| Author | Message | ||
     Geforce |
Before you read this... it has circulated a few times through email in the past. I figured some of you might enjoy the thought process and analogies here. It is very long but well worth the read. Grab a drink and give it a look. ON SHEEP, WOLVES, AND SHEEPDOGS By LTC(RET) Dave Grossman, RANGER, Ph.D., 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? 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 Here is the point I like to emphasize, especially to the thousands of police officers and soldiers I speak to each year. In nature the sheep, real sheep, are born as sheep. Sheepdogs are born that way, and so are wolves. They didn't have a choice. But you are not a critter. As a human being, you can be whatever you want to be. It is a conscious, moral decision. 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. For example, many officers carry their weapons in church. They are well concealed in ankle holsters, shoulder holsters or inside-the-belt holsters tucked into the small of their backs. Anytime you go to some form of religious service, there is a very good chance that a police officer in your congregation is carrying. You will never know if there is such an individual in your place of worship, until the wolf appears to massacre you and your loved ones. 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?" Some individuals would be horrified if they knew this police officer was carrying a weapon in church. They might call him paranoid and would probably scorn him. Yet these same individuals would be enraged and would call for "heads to roll" if they found out that the airbags in their cars were defective, or that the fire extinguisher and fire sprinklers in their kids' school did not work. They can accept the fact that fires and traffic accidents can happen and that there must be safeguards against them. 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 any idea how hard it would be to live with yourself if your loved ones were 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. Since 9-11 almost everyone in America took a step up that continuum, away from denial. The sheep took a few steps toward accepting and appreciating their warriors, and the warriors started taking their job more seriously. 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. | ||
| Geforce |
Crap. When/If a mod get's time, can you change the topic to reflect the actual topic as posted. "On Sheep, Wolves, and Sheepdogs" Thanks! | ||
| Wolfridgerider |
thanks for posting... | ||
| Hammer71 |
Went to a SWAT seminar where he was the guest speaker. Very intense dude and great insight on alot of the day to day stuff that happens both in military and law enforcement communities. Great book as well | ||
| Geforce |
Your very welcome... now, you have to ask yourself... are you a wolf, sheep or sheepdog? | ||
| Cityxslicker |
good stuff, we had this discussing in my grad class last week. And the mind set is amazing. Everyone else is in the MPA tracking program for their MSW councelling program, none of them save me and the prof have ever done any time in the military. we have had some heated debates. The one about whether criminals were 'victims' and could be 'cured' from the disease that cause them to offend (this is important as most of these jack-os are headed to DSHS which is in charge of 'rehabilitating' sexual offenders) They would not admit on any level that there is evil intent to the individual, it must be a disease, or a circumstance of his upbringing that he was himself abused and has no consequence other than to follow the pattern (I am sorry, but if that is the case, these are the exact people I dont want 'cured' or released, ever) So with the arizona shooting there was much debate about how bad the gun was, how the rhetoric from the 'media' and the right had MADE him into a gunman... and a look to blame everyone EXCEPT the f'tard pulling the trigger. just absolutely amazing sheeple. we also had the discussion about self defense and home protection.... guess who had guns in the house ? | ||
| Teeps |
Cityxslicker Posted on Thursday, January 27, 2011 we also had the discussion about self defense and home protection.... guess who had guns in the house ? Duh! Sure aint the sheep... | ||
| Cityxslicker |
criminals have guns, criminals kill people with guns, guns are dangerous, lets ban guns ! no matter how many times I grind it through the logic wheel I still come up with NO! The prof asked how many had guns at home, just me, at break he asked me what my Concealed was. His is a walther 380 mine is the Ruger 38/357 five shot. we had a nice discussion about semi auto vs revolver school policy is no guns on campus. ... I do not see where they get to impose on my second amendment rights, and neither did he. Neither admitted to carrying in class, but we both knew the other guy was. Funny, I did not feel threated or frighted by his gun. I am betting the rest of the class, if they knew, would not feel the same way. | ||
| Sayitaintso |
