RIP Chris Kyle

[leroy jenkins]

The reward is this: he was able to live off his stories and reputation by way of this book, he didn't have to force himself into some 9-to-5 to pay the bills. To my mind this is a really significant reward.
I worry about the idea of some dude 5 years from now going out into the field with the mentality that if he does some really gruesome outrageous shit and writes a book about it he's not going to have to go live a normal workaday life when he gets back. I think that message or that scenario would be a 2nd or 3rd degree effect of a book like this. It's not something Kyle intended, if it does happen I don't think it's his fault, it doesn't even seem reasonable to me to expect him to have that in mind, and I don't see a way to prevent it, I'm just saying it worries me. These kinds of books are always great, but they leave me with a weird sense of something being awry, and I'm trying to put my finger on it. I just see where it has the potential to create a perverse incentive. On the other hand it might drive people toward excellence and pass on some important lessons.

I'm not the expert here, not even close, I'm just sharing some poorly developed thoughts in an effort to learn something.


Edit: also, and probably most importantly, he seems like an outstanding individual and it's a real shame to lose 50 more years of him living a life of excellence. It seems like those guys are always a real gift to the world as they get older and wiser, they raise outstanding children and do outstanding service in their communities. What I saw with people close to me was that their sense of wanting to actively prevent the horrible consequences of war and chaos and violence combined with their willingness to go into gruesome situations first to use their skills to save the innocence of others were just fucking amazing and fucking super inspirational. I've slept in work camps with those guys, seen the night terrors and experienced the sense of regret and the sadness that comes from such poignant shattering of our comfortingly childish American views of the world as a safe and orderly place. So that's the real cost of losing a guy like Chris Kyle and the real shame of it, losing all that wisdom and drive and excellence and being left to wonder what sort of endeavors he would have undertaken and how many lives he could have enriched with another 50 years of putting that hard earned point of view into practice.

so this thread is an RIP, and here is my apology for the asshattery...it wasn't really supposed to be that, just a thought provoked by this whole thing, a thought I don't really fully understand and probably need some help processing; the kind of help I get from discussion in a forum like this.

I get what you're saying. I wasn't lumping you in with the asshattery, you weren't espousing hate. Nothing to apologize for from my perspective, you always have interesting things to say. The thing is though, once you reach the level of highly decorated navy seal, you have more opportunities because of that. There are guys that since coming out of the special forces, have not worked a real job since, they are technical advisers for war movies and advisers or actors on survival tv shows and such. Bear Grylls got where he is due to his military career and the skills he learned while in service and an ability for self promotion. Some continue to be quiet professionals and get jobs smokejumping or whatever, but many struggle to find a way to make a living and pay for ptsd treatment on their own dime. I can understand how it might seem off putting, but I think its only natural they parlay their skills talents and experience into making a living.

I think your points are valid, and it is a bit weird, I agree, but I think your revulsion, for lack of a better word, maybe has more to do with the mentality of people who drool over reading a book written about killing people. I haven't read it, but I think the guy who wrote the book was most likely just trying to share his story, his struggles and journey because it could help others, and himself heal. I doubt he glorifies the violence. True, spec ops does attract some people who are fucking nuts and get their rocks off by killing, but I think thats a very small minority, and they are actively weeded out, for a variety of reasons. How do we get around that? I mean, we need warriors. I have a lot of problems with the way the politicians use the military, but I dont think anyone but an idiot would argue we don't need some warriors. Also, he donated a lot of the profits. I don't think he was interested in getting rich.

[leroy jenkins]

Maybe just start a "Leroy wants to judge you by your job" thread?

Only when you start judging other people for their job's not being altruistic enough.

[PNWbrit]

Only when you start judging other people for their job's not being altruistic enough.

Altruistic as a sniper?

[Crass3000]

and benny by your age.

Give the guy a break. Not sure what he is all about but he is probably old-school. Digging lots of beer and some Jack Herer!!! Pretty stony.

