On Sheep, Wolves, and Sheepdogs

[Pal334]

I have had this on the wall in my office for sometime, and thought I would share it. It is thought provoking. I have had to edit it because of its size

On Sheep, Wolves, and Sheepdogs - Dave Grossman
By LTC (RET) Dave Grossman, author of "On Killing."
One Vietnam veteran, an old retired colonel, once said this to me:
"Most of the people in our society are sheep. They are kind, gentle, productive creatures who can only hurt one another by accident." This is true. Remember, the murder rate is six per 100,000 per year, and the aggravated assault rate is four per 1,000 per year. What this means is that the vast majority of Americans are not inclined to hurt one another. Some estimates say that two million Americans are victims of violent crimes every year, a tragic, staggering number, perhaps an all-time record rate of violent crime. But there are almost 300 million Americans, which means that the odds of being a victim of violent crime is considerably less than one in a hundred on any given year. Furthermore, since many violent crimes are committed by repeat offenders, the actual number of violent citizens is considerably less than two million.
Thus there is a paradox, and we must grasp both ends of the situation: We may well be in the most violent times in history, but violence is still remarkably rare. This is because most citizens are kind, decent people who are not capable of hurting each other, except by accident or under extreme provocation. They are sheep.
I mean nothing negative by calling them sheep. To me it is like the pretty, blue robin's egg. Inside it is soft and gooey but someday it will grow into something wonderful. But the egg cannot survive without its hard blue shell. Police officers, soldiers, and other warriors are like that shell, and someday the civilization they protect will grow into something wonderful.? For now, though, they need warriors to protect them from the predators.
"Then there are the wolves," the old war veteran said, "and the wolves feed on the sheep without mercy." Do you believe there are wolves out there who will feed on the flock without mercy? You better believe it. There are evil men in this world and they are capable of evil deeds. The moment you forget that or pretend it is not so, you become a sheep. There is no safety in denial.
"Then there are sheepdogs," he went on, "and I'm a sheepdog. I live to protect the flock and confront the wolf."
If you have no capacity for violence then you are a healthy productive citizen, a sheep. If you have a capacity for violence and no empathy for your fellow citizens, then you have defined an aggressive sociopath, a wolf. But what if you have a capacity for violence, and a deep love for your fellow citizens? What do you have then? A sheepdog, a warrior, someone who is walking the hero's path. Someone who can walk into the heart of darkness, into the universal human phobia, and walk out unscathed
Let me expand on this old soldier's excellent model of the sheep, wolves, and sheepdogs. We know that the sheep live in denial, that is what makes them sheep. They do not want to believe that there is evil in the world. They can accept the fact that fires can happen, which is why they want fire extinguishers, fire sprinklers, fire alarms and fire exits throughout their kids' schools.
But many of them are outraged at the idea of putting an armed police officer in their kid's school. Our children are thousands of times more likely to be killed or seriously injured by school violence than fire, but the sheep's only response to the possibility of violence is denial. The idea of someone coming to kill or harm their child is just too hard, and so they chose the path of denial.
The sheep generally do not like the sheepdog. He looks a lot like the wolf. He has fangs and the capacity for violence. The difference, though, is that the sheepdog must not, can not and will not ever harm the sheep. Any sheep dog who intentionally harms the lowliest little lamb will be punished and removed. The world cannot work any other way, at least not in a representative democracy or a republic such as ours.
Still, the sheepdog disturbs the sheep. He is a constant reminder that there are wolves in the land. They would prefer that he didn't tell them where to go, or give them traffic tickets, or stand at the ready in our airports in camouflage fatigues holding an M-16. The sheep would much rather have the sheepdog cash in his fangs, spray paint himself white, and go, "Baa."
Until the wolf shows up. Then the entire flock tries desperately to hide behind one lonely sheepdog.
The students, the victims, at Columbine High School were big, tough high school students, and under ordinary circumstances they would not have had the time of day for a police officer. They were not bad kids; they just had nothing to say to a cop. When the school was under attack, however, and SWAT teams were clearing the rooms and hallways, the officers had to physically peel those clinging, sobbing kids off of them. This is how the little lambs feel about their sheepdog when the wolf is at the door.
Look at what happened after September 11, 2001 when the wolf pounded hard on the door. Remember how America, more than ever before, felt differently about their law enforcement officers and military personnel? Remember how many times you heard the word hero?