we have had some heated debates. The one about whether criminals were 'victims' and could be 'cured' from the disease that cause them to offend (this is important as most of these jack-os are headed to DSHS which is in charge of 'rehabilitating' sexual offenders) They would not admit on any level that there is evil intent to the individual, it must be a disease, or a circumstance of his upbringing that he was himself abused and has no consequence other than to follow the pattern (I am sorry, but if that is the case, these are the exact people I dont want 'cured' or released, ever) So with the arizona shooting there was much debate about how bad the gun was, how the rhetoric from the 'media' and the right had MADE him into a gunman... and a look to blame everyone EXCEPT the f'tard pulling the trigger. This scares me....... and is like a bad dream I cant wake up from. Personal responsibility is a thing of the past, and taking responsibility for the welfare of your neighbors is so far gone its not even a concept most can conceive anymore. Very saddening. | ||
| Hootowl |
Interesting. Just read about a girl's mother suing a school because her daughter was assaulted on campus. She's claiming that the school doesn't do enough to protect its students. My first thought was that it isn't the school's job, but then I remembered that tools of self defense are banned at schools, so by denying persons the right to defend themselves, the school should bear responsibility for any injuries suffered as a result of that. $.02 | ||
| Treefrog |
United States Army, 1986-Present. I may seem like a quite guy, but if you are near me when the Sh!t hits the fan, I've got your back and your front. I am a Sheepdog. | ||
| Reepicheep |
Thanks for your service Treefrog! It's appreciated. | ||
| Iamike |
It was interesting reading the interview of the guy that was in the store when the Tuscon shooting started. He heard the shots and ran out to see what he could do. They had already disarmed the shooter by then and the 'Sheepdog' said that he almost shot the guy that had taken the shooter's gun. He had good self control and demanded that the guy drop the gun. If that was me I would also be a little afraid of getting shot myself by another well meaning person. Not that I'm against conceal & carry, I just hope they all are very careful. | ||
| Aesquire |
I had a friend who, going through some tough times, ( divorce, job loss, etc. ) had control issues. I had him sit down and read LTC Grossman's article ( above ). It had a profound effect. He hadn't grasped the difference between Sheepdogs and Wolves.... yet. Bill Whittle's "Tribes" contains the above, and goes into some detail on our different..... leanings. I'm sure it's archived somewhere, but it's hard to find as his new web site isn't all the way up yet. | ||
| Ninefortheroad |
Geforce: That is one very insightful post. I hope you don't mind if spread it around? I have a basic understanding of human nature and a special affinity for the sheep-shepard-wolf concept, and now the sheepdog concept because it is real and also a reality! How quickly the sheep forget after a crisis occurs first thanking the hero sheepdog, then quickly reverting to their denial posture. That is "guns are bad", police are overbearing and "oh he or she is a product of a bad upbringing" ect..., making excuses for irresponsible people and being over-critical of the sheepdog. Your post brings to light a desire in me to be a better sheepdog regardless of what the sheep think. | ||
| Geforce |
Ninefortheroad: That is one very insightful post. I hope you don't mind if spread it around? - By all means, I take zero credit on this entire article as it was sent to me today in an email from a good friend and I figured a few folks here would also enjoy it. If anything, thank Ranger (LTC ret) Grossman for having the intestinal fortitude to speak his mind and encourage others through the use of creative analogies. | ||
| Whisperstealth |
My Chapter President has been talking about this a little bit over the past couple of years. He is a sheepdog. Me, still working on it. I sometimes feel like a sheepdog. At other times I'm like, F-it and want to walk away. Not in denial of what's out there, not wanting to hurt anyone, but not wanting to help / do anything either. A selfish attitude of I'll watch my and my brothers backs, you take care of you. Some of that comes from seeing people get hurt and not being able to do anything about it. Part comes from trying to help stupid people who don't want help, or will just never get it. I have known a few wolves in sheep dog's clothing. They are the most dangerous kind. Many of them are in uniform, or positions of authority within government. They come under the guise of protecting you, but really wish to dominate. A lot of wolves say: "I'm telling you this for your own good, But - Don't tell anybody what we've talked about." Wolves tend to hide the truth, where sheep dogs wish to share it. IMO anyway. | ||
| Scottykrein |
This is taken from Col.Grossman's last book, On Combat. Definitely worth reading. http://www.amazon.com/Combat-Psychology-Physiology -Deadly-Conflict/dp/0964920514 | ||
| Cityxslicker |
coyotes like sheep too, saw it on the farm growing up.... seeing on the border now. | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
I'll have to remember this post when I feel weird about taking my weapon to church. Thanks for posting. | ||
| Delta_one |
I am a sheepdog without a gun (probably going to change in the near future) I have trained in martial arts and always have at least 1 knife on me. I place myself between my family and any danger that may be present. I keep a ball bat and other could be weapons at home on the ready. (I have kids and a ball bat is not a worry until jack is big enough to try and hit home runs in the living room  ) I have already chosen what object I will use as a weapon if I need to in any room of the house. sometimes several per room, and everybody knows to run into my closet in the event of a break in. we will not be easy victims and if I die I will make d*** sure my family is safe before my last breath exits my body. | ||