[RootSkier]

Yeah, if your job isn't 100% altruistic* then you must be a shitbag! /leroy

What is it YOU do, exactly, mr. jenkins?



* Except for professional killers, because that is its own form of altruism.

[jfost]

...* Except for professional killers, because that is its own form of altruism.

at least he died doing something for others?

[Hugh Conway]

there's a whole world between the idealism of leroy jenkins and reality of rootskier/ronteles

[RootSkier]

Man, thanks. But stop it, because it's making me misty-eyed, which makes it harder for me to defend these [edit: ALLEGED] sex offenders.

[Hugh Conway]

Man, thanks. But stop it, because it's making me misty-eyed, which makes it harder for me to defend these sex offenders.

"at least he used lube"

[RootSkier]

It was more like the cunt kick in Leroy's avatar.

[Rubicon]

How did you post 5,000 times before I realized you're a fucking idiot?

Because I waited 5000 posts to start calling you on your bullshit.

Funny how someone suddenly becomes a fucking idiot the instant they disagree with you.

Dude, you give ice way too much credit. He's not that complex. His posts arent driven by any ideology or ability or inability to successfully argue such. He's just a sad washed up old man whos never done anything with his life and has like 24000 posts of snarky thoughtless drivel to try and make himself feel better.

No, I don't think so. Ice is very bright, and he is funny when he wants to be. He even writes well, but you rarely see it on here.

The fact that he could engage in debate but chooses to spew bullshit instead, just makes his bullshit that much more obnoxious.

[Benny Profane]

Aw, man, now you're here to spoil the fun.

[PNWbrit]

Aw, man, now you're here to spoil the fun.

Ask him what he does for a living?

[jfost]

...The fact that he could engage in debate but chooses to spew bullshit instead, just makes his bullshit that much more obnoxious.

that sounds like a double standard to me!

[Hugh Conway]

It was more like the cunt kick in Leroy's avatar.

well then you're in like a douche on tgr.

[iceman]

Leroy thinks I'm dumb. I think Leroy has Asperger's and is delusional. We're probably both right.

Rubicon, I didn't think you were an idiot until, in the dumbest thread in the history of the dumbest forum on earth, you came out with the dumbest, most nonsensical post of them all, to wit,

This thread was created because the Left is losing the debate on gun control. And as happens every time the Left fears it might lose an argument, they abandon civil discourse and resort to character assassination.

To which I replied

oh, please

because your post was ridiculous.

Should have been the end of the story right there but you persist.

[OFF!lax]

Wanna make fun of my dogs name while he's dying again?

You are a cunt and I do not value your opinion. I doubt you lead a life of quiet integrity either. I bet most of you fuckers go through life acting not according to a set of morals, but according to what you think is 'justified'. Looking right at you ice.

Why would you stick around if your so pissed at what these assholes say? I always wonder why the energy is put forth over a fuckin forum?

[Chainsaw_Willie]

Why would you stick around if your so pissed at what these assholes say? I always wonder why the energy is put forth over a fuckin forum?

Hush, you! Some of us are here to be entertained.

[Benny Profane]

That's right.

[ill-advised strategy]

and it is a bit weird, I agree, but I think your revulsion, for lack of a better word, maybe has more to do with the mentality of people who drool over reading a book written about killing people.

Yeah, that's exactly it. I don't know why my mind doesn't go right there, but it took this discussion to dig down to that.

[Crass3000]

Leroy thinks I'm dumb.

You are dumb. You have no idea how much I wished I had the iceman wears jeans sticker when I was in Key West.

Edit: not actually calling you dumb (cause you could take me out in your HUGE boat SCUBA style) but I REALLY thought it would be funny for mags to see it if they were down there.

[iceman]

You are dumb. You have no idea how much I wished I had the iceman wears jeans sticker when I was in Key West.

Is there some connection between those two sentences?

[The AD]

Is there some connection between those two sentences?

I believe this is what is called "stream of consciousness."

[PNWbrit]

consciousness

I'd want to shine a flash light in his eyes before committing that far.

[userA]

this is getting out of control, right?