Wolves and Sheeps
OCS/WOCS Book Assignment - “Warrior Ethos/On Sheep, Wolves, and Sheepdogs” by Steven Pressfield/LTC (RET) Dave Grossman
1a. “The Warrior Ethos embodies certain virtues—courage, honor, loyalty, integrity, selflessness and others—that most warrior societies believe must be inculcated from birth” (Pressfield 3).
1b. “Their only response to the wolf, though, is denial, and all too often their response to the sheepdog is scorn and disdain” (Grossman 4).
In these examples we look at the warrior in Pressfields description and the sheepdog in Grosmans description. In saying “their response to the sheepdog is scorn and disdain” Grossman refers to how living the Warrior ethos is the road less traveled. It is not for everyone. And for those who choose to be the “Sheepdog” they can expect some rejection. Rejection is a form of recognition, none the less. Similarly, Pressfield states the road less traveled by referring to the warrior societies versus civilian societies. Civilian societies oppose the Warrior ethos with similar “scorn and disdain.”
In contrast, when Pressfield mentions the Warrior Ethos, he gives a list of virtues that embody what the warrior should represent. He separates the warrior into a society where he lives alone and is accepted. Grossman uses the sheepdog representation as someone who lives within the same society. He the sheepdog is often not accepted in its society.
2a. “Criminal and terrorist organizations practice tribe-like codes of honor, but they do not practice the Warrior Ethos. They are ‘shadow tribes’” (Pressfield 19).
2b. “If you have a capacity for violence and no empathy for your fellow citizens, then you have defined an aggressive sociopath, a wolf” (Grossman 1).
In these statements we can draw a similarity between Pressfield using “shadow tribes” and Grossman using “a wolf” to describe the threats that exist in today’s society. Shadow tribes are the mob/gang/terrorist that works against the Warrior Ethos. For example, the
1a. “The Warrior Ethos embodies certain virtues—courage, honor, loyalty, integrity, selflessness and others—that most warrior societies believe must be inculcated from birth” (Pressfield 3).
1b. “Their only response to the wolf, though, is denial, and all too often their response to the sheepdog is scorn and disdain” (Grossman 4).
In these examples we look at the warrior in Pressfields description and the sheepdog in Grosmans description. In saying “their response to the sheepdog is scorn and disdain” Grossman refers to how living the Warrior ethos is the road less traveled. It is not for everyone. And for those who choose to be the “Sheepdog” they can expect some rejection. Rejection is a form of recognition, none the less. Similarly, Pressfield states the road less traveled by referring to the warrior societies versus civilian societies. Civilian societies oppose the Warrior ethos with similar “scorn and disdain.”
In contrast, when Pressfield mentions the Warrior Ethos, he gives a list of virtues that embody what the warrior should represent. He separates the warrior into a society where he lives alone and is accepted. Grossman uses the sheepdog representation as someone who lives within the same society. He the sheepdog is often not accepted in its society.
2a. “Criminal and terrorist organizations practice tribe-like codes of honor, but they do not practice the Warrior Ethos. They are ‘shadow tribes’” (Pressfield 19).
2b. “If you have a capacity for violence and no empathy for your fellow citizens, then you have defined an aggressive sociopath, a wolf” (Grossman 1).
In these statements we can draw a similarity between Pressfield using “shadow tribes” and Grossman using “a wolf” to describe the threats that exist in today’s society. Shadow tribes are the mob/gang/terrorist that works against the Warrior Ethos. For example, the