| Cityxslicker |
I put this in my MSW class that I am taking.... oh to hear them whine ! There should not be sheep dogs, you know if there were not sheep dogs there would not be a criminal of the wolf ! it is only because the sheep dog makes a wolf a criminal that he is a threat to the herd. you cannot fault the wolf, he is only after all just hungry, if you give him what he wants he will go away there will always be wolves, and the sheepdogs cant protect you, and we cant afford all the sheep dogs anyways ! It is too expensive to fight nature like that ! and finally, would you put the wolf to death? for trying to feed himself ? what kind of barbarian are you ? not even going to talk about the rancher that should shoot the wolf on sight to protect his flock,.... cuz you know they got some endangered species act to 'protect' you from doing that oh my f-n qawd, where do they breed these people ? | ||
| 46champ |
City they are not bread they are educated in the public school system by union teachers. | ||
| Doughnut |
I was bred and educated in the public system . . . . edit: and I know my roll. I took a little offense. (Message edited by doughnut on February 01, 2011) More then a little. (Message edited by doughnut on February 01, 2011) | ||
| Hootowl |
"I was bred and educated in the public system . . . . and I know my roll. I took a little offense. More then a little." The irony of those words is delicious. | ||
| Doughnut |
Yeah  can't argue that slip (not doing them to proud) (Message edited by doughnut on February 01, 2011) | ||
| Hootowl |
te hee | ||
| Cityxslicker |
went to public school, funny, all the lessons I learned, and keep with me happened on the field of athletics, or because they were specifically BANNED by the school board Walden, being the most prominant Leaves of Grass being the second The unrevised version of Tom Sawyer / Huckleberry Finn Atlas Shrugged and amazingly enough.... the WALL STREET Journal was specifically banned from my 'current' events class - I promptly bought a subscription. I am who I am, inspite of the school system, not because of it. been shooting since 9, riding since 5, and known booze since 5 as well. Funny I never turned into a drunk unemployed gun yielding criminal..... i mean guns, alcohol and motorcycles are all surely signs of bad seed  | ||
| Aesquire |
I read banned books. I also speak politically incorrectly. Often when giving a buddy a ride it occurs to me... Bearded white guy driving in van with bearded black guy..... we're a CHIPS cliche! On CHIPS bad guys always drove vans. ( when they weren't "loudmouth bikers" ) Makes sense, a CVCC Honda micro car won't carry a console TV or other bulky swag. Also beards. Absolutely a "salt & Pepper team" with beards, in a van, MUST be criminals.... To sheep, sheepdogs look like wolves. | ||
| Moxnix |
Prey or predator, our choice. | ||
| Sayitaintso |
Wow, so much hate toward the public school system. Without public school I doubt I would be where I am today. Sure, there was a whole bunch of touchy feely bs along the way. But, for example, math (beyond basic arithmetic) isn't typically something you learn at home and sure as hell not in my house growing up and is something thats needed today. It takes a balance between home and school to make a well rounded, critical thinking person. Schools teach kids to believe what they are told without questioning it because it is easier to shove "facts" at kids rather than trying to teach them critical thinking. Parents should be teaching their kids how to think; then the schools expose them to a broad array of subjects and materials for them to evaluate and consider on their own and discuss with parents. For the most part, parents are the problem...not the schools. That (lack of critical thinking) is why, in my opinion, we have so many people blindly and willingly expecting the government to take care of them. I learned the whole predator prey thing (between people) at school too. Before I went to school all the people I knew were honest, hard working, family and family friends. After getting thumped and "losing" my lunch the first time I learned not everyone was nice or to be trusted, and dont take crap from anyone because it will only multiply. I've tried to teach my kids....... Don't look for trouble but when it comes, be prepared and hit back so hard they never f@$% with you again. There was a quote from a movie I saw (cant remember the movie title, it had Tom Selleck and was about him being framed and in prison) that summed up the lesson I learned in school about predators and prey. "You dont have to always stand tall, but you have to stand up." | ||
| Fast1075 |
I am not a sheep, I am not a wolf, what I AM is very dangerous to mistake as prey. | ||
| Aesquire |
For the most part, parents are the problem...not the schools. that's true a lot. http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/201102 02/NEWS01/110202028/Dad-accused-of-leaving-baby-in -car-offers-several-explanations Dumb, weak sheep. It was 15f out. (Message edited by aesquire on February 02, 2011) |
