James Coleman
Journals
1. “‘The triumph of the West, of the Western idea’ wrote Fukuyama, ‘is evident first of all in the total exhaustion of viable systematic alternatives to Western liberalism...What we may be witnessing is not just the end of the Cold War, or the passing of a particular period or postwar history, but the end of history as such: that is, the end point of mankind's ideological evolution and the universalization of Western liberal democracy as the final form of human government’”(15).
Throughout the novel, Krakauer quotes many famous authors and this is a prime example. Fukuyama explained that Western Liberalism was basically taking over and that soon it would be the final form of government on Earth. Krakauer uses this to prove his point when discussing the motivations behind the Army and the government of the United States.
Fukuyama’s ideas are very accurate. The spread of Western liberalism is very evident worldwide and I too could see it becoming implemented in many countries in the future simply because of the influence that the United States has. Mankind has always held views on each end of the political spectrum, but theses views are becoming more and more similar, even if people are not ready to admit it. This proves the spread of one general idea, western liberalism.
2. “‘I am telling you, if the guy does something wrong, and you didn’t do something back against him, after this he will have no respect for you. He will think you are a pussy motherfucker. And then he will be bothering you. Every time he sees you, he will give you a hard time’”(21).
This was the mentality of the Army environment that Tillman got himself into. It was a tough community, but he fit in well very quickly because he was not a man who would put up with anything. He established a reputation easily as someone not to mess with.
The idea of earning respect if not just of the Army. I think that it is prevalent in everyday life as well. In order to be respected and listened to, a person has to prove that they are worth the time. If they fail to do so, they will be pinned as the person who is a pushover.
3. “Like most kids, Pat took this maternal devotion for granted; he was largely oblivious to the degree of which Dannie’s unwavering gravitational field kept his hyperkinetic young life securely in its orbit”(42).
The love of his mother, and of his family, is what kept Pat Tillman sane. Many people described him as outwardly tough but innerly he was very sensitive and cared for his family deeply. His mother’s support is what kept him grounded and encouraged him to pursue his dreams. She was the balance in his life.
My mother is exactly like this. She keeps me organized and balanced. When I get stressed or too busy, she is the one who calms me down and then encourages me. I know that I do not thank her nearly enough but I am so grateful for everything that she has done in my life. She is my support.
4. “...you are not who you are at your worst moment”(54).
This idea is a core part of what made up Tillman’s character. He served a short jail sentence after high school, but proved to himself, the judge, and the world that he was better than that. Tillman used the experience and learned from it, proving that he was bound for bigger things.
Tillman proved that your worst moment does not define who you are. Some hit a low point and let it sink them, but others, like Tillman, recognize that it is not going to last, and that they are better. This realization is extremely important characteristic to have because it shows drive and determination. People with this drive can learn from the worst moments in life, and use them to become a better version of themselves.
5. “He simply accepted the loss and moved on”(83).
The mindset that Tillman possessed was intriguing. He was extremely competitive and therefore hated to lose. But, he also was idealistic and knew that a loss was not the end of the world. He was able to accept it and move on with his life. This mindset was exemplified in his college and professional football careers, his personal life, and his military life. He was the type of person that would not let a loss kill his confidence. He would learn from it and then come back stronger than ever.
There are many people who struggle with this mindset. I am very competitive, and I hate losing, so I do as well. I am naturally a very stubborn and opinionated person so I extremely dislike losing. But, I have been learning from my basketball career that losing is going to happen. I also have learned that I must accept it and move on. I can apply what I learned from the loss in the next game, but ultimately I must let the loss go.
6. “Many decisions are made in our lifetime, most relatively insignificant while others life altering”(174).
There were many decisions involved in Tillman’s death, proving that even the smallest choices can have the largest consequences. For example, the choice to fire when they were not sure or their target.
Each person makes thousands of decisions every day. Many are small and seem very insignificant, but others can be very important. I think that people must be conscious of each decision that they make because you never know how big of an effect it will have.
7. “There are no true answers, just shades of grey, coincidence, and circumstance”(175).
This quote was taken from one of Pat Tillman’s journals as he was in boot camp for the Army. Tillman had been introspective since childhood but his experiences in the Army were leading him to ponder what kind of man he wanted to become and what his life would turn out to be. He reasoned that there were no true answers to his questions, only coincidences and circumstances that cause life to be altered one way or another.
I agree that coincidence and circumstance can seem to have much to do with the outcome of one’s life. But, I also believe that there is a plan, for each person’s life and that each “circumstance” is actually not circumstance at all because each step was lined out before, by God. He is the only true answer to what one might become and he is the one who creates the “circumstances and coincidences”.
8. “Love, laughter, and joy, as well as pain, longing and sorrow, are all part of the ride. Without the latter you cannot truly appreciate the former, cannot come to understand just how much you truly care”(177).
