WARRIOR DREAMS

Powerful, deadly trends now present in US society are traced to a loss of male self-esteem and national pride following our defeat in Vietnam — in this fluid, captivating analysis from Gibson (Sociology/California State University; The Perfect War, 1986). Claiming the "New War" mentality as a fresh wrinkle in the fabric of post-Vietnam America — in which killing capacity via new technology merges with traditions of a warrior's solo pursuit of guts and glory — Gibson's evidence is compelling. When Soldier of Fortune magazine premiered in 1975, New Warriors gained both an advocate and an outlet for their dreams, and the annual SOF convention in Las Vegas became a perfect training ground. Likewise, the "action-adventure" genre achieved new popularity as Sylvester Stallone and Clint Eastwood updated the John Wayne warrior in movies, while reams of visceral, macho fiction titillated male readers. Used by such heroes, handguns and similar weapons became the rage; facilities like Arizona's Gunsite Ranch taught the art of shooting-to-kill to cops and Rambo wannabes, while paramilitary groups like Aryan Nation prospered. In the 80's, unfortunately, with mercenary options few and US conflicts limited, the lust for lethal encounters to prove one's manhood was vented on innocent citizens, and incidents of mass-murder rose accordingly. Society is fighting back — in the form of gun-control legislation and lawsuits — but nothing less than an overhaul of family structure and gender roles is seen as a lasting solution. Tightly knit, wide-ranging, and well researched — with Gibson's own experience as a Gunsite Ranch trainee recounted: a profoundly troubling assessment of America at risk.