Which are you?

[kikr]

ON SHEEP, WOLVES, AND SHEEPDOGS
By LTC(RET) Dave Grossman, RANGER, Ph.D., author of “On Killing.”

Honor never grows old, and honor rejoices the heart of age. It does so because honor is, finally, about defending those noble and worthy things that deserve defending, even if it comes at a high cost. In our time, that may mean social disapproval, public scorn, hardship, persecution, or as always, even death itself. The question remains:
What is worth defending?
What is worth dying for?
What is worth living for?

William J. Bennett - in a lecture to the United States Naval Academy
November 24, 1997 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 police 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 a weapon. 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.

[M16M203]

In answer to the question of sheep, Wolves, and sheepdogs, all my opinion of course.

Dr Grossman has written a great book outlining the phsycological effects of combat and how each individual reacts to that stress. Another book on the subject is written by Bruce Siddle - I believe it is called "Sharpening the Warriors edge" or similiar.

And while each of us would like to think we would act rightously or correctly / heroically when placed under life and death pressure, the body will react in a certain way that no form of training can prevent, only minimise.

Issues such as once the heart rate starts to rise above 125 best per minute sees a reduction of someones fine motor skills to the point (175 best per minute) where they are non existant? But who actually trains like this? Not your average budo club thats for sure.

You will need to seek specialist Military or specialist Police training environments for this type of specific "Adrenalin Stress Conditioning". Creating a veteran before the battle starts - fantastic and training at its absolute peak for life and death performance.

And Bruce Siddle' training people in his "Startle" concept. When scared or caught by surprise, the bodies reaction is to bend you arms at the elbows and protect your own face while lowering your profile into an almost crouched stance. If this is what you are going to do (and not through choice but by default) then why not train this way from the start?

You have chosen, what I believe to be, a great book to analyse. Grossman's opinions are generally back up by surveys and science and can be simulated into any training environment, provided the trainer / instructor has an in depth understanding of the science he is teaching and why.

As to the answer of Sheep, Wolves, and Sheepdogs? It is my humble opnion that unless you put yourself in a position where your life is at stake or the lifes of others, you will truly never know. We all talk to ourselves and try and assure ourselves that we are "made of the right stuff", but that has never really been tested (for most of us anyway).

There are a lot of people who think they are Wolves or Sheepdogs, but their alarm response sadly says otherwise.

Is it a sign of weakness to be a sheep? No, 90% of us are sheep. we just haven't thought about it. And why should we, thats what Soldiers, Policemen, Peace Officers, Bounty Hunters, and all those other confronmtational occupations are about....

Wolves and Sheepdogs. I hope you enjoyed the read, I can state for a fact it is being used in law enforcement / protection work throughout the world in principle, in both armed and unarmed conflict resolution.

Gan Ba Re

[Rebel Wado]

Good read

[xxionx]

wow never knew that there are alot of people taht may think like me... I also wished I was at those flights...I also wished I could have done something about the massacres especially in school though everyone thought i was crazy. Very very good read

[Lily]

Hey kikr,

That was thought provoking.

However, I think it is too simplistic. We can be more than one thing and this can change dependent on the situation and our personal feelings/views on issues.

[kikr]

Originally Posted by Lily

Hey kikr,

That was thought provoking.

However, I think it is too simplistic. We can be more than one thing and this can change dependent on the situation and our personal feelings/views on issues.

Thank you, I posted it with the hopes of causing thought. I respect your thoughts and always encourage everyone to think for themselves but I have to disagree with you and say no its black and white. I dont believe in situational ethics. I believe that a person defines themselves by their actions. That essay is about a mindset of taking a stand. Their are people who dedicate their lives to gaining profit from causing misery for others. They rob, cheat, lie, steal, live lifestyles steeped with drugs and Prostitution, murder, rape and otherwise prey on civilised society. Then there are those who have dedicated their life to guarding who are preyed on by the scumbags. They are the soldiers, police, medical professionals, and vigilant individuals who are not afraid to speak up when they see some twit walking into wal-mart leaving their kids in the car, or speak up when they see the goons on the corner selling crack in their neighborhood. Or the legally armed citizen who declares to not allow anymore George Hennard's to destroy the lives of innocent people. Then their are the other 90% of society, who travel through life thinking that bad things only happen to other people and that the police are respnsible for their safety. They walk past the kids left in the cars either afraid to get involved or too wrapped up in their desperate need to squeeze the charmin to notice. They are the ones who hide behind the door and say its not happening if I dont see it. They are the one who leave the safety of their loved ones in the hands of others. That is the difference between the wolves, sheep, and sheepdogs. In a way you are right, to the wolves, the sheepdogs are the predator, we sometimes appear when not expected and respond to violence with overwhelming force that leaves wolves maimed or dead. Sometimes the sheep see the sheepdogs as wolves, because they have the misguided view that the wolves had no chance but to slaughter that capitalist shopowner who didnt want to give the gremlin with the shotgun all his money so that it could be spent on crack instead of paying the rent. Or they view first hand when a sheepdog responds with deadly force and feels that the wolves should have been left alone to pursue his god given right to rape, rob, and murder at will. And then sometimes the sheepdogs, see the sheep as wolves by proxy, when they walk past an atrocity occuring and refuse to assist the victims. And once in a while, a sheep will rise to the occasion and prevail against the wolf at the door, although not sheepdogs by nature they will fill the role when pressed far enough.
All in all though it boils down to a mindset...when the wolves are circling do you choose to cower, and look the other way, or do you choose to take a stand and strongly state, I will not LET this happen.

