by Sam Culper
There’s something to be said of experience. Those who lack experience can mitigate that shortcoming through an in-depth study of the history of the subject. You’ve at least formed a baseline upon which to develop an informed opinion.
So those who frame the way forward without direct experience or expertise had better be studying. Active resistance and warfighting is a lot like rolling a boulder down a hill: once you push it off, you’re liable for wherever it lands and whatever damage it causes, and being unable to steer it makes things infinitely more complicated. It should go without saying that we’ll have one shot. No resets. No do-overs. No bringing your buddies back to life. Look at all the troubles incurred in Iraq and Afghanistan; wars led by experienced, educated, and expert leaders. Now prove to me that these folks who have the simple cure-all, elixir of Liberty will be able to produce something better than we have now. Prove to me that these folks know how to steer the ship.
The source of that steering ability comes from direct experience or scholarship. I wouldn’t rebuild my diesel engine without having schooling in diesel technology or a real mechanic coaching me through the process. Once I start taking that thing apart, given that I could even figure out how, and parts start flying, I’m screwed if I can’t at least put it back together. And if my work makes the engine less functional, then I’ve only screwed myself. But when I’m working on everyone’s engine, then I screw all of us.
