's war-fighting ability.
Journal Entry #8
Dirty Wars: The World is a Battlefield
Jeremy Scahill
45/642
Dirty Wars by Jeremy Scahill is an amalgamation of stories about the world of covert operations in a post 9/11 world. From the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan to the takedown of Osama bin Laden, several stories are featured in this lengthy tome, and written definitively and in great detail. Scahill wrote this book to ensure these stories were available to the American people. Much of the information in the book was originally classified, in order to keep secret from the public some of the illegal operations that were carried out during the War on Terror to maintain "national security". Scahill, in collecting this information, hopes to dispel the veil that hides the secret wars that have been fought during the last two presidencies.
Journal Entry #7
After reading The Prince, I am inclined to read a book of a similar genre. The Prince is a wonderful example of sociopolitical commentary, and has inspired me to find a book of a similar topic. Finding a book of equal quality will be difficult, though. The Prince is written so that the book's main topics are as relevant today as they were during the time of Machiavelli's Renaissance Italy. Any book that I read, I will undoubtedly compare it to Machiavelli's magnum opus. However, I plan to read a book that handles issues and topics of the modern era. Thus, I can forgive if the book is not as accessible to readers as The Prince.
Journal Entry #6
The Prince
By Niccolò Machiavelli
168/176
It is likely that readers of The Prince are people who are interested in studying leadership, especially in a corporate or government setting. Machiavelli's work is essentially a set of methods and strategies for leaders to use, that they may execute the duties of the managerial positions in the most effective way possible. For example, Machiavelli establishes early in the book that it is better for a leader to be respected by his or her charges than to be loved by them. This is because it is a leader's job to make the hard decisions for a group, decisions that will inevitably garner dislike from the leader's people. A leader does not need his people's affection to keep his position, but only their respect and appreciation for the responsibility that he or she carries. This lesson is an integral part of the book that will aid the aspiring leaders who have read the book.
Journal Entry #5
The Prince
By Niccolò Machiavelli
127/176
As I continue writing my essay on the qualities of the ideal prince, I have come to the topic of handling the unexpected. Many in Italy believe that it is impossible to be held accountable for failing to prepare for an unpredictable event. The unexpected is like a flooding river: it can destroy anything in its path. But if one has built dams, it could be possible to mitigate flooding. Thus, although chance is the master of many, a prince must be the master of his own domain.
Princes can be successful today and ruined tomorrow, with no regard to their actions. Two princes may use the same method, but only one succeeds; conversely, two princes may use different methods, and reach the same result. This is because in no action has a given consequence. A good leader must have good foresight and be ready to adapt to the ever-changing world, lest he fail himself and his people.
Journal Entry #4
The Prince
By Niccolò Machiavelli
100/176
Machiavelli discusses the fall of the Roman Empire and uses it as an example of an event important for Europe's political development. He uses the fall as an example of how up the utilization of certain military forces can be detrimental to a country. In their armies, the Romans began to utilize mercenaries and noncitizens in combat. Because these fighters were not dedicated to the well being of the state, they did not fight as well as regular legionaries. This led to a decline in the legions' ability to defend Rome, which ultimately led to the empire's demise. This example is important in how Machiavelli explains why leaders should not use mercenaries or military contractors in their armies.
Journal Entry #3
The Prince
By Niccolò Machiavelli
68/176
Machiavelli wrote The Prince during one of more turbulent chapters of Italy's history: city states waging war on each other in order gain control of the peninsula. It is likely Machiavelli wrote this book to comment on and criticize the practices and decisions of the leaders. By this point of the book, it is evident that he has done just this, by offering several historical and then-contemporary examples of excellent and egregiously terrible leadership.
Journal Entry #2
The Prince
By Niccolò Machiavelli
46/176
In The Prince, author Niccolò Machiavelli discusses and analyzes the ways by which rulers exercise theirs powers. Topics include types of state government, how to conquer new lands, and maintaining the state's defense. The most important topic, mentioned in every chapter, is the relationship between a ruler and his subjects. Machiavelli asserts that all successful rulers are either feared or loved by his subjects, and this relationship establishes the people's loyalty for their prince. Machiavelli asserts that it is better to be feared than loved, lest the people abandon their prince during times of adversity. However, Machiavelli warns that it would be destructive for the prince if he was feared to the point of hatred.
Journal Entry #1
The Prince
By Niccolò Machiavelli
36/176
The nonfiction books I enjoy the most are just as engaging and interesting as there are informative and educational, and so it is these qualities I look for in nonfiction books. Books like Is That a Fish in Your Ear?: Translation and the Meaning of Everything and The Autobiography of Malcolm X were nonfiction books I read recently and enjoyed immensely. I enjoyed these books because of their cultural insight on society, past or present. I hope to read more books like this, to gain a greater understanding and appreciation for the diversity that exists in the world.
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