[Pal334]

Had to do in two parts, since it was so big
Understand that there is nothing morally superior about being a sheepdog; it is just what you choose to be. Also understand that a sheepdog is a funny critter: He is always sniffing around out on the perimeter, checking the breeze, barking at things that go bump in the night, and yearning for a righteous battle. That is, the young sheepdogs yearn for a righteous battle. The old sheepdogs are a little older and wiser, but they move to the sound of the guns when needed right along with the young ones.
Here is how the sheep and the sheepdog think differently. The sheep pretend the wolf will never come, but the sheepdog lives for that day. After the attacks on September 11, 2001, most of the sheep, that is, most citizens in America said, "Thank God I wasn't on one of those planes." The sheepdogs, the warriors, said, "Dear God, I wish I could have been on one of those planes. Maybe I could have made a difference." When you are truly transformed into a warrior and have truly invested yourself into warriorhood, you want to be there. You want to be able to make a difference.
There is nothing morally superior about the sheepdog, the warrior, but he does have one real advantage. Only one. And that is that he is able to survive and thrive in an environment that destroys 98 percent of the population. There was research conducted a few years ago with individuals convicted of violent crimes. These cons were in prison for serious, predatory crimes of violence: assaults, murders and killing law enforcement officers. The vast majority said that they specifically targeted victims by body language: slumped walk, passive behavior and lack of awareness. They chose their victims like big cats do in Africa, when they select one out of the herd that is least able to protect itself.
Some people may be destined to be sheep and others might be genetically primed to be wolves or sheepdogs. But I believe that most people can choose which one they want to be, and I'm proud to say that more and more Americans are choosing to become sheepdogs.
Seven months after the attack on September 11, 2001, Todd Beamer was honored in his hometown of Cranbury, New Jersey. Todd, as you recall, was the man on Flight 93 over Pennsylvania who called on his cell phone to alert an operator from United Airlines about the hijacking. When he learned of the other three passenger planes that had been used as weapons, Todd dropped his phone and uttered the words, "Let's roll," which authorities believe was a signal to the other passengers to confront the terrorist hijackers. In one hour, a transformation occurred among the passengers - athletes, business people and parents. -- from sheep to sheepdogs and together they fought the wolves, ultimately saving an unknown number of lives on the ground.
There is no safety for honest men except by believing all possible evil of evil men. - Edmund Burke
If you want to be a sheep, then you can be a sheep and that is okay, but you must understand the price you pay. When the wolf comes, you and your loved ones are going to die if there is not a sheepdog there to protect you. If you want to be a wolf, you can be one, but the sheepdogs are going to hunt you down and you will never have rest, safety, trust or love. But if you want to be a sheepdog and walk the warrior's path, then you must make a conscious and moral decision every day to dedicate, equip and prepare yourself to thrive in that toxic, corrosive moment when the wolf comes knocking at the door.
I was training a group of police officers in Texas, and during the break, one officer asked his friend if he carried his weapon in church. The other cop replied, "I will never be caught without my gun in church." I asked why he felt so strongly about this, and he told me about a cop he knew who was at a church massacre in Ft. Worth, Texas in 1999. In that incident, a mentally deranged individual came into the church and opened fire, gunning down fourteen people. He said that officer believed he could have saved every life that day if he had been carrying his gun. His own son was shot, and all he could do was throw himself on the boy's body and wait to die. That cop looked me in the eye and said, "Do you have any idea how hard it would be to live with yourself after that?"
Their only response to the wolf, though, is denial, and all too often their response to the sheepdog is scorn and disdain. But the sheepdog quietly asks himself, "Do you have and idea how hard it would be to live with yourself if your loved ones attacked and killed, and you had to stand there helplessly because you were unprepared for that day?"
It is denial that turns people into sheep. Sheep are psychologically destroyed by combat because their only defense is denial, which is counterproductive and destructive, resulting in fear, helplessness and horror when the wolf shows up.
Denial kills you twice. It kills you once, at your moment of truth when you are not physically prepared: you didn't bring your gun, you didn't train. Your only defense was wishful thinking. Hope is not a strategy. Denial kills you a second time because even if you do physically survive, you are psychologically shattered by your fear helplessness and horror at your moment of truth.
Gavin de Becker puts it like this in Fear Less, his superb post-9/11 book, which should be required reading for anyone trying to come to terms with our current world situation: "...denial can be seductive, but it has an insidious side effect. For all the peace of mind deniers think they get by saying it isn't so, the fall they take when faced with new violence is all the more unsettling."
Denial is a save-now-pay-later scheme, a contract written entirely in small print, for in the long run, the denying person knows the truth on some level.
And so the warrior must strive to confront denial in all aspects of his life, and prepare himself for the day when evil comes. If you are warrior who is legally authorized to carry a weapon and you step outside without that weapon, then you become a sheep, pretending that the bad man will not come today. No one can be "on" 24/7, for a lifetime. Everyone needs down time. But if you are authorized to carry a weapon, and you walk outside without it, just take a deep breath, and say this to yourself...
"Baa."
This business of being a sheep or a sheep dog is not a yes-no dichotomy. It is not an all-or-nothing, either-or choice. It is a matter of degrees, a continuum. On one end is an abject, head-in-the-sand-sheep and on the other end is the ultimate warrior. Few people exist completely on one end or the other. Most of us live somewhere in between. The degree to which you move up that continuum, away from sheephood and denial, is the degree to which you and your loved ones will survive, physically and psychologically at your moment of truth.

