The From the Green Notebook podcast continues to push the boundaries, just a little bit further.
Elliot Ackerman joins the podcast to discuss a recent article he wrote for Liberties Journal titled, “Turning in My Card“. Joe and Elliot talk about the dark side of identity and how it can prevent us from personal and professional growth. While acknowledging there benefits that come with an identity, Elliot cautions us to avoid using our identities to shut down discourse and warns everyone about the dangers of becoming a slave to identity.
S3,Ep9: Elliot Ackerman- The Dark Side of Identity
In this one, Joe speaks with Elliot Ackerman about what it means to be a veteran.
The whole thing reminded me of this episode, which feels like it is from a generation ago.
Elliot talks about the disservice we do when we open up a paragraph with “As a combat veteran…”
Or “as a” ‘anything‘ really…
It robs us of having to make an argument.
We’re saying ‘believe me because I did something, once.’
This is a good episode and one that cuts deep into the bone of what it means to define yourself by service.
It even throws badges and tabs into the bin.
The conversation eventually settles into a place where they begin discussing the civil-military divide, and the odd growing apart that is happening due to one side of that coin.
Want to know more? Go back to 1997 and this article. Still the single best thing I’ve read on the civil-military divide.
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Carrying the Gun 