TheYoungDubliner

Starship Troopers

by Robert A. Heinlein

“Alright, I’ll level with you. I saw the movie as a kid and was expecting a gritty war story about fighting giant, bloodthirsty bugs on the ass end of the universe, but you know something? I was captivated by Heinlein’s polemic love song for the virtues of militarism in society. The story is lacking, but its not really the point- the philosophy, sitting down with Heinlein (particularly his stand-in character Lt. Jean Dubois). While there is much to be said against war, militarism and violence, Heinlein’s legendary rebuke abut the need for force to survive still rings true to this very day:
"Anyone who clings to the historically untrue — and thoroughly immoral — doctrine that "violence never solves anything" I would advise to conjure up the ghosts of Napoleon Bonaparte and of the Duke of Wellington and let them debate it. The ghost of Hitler could referee, and the jury might well be the Dodo, the Great Auk, and the Passenger Pigeon. Violence, naked force, has settled more issues in history than has any other factor, and the contrary opinion is wishful thinking at its worst. Breeds that forget this basic truth have always paid for it with their lives and freedoms."
Much like ‘Atlas Shrugged’, by the end of the book, if you can look past the bravado, you buy into this world crafted to illustrate a viewpoint.”