[Ken]

Good post, Pal. And pretty accurate at that.

If it wasn't a serious subject, I'd think you were just poking fun at my avatar.

[Pal334]

Naah,, it is so cute
Actually, what brought it to mind was the receptionist was upset that I was "rude" to a bum who came into the reception area today. Well,, more accurately, I snatched him in an armlock and pushed him out the door .I asked if she had seen the screw driver in his back pocket or the box cutter in his shirt pocket? Of course she had not,, a cute sheep.

[endurance]

Thanks for posting that.

I carried throughout my 20s, some as a cop, some not so legally, but always as a sheepdog. Recently, with the easing of CCW laws and the deteriorating economy I decided to finally get my CCW and start carrying again now that I'm in my 40s. It hasn't been easy to explain to the GF, as we were dating over a year before she even knew I owned a gun. Now she's a bit freaked out when she discovers that I'm carrying "somewhere perfectly safe". I think you just gave me the perfect story to share to explain why I carry.

Also, I'm about 1/3rd of the way through "On Killing", have you read it? Fantastic book. He's a great writer, connecting thought with quotes from top research, to vets, to philosophers through history. Really an amazing book.

[Pal334]

I have not read the book, but I am putting it on my to read list. Here in NJ the CCW rules are draconian to say the least. But there are ways to be prepared, the most important is to be ready willing and able to take whatever action is necessary without hesitation. I like to read this article a couple times a week for inspiration

[crashdive123]

Nice post Pal.

[Ken]

I suspect that there are a significantly disproportionate amount of sheepdogs (compared to the general population) posting here on the Forums. Just a guess, but after you read enough posts from someone you tend to get a good idea of just how they think, and that's a good indicator of how they will act when necessary.

A place like this attracts sheepdogs better than a fire hydrant. Even those of you who, like Rick, claim to be a sheeple (a "sheeple" who packs a gun? Liar!) wouldn't be a bit laid back when the wolf decides to show up. Just my hunch, that's all.

[endurance]

Well, one of the places she considered "perfectly safe" last weekend was meeting at a busy sports bar on Saturday night during the UFC World Championship on PayPerView. Not more than two months ago she was telling me about a kid in ICU (she's a nurse) who had his head bashed in by three teenagers because he was wearing a UFC T-shirt and they thought he'd be tough.

