“To the man with a hammer, every problem is a nail…”
I am starting to see part of the cause of the cause of the state of incessant war we find ourselves in. It’s simple, really. We see every potential conflict as war.
Let me explain who “we” are. When I speak of “we” I’m thinking of those of us in the temporarily dominant culture, whether we believe in it wholeheartedly or not. I mean ‘Murica. I mean the military industrial complex of which Eisenhower spoke in his closing remarks as his presidency wound down. I mean modern culture, which is growing – or more accurately "spreading" – like a soul-numbing disease throughout the world. I refer to it as “temporarily dominant” because any culture that worships itself to the complete exclusion of others like this one does is doomed.
I came to this conclusion after working a wildland forest fire. I am not on the “front lines” (note the first of many battle-themed references), but am working logistics in a trailer all day. I make copies, maps, etc. for those that are putting themselves in harms’ way. The entire operation is battle-themed, like only a power drunk, sickened, masculine-ordered engagement could be when facing a force as universally regarded as fire. For instance, most of the leaders here are in pseudo-military uniforms, from the State troopers to the Forest Service employees to the State of California forestry folks. Food is served cafeteria style in huge quantities (after all, one troop said with a smile, “armies move on their bellies!”). Of course military time is used. Tens of thousands of pieces of paper making up daily engagement plans, maps and related information are printed every day. Meetings are run with military precision; serious looking men in short haircuts and women without joy in their eyes conduct them. War has been declared on the force that lights the sun. Smiles are not encouraged.
Is there another way to fight a forest fire? That’s not the question. How would I know, anyway? But I do know that fire has been here a long time before mankind, and it will outlive us. I know that we build homes in places that homes do not belong (and in these hills that include the infamous Humboldt County, we grow huge marijuana farms as well). I know that science is conclusive that humans are encouraging climate change through their irresponsible use of technology. Given these facts, a question settles on me with some force. The question is this: can we approach this challenge with more humility? And what about this observation and question: seeing the hundreds of millions of dollars we are spending fighting these fires, can we let the gravity of these costs settle on us and awaken us to a greater motivation to use the great minds that we have to come up with not only better answers but to take seriously the underlying issues? These could be as shallow as changing land-use laws or as potentially culture-shattering as invoking questions about the costs of our current lifeways and using these fires as the teachers they might be.
But I suspect that fires like the South Complex Fire where I am stationed away from family and real life are a great boon to the economy like any war is. And we all know that a strong economy is good for the powerful rulers in oligarchies such as ours, as it keeps the struggling masses from burning their Martha’s Vineyard mansions to the ground. A cash infusion like this is a little pittance to help them into less debt come the farce that is Christmas in America, or pay off that 52” TV, or buy those new golf clubs.
Yes, war is the great “Turner of the Wheel” of this culture which is obsessed with death, that hides behind the cross of a poor, homeless, carpenter’s son and proclaims it’s strength to the world, including the trees, the animals, “noxious weeds that afflict and torment man”, the poor and all other “lesser beings”.
To the leaders of the “’Free’ world”, war is the answer to anything that challenges the paradigm, including fire. Because with a hammer like the one wielded by this culture, it doesn’t make sense to ask too many questions. After all, another tool may prove to be much better.
And what would happen then?
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