[JEEPEE]

Hi Kikr.
I'm sorry,but i have to agree with Lily.
A rainbow is not black and white,it's far more then that.
I'm affraid that to manny Americans are looking at something like this from one perspective only:the Manhattan towers.
Basicly there is nothing wrong with that,but worldhistory is made up off mutsh more then that.
Pleas,let me give you a example off what i mean,and by this i would like to demonstrate that a sheep can easely turn into a wolf,and thesame go's for a
sheepdog into a wolf or just the other way around.
Iim absolutely convinced ther's a bit off all 3 in us,its the EVENTS that will determin what will take the overhand.
Whe are the "playballs" and the "victims" off events that whe can not controle,and i'm affraid there is verry little whe can do about that
Think about this:a farmer in Palistina can be the perfect sheep,he woulden't
hurt a fly,untill one day a plain dropes a bomb that kills his son.
He is now full off revenge,so iff he commits a act off terrorisme,he turns from the sheep into a wolf.
Dus that mean he had the intension to become a wolf in the first place.
In my humble opinnion not,without that bomb he would never have tured into a terrorist.
It is clear to me,that the events will determine what whe will be and that anything beyond that is highly theorethical and stronly dependant off the individual person.
Just suppose that the terroristatac on the manhattan towers NEVER HAPPEND.
Do you think the political landscape in the USA would have been thesame as now ???
I'm absolutely convinced NO.
The political landscape now is the result off EVENTS,and i'm affraid that whe allso are the result off events,wheter whe like it or not.
I now,this is not "easy stuff",i gess whe will be able to argue about this untill the end off time,but i think it might be wise to take a good look at the human history before all this;supose Hitler wass never born,would there ever have been a Nazistate ???
I think not !!!!!
So,it's the events that will determine,at least in a large number off cases if whe are :sheep,sheepdog,wolf .
Yours cinserely JEEPEE

[Rebel Wado]

Well, since people have added some comments to this topic... when I first heard of the Sheeps, Wolves, and Sheepdogs many years ago, I was told that it was too simplistic. The version I was taught was Sheeps, Wolves, Coyotes and Sheepdogs.

Sheep, wolves (e.g. alpha male) and sheepdogs (e.g. police) were as described beforehand, in addition coyotes were added. Coyotes are tricky and they hunt in packs. A coyote on its own is no match of a wolf (as in alpha male wolf) but a pack of coyotes can take down a wolf.

Coyotes are those with the "gang" mentality. They feel like wolves when they have numbers but when they are alone they are not real wolves. Coyotes are perhaps the most dangerous because of this dual nature of "changing" when in numbers.

The other point is everyone is a shade of sheep, wolf, coyote, and sheepdog to different degrees, a "life changing" event can polarize what you are however. A person may be a wolf in sheeps clothing... they may live a happy life until something wrong happens, then the wolf or sheepdog (or in Japanese terms the tiger or the sleeping dragon) comes out and they are changed from that point on, not to be a sheep anymore. But they may be able to live in society as a sheep, but inside they are not.

A sheep will only fight to protect themselves, e.g. back a sheep into a corner and they will fight but if given the choice they will run and they will not want to get involved. However, a mother whose child is in danger may have been a sheep all her life, but in that instance, she is not, she becomes the sheepdog to protect her child.

It's like the Frosted Flakes cereal comercial, "bring out the tiger in you" meaning the fighting spirit.