I elected not to drink that night because it was just one of those testosterone charged venues with too many drunk 21 year olds looking to prove their manhood. Thankfully the evening went off without a hitch, but I just can't be in a venue like that without my situational awareness on high alert. It's not how I'm wired. I'm wired to protect the flock.

[welderguy]

Great Post Pal, I hope it is ok if I send that to a few friends in an email.

[Rick]

Every place is safe...until it isn't.

[DOGMAN]

Sorry to be a jackass here, and I fully understand what your saying, and I agree- to a degree. But, technically wolves aren't sociopathic killers- humans are, and we just impose our defintions of behavioral terms onto the wolves, and other predators. This negative portrayal of wolves is what led to the mass distruction of them in the early 1900's and almost led to their extinction in the lower 48. According to statisitcs from states that have wild wolves, domestic dogs actually kill more livestock every year than wild wolves.

[Pal334]

Great Post Pal, I hope it is ok if I send that to a few friends in an email.

Sure thing, the more the merrier

[Pal334]

Sorry to be a jackass here, and I fully understand what your saying, and I agree- to a degree. But, technically wolves aren't sociopathic killers- humans are, and we just impose our defintions of behavioral terms onto the wolves, and other predators. This negative portrayal of wolves is what led to the mass distruction of them in the early 1900's and almost led to their extinction in the lower 48. According to statisitcs from states that have wild wolves, domestic dogs actually kill more livestock every year than wild wolves.

Nope, Sharing ones ideas and facts does not make a person a jackass. exyinction of the human variety, athough unlikely would be nice.

[welderguy]

Sure thing, the more the merrier

Thanks Pal.

[DOGMAN]

Nope, Sharing ones ideas and facts does not make a person a jackass. exyinction of the human variety, athough unlikely would be nice.

You made such a good post, that I hated to criticize it. Because the points made are so very true....thats why I felt kind of like a jackass to make my little point.

I am not for human extinction, but we could cull the herd some!

[Pal334]

You made such a good post, that I hated to criticize it. Because the points made are so very true....thats why I felt kind of like a jackass to make my little point.

I am not for human extinction, but we could cull the herd some!

Not to worry, Was not taken negatively. The only extinction I would advocate is the "wolfs". I have had dealings with them and did my level best to "cull the herd". Then I would not have to teach my kids and grandkids to be so leery of people, they could just be kids.

[Pal334]

"Wolves come in a wide variety, and even though i understand the need for subjective generalizations, i don't buy them."
That is just as well, always good to have a voice in the dark.

"Most cops i know are out of shape, dumb or too young and cocky to understand what it means to even be a cop. "

It is unfortunate that you have such a limited frame of reference

"You want us to believe that sheep are in denial,"

Nope, I really have no interest in what you believe.

"Truth is...you desperately need us to be in denial...and afraid of the "wolf".

Checking left field to see where that came from.

We all have different views of the same things. Apparently this piecel was not asuseful to you as the majority. But fortunately for all this is a democracy. Have a great day

[Rick]

Good post, Remy. It looks like I'm the only great guy left. Sad isn't it?

[endurance]

FYI, I just read the part of On Killing that contains this passage and somebody's added to it significantly and it is taken substantially out of context from the author's intended explanation with the story. None of the Columbine or 9/11 stuff is in there and the story was used to illustrate a specific personality type that exists in perhaps 2-3% of the population. It's an unusual combination of a person who has no regret or remorse over killing but is also highly empathic.

The book is about the psychological impact of killing and he discusses the fact that throughout history only 15-20% of the infantry would shoot at the enemy and a huge percentage of those would become psychological casualties on the battlefield. However, there was another breed that could kill without hesitation or remorse, feeling he was on a righteous mission, yet still care for his comrades and return home a functional member of society.

I actually like some of the ad libbing the re-authored piece has in it, but I thought it was important to point out that much of this is not the author's words.