Sebastian Junger on War and Freedom
Hold These Truths with Dan Crenshaw
Dan Crenshaw
4.8 • 16.1K Ratings
🗓️ 11 November 2021
⏱️ 80 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
For Veterans Day, Sebastian Junger joins us to look at the psychology behind the human instinct (especially among young men) to pursue war and self-sacrifice, how these motivations are inextricably linked to tribalism and community, and the tensions between the rules of community and the individual desire for freedom. We also reflect on the disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal and engage in a friendly debate about the political climate in America today.
Sebastian Junger has spent much of his journalism career embedded in the most dangerous places on Earth, including the Korengal Valley in eastern Afghanistan where he made the documentaries Restrepo and Korengal with his late colleague Tim Hetherington. He is the NYTimes bestselling author of The Perfect Storm, Tribe, Freedom, and War. Follow him on Twitter at @sebastianjunger.
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | We hold these truths to be self-evident. |
| 0:02.0 | But all men are created. |
| 0:04.0 | Because I remember Congress, I get to have a lot of really interesting people in the office. |
| 0:07.0 | Experts on what they're talking about. |
| 0:09.0 | This is the podcast for insights into the issues. |
| 0:11.0 | China, bioterrorism, Medicare for all, in-depth discussions. |
| 0:16.0 | Breaking it down into simple terms. |
| 0:18.0 | We hold these truths with Dan Crenshaw. |
| 0:24.0 | Sebastian, thanks for being on the podcast. |
| 0:27.0 | I, you know, I, your book, The Perfect Storm is probably one of the first books that I remember well. |
| 0:36.0 | Just, you know, just the time frame it came out. |
| 0:39.0 | I was in middle school when it came out. |
| 0:42.0 | And it was just a well-written story. |
| 0:44.0 | Something that stuck with me. |
| 0:45.0 | Plus they made a movie out of it with Mark Walberg. |
| 0:47.0 | So, you know, it just adds to the, |
| 0:51.0 | to the memory for you. |
| 0:52.0 | But, I mean, |
| 0:55.0 | I mean, so, okay, quick question on that one. |
| 0:58.0 | Did, did you get to meet Mark Walberg and George Clooney as you were making that? |
| 1:04.0 | Yeah, I mean, I was on set for maybe a total of a few days. |
| 1:07.0 | And I got to meet all the, you know, all the stars, all nice people. |
... |
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