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On Killing: The Psychological Cost of Learning to Kill in War and Society Paperback – June 22, 2009

by Dave Grossman (Author)

939 customer reviews

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The good news is that most soldiers are loath to kill. But armies have developed sophisticated ways of overcoming this instinctive aversion. And contemporary civilian society, particularly the media, replicates the army's conditioning techniques, and, according to Lt. Col. Dave Grossman's thesis, is responsible for our rising rate of murder among the young.

Upon its initial publication, ON KILLING was hailed as a landmark study of the techniques the military uses to overcome the powerful reluctance to kill, of how killing affects soldiers, and of the societal implications of escalating violence. Now, Grossman has updated this classic work to include information on 21st-century military conflicts, recent trends in crime, suicide bombings, school shootings, and more. The result is a work certain to be relevant and important for decades to come.

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About the Author

A former army Ranger and paratrooper, Lt. Col. Dave Grossman taught psychology at West Point and was the professor of Military Science at Arkansas State University.

Paperback: 416 pages
Publisher: Back Bay Books; Revised edition (June 22, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0316040932
ISBN-13: 978-0316040938
Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 1.1 x 8.2 inches
Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 939 customer reviews
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,635 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #15 in Books > Politics & Social Sciences > Politics & Government > Specific Topics > Law Enforcement
- #16 in Books > Law > Criminal Law > Law Enforcement
- #26 in Books > Politics & Social Sciences > Social Sciences > Violence in Society

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Conservative Shopper

He Understands And Makes It OK

March 30, 2016

Verified Purchase

As a police officer I just went through a major shooting incident. As I read this book, Col. Grossman went through it with me. He described to a tee every emotion I experienced. Reading this book was extremely helpful.

176 people found this helpful177 people found this helpful

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Jim Kaucher

An important book, especially at this time in our nation.

June 28, 2016

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Lt. Col. Grossman's systematic and thoughtful study of why people kill -- and why they do not -- is important. His analysis on the role of conditioning on overcoming the natural resistance to killing another person provides helpful insight into how and why American society has become increasingly violent in recent decades. The last few chapters, which takes the lessons learned in the rest of the book and applies them to American society, ought to be required reading for those who insist on blaming the tools of violence for the existence of violence.

Thanks, Lt. Col. Grossman, for studying this topic with such rigor and for explaining your work so cogently.

189 people found this helpful190 people found this helpful

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Anita Welles

an excellent read

March 1, 2015

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An interesting study on killing during war, from the Civil War to the present. Contrary to what one sees through Hollywood's eyes, there is an extreme reluctance for one human being to kill another, even in time of war. Further, the author's findings help explain PTSD, a frequent result found in our combat veterans. Then applied to our society's current ills, he identifies the logical explanation for random mass murders and other mayhem. Overall, it's a thought-provoking read.

118 people found this helpful119 people found this helpful

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Pg-chan

The Opinion of a Vietnam Veteran and Retired Cop

September 12, 2017

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In 1969 I enlisted to do my Patriotic Duty, and chose to be an MP while performing that duty. I was in Vietnam (25th Inf Div for the first 14 months) from January 1970 to March 1972. After the first few months I surely had a monster case of PTSD because that was about when everything began to seem “normal”, but there wasn’t a term for it back then. When I came back from Vietnam my enlistment was up. I got off the plane (Flying Tiger airline), received a meal involving a very tough steak, and was essentially told to “go home and be normal”. My brother, now a retired Marine, had done his tour in Vietnam. I got a job where he worked (he later re-enlisted and completed his 20 for retirement). Several other employees were also Vietnam vets but we never talked about it.
My job involved hard labor and was just what I needed because I really wasn’t fit for polite society for the first year. After a year and a half I applied at several local law enforcement agencies and was hired by one with Civil Service. While working full time I also went back to college and got my degree in Criminal Justice. The image of the Vietnam Vet back then was of a deranged person who climbed onto a rooftop and started shooting people. I didn’t discuss Vietnam, or my recurring “Vietnam Dream”, with anybody. I needed the job, I liked the job, and I didn’t want people to think that I was crazy. Frankly, I wasn’t totally sure that I wasn’t, at least to some degree.
After about twenty years on the dept, and I was a Lt. by then, I was assigned to attend a seminar on Deadly Force and Pursuit Policies. One of the instructors was a Psychologist who covered the symptoms of PTSD. I suddenly realized that after my return from Vietnam I had fit the profile perfectly.
After retirement I was a Federal Courthouse Security Officer for eleven years. Another CSO had a copy of “On Killing” by Lt. Col. David Grossman and I read it, several times. Since then I have purchased my own copy, twice. I think that Grossman got it about 90+% right. I am not going to pick the book apart because, as Jesus warned, “while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them”. Also, I could be in error about that other 10%. Every time I read the book I learn something new, or relearn something I had forgotten. I recommend this book most highly to every combat veteran and law enforcement officer!

21 people found this helpful22 people found this helpful

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joshua b.

Required reading in military leadership schools

January 14, 2016

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This is required reading in military leadership courses and extremely insightful. I would strongly recommend this book for any service members (I'm a retired Soldier), law enforcement, or psychologists and clinical social workers (my wife is an LCSW) who work with military or law enforcement. I read this book after my second combat deployment when I had a lot weighing on my mind and it really put things into prospective for me.

37 people found this helpful38 people found this helpful

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TrialAuthor

Pavlovian Kills by the Military and the Police

August 18, 2016

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An excellent explanation about the psychology killing. It is frightening as he explains the Pavlovian conditioning given to modern soldiers and police.

37 people found this helpful38 people found this helpful

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Amazon Customer

Enjoyed the book

July 14, 2016

Verified Purchase

As a combat veteran from RVN and a career Infantry Officer I found this read to be interesting and should be reading for young men and women thinking about going into the service, especially one of the combat arms and for the spouses and partners of military members. His references gave the book credibility. Enjoyed the book.

30 people found this helpful31 people found this helpful

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Don Roberto

Should be required reading for all Americans

February 21, 2015

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This is subject that people need to know. I see the comments when a robber is killed by a shop keeper. They are all excited about a bad guy biting the dust. The shallow idiots never think about the effect on the shooter. This should be required reading for all Hollywood producers. I have heard him speak and he really understands the world as it really is not as we want it to be. Worth the time to read. We are surrounded by killing on a daily fact of life. it seems like a good idea to understand this aspect of life.

42 people found this helpful43 people found this helpful

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