Tillman had many deeper quotes like this that make the reader contemplate their own mind. This is another quote from one of his journals and he says that all of the listed emotions are part of life, and that without one you cannot truly appreciate the other. He implies that for one to truly be human, they must experience all of the emotions, and appreciate each of them.
Each of the emotions listed is important in its own way. Each teaches someone more about themself by how they handle joy and sorrow, laughter and longing. These show someone how much they really care about themselves and others.
9. “It is easy in the world to live after the world’s opinion; it is easy in solitude to live after our own; but the great man is he who in the midst of a crowd keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude”(197).
This is an excerpt from Ralph Waldo Emerson’s “Self Reliance”. He explains that it is easy to live as the world wants you to live, to check all of the boxes. But, it is much harder to be one’s own person in the midst of a crowd, to be independent. This is exactly how Pat Tillman was. He was not afraid to be his own person.
Emerson is right, it is very hard to be independent and live free of the constraints of the world when the world is so opinionated. A great man is one who can be independent and ignore the opinions of the world. He is confident enough to be his own person, and this is something that I strive for everyday.
10. “‘Never before in history,’ Bamford observed, ‘had such an extensive secret network been established to shape the entire world’s perception of a war’”(238).
The Army did everything in their power to ensure that the “embarrassing” mistake of Tillman’s death was kept from the public as long as possible. They wanted to ensure that the public was still being supportive of the war and it would not look good if the star football player turned Army Ranger, the poster boy of the war, was killed by his own men. Bamford was reflecting in this quote about the lengths that they would go to in order to preserve their image.
It scares me that the Army would do anything in their power to cover up the truth. They established a large network of lies in order to preserve their image to the public. This scares me because if the people who are running our country and our Army are corrupt, then how can we trust anything that they say? The people in charge should be ones that the public can look up to and can rely on, yet all they seem to care about is their image.
11. “Most of the untried Rangers yearned to experience to experience the atavistic rush of having to kill or be killed - a desire more common among the male population than is usually acknowledged in polite company”(276).
This idea comes up often in Tillman’s experiences throughout Where Men Win Glory. Tillman was one of those untried Rangers who desired that rush, and he was not alone. Many men in his platoon felt the same way, which probably contributed to Tillman’s death later on.
Men seem to desire the rush of battle. I think that it pushes them to prove their masculinity to themselves and to others. The idea of having to kill or be killed seems awful to discuss in polite company, and I think that it is awful to “desire” to kill at all. But some seem to find it honorable and even exciting.
12. “It was one of those split-second decisions that unfortunately turned out disastrous”(313).
Split-second decisions are easy to make but can turn bad very quickly. Because they are made so fast, there is not enough thought put into what the consequences could be, and this is what led to Pat Tillman’s death. One of his platoon mates saw an Afghani firing at him, and he fired back, not knowing that the man was an ally or that he was with Pat Tillman and the rest of the platoon.
I feel that split-second decisions are very risky, because there is not enough thought put into them. Personally, I like to thoroughly consider the decisions, and weigh the pros and cons before I make a choice. I want to understand what the consequences could be and therefore do not like making fast decisions.
13. The bottom line is the American people are capable of determining their own ideals for heroes”(374).
This idea is that the American public has always looked to the Army and its soldiers as their own personal heroes. The men and women fighting to protect the freedom of the public are viewed as heroes, and rightly so. They embody many of the characteristics of the classic superheroes, which is why they are so idolized.
Throughout history, America has looked to its heroes, both real and fictional, as an emblem of hope in hard times. We use the movies and comics to spread encouragement through the use of fictional characters with amazing powers that always triumph over evil. But they are not the only superheros. We also view our Army and its soldiers as heroes because they are the ones fighting the real battle, the one that truly matters.
14. “The least we owe to courageous men and women who are fighting for our freedom is the truth”(377).
In the novel, Tillman made a point to be truthful and honorable to the core. He would have been very disappointed to see the lies and deceit that took place after his death. He enlisted for the army in the first place because he felt a moral obligation to protect his country from those who were threatening it.
The men and women who are fighting for our freedom deserve everything that we have to offer, and yet they are often manipulated by the very people that they are seeking to protect. The very least that we could give them is the truth. Tillman’s family should have been informed of the fratricide as soon as it was uncovered, and yet they were lied to for months. This is an awful way to express gratitude for service.
15. “The Army’s leniency was stunning”(378).
After Pat Tillman was killed by friendly fire, his family was kept in the dark for years regarding the actual cause. The Army chose to withhold the information because the fratricide would not look good to the public, especially because of Tillman’s popularity. Their obvious lack of regard for the rules would have disappointed Tillman.
It scares me that the Army would have such a blatant disregard for the rules. be ones that the public can look up to and can rely on, yet all they seem to care about is their image. If they can bend the rules in a fratricide situation, where in the line? Or is there a line?