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When I went through Ranger School there was a similar mentality. You learn pretty quickly about how far you can physically push yourself, but the real true test

When I went through Ranger School there was a similar mentality. You learn pretty quickly about how far you can physically push yourself, but the real true test was how much you could endure mentally. Sleep deprivation combined with a low calorie diet and extremely taxing physical tasks, I would say, ends up attacking your mental abilities in a way it's difficult to prepare for. I was probably in the best shape of my life when I started (and the absolute worst when I graduated) but the fact that you could quit at any time meant that you had to dig elsewhere for motivation. I think more importantly than anything you learn about your own physiology or mental dedication, you learn how to motivate and lead people who are as broken or more so than yourself. So when people ask "why is it necessary to destroy people like this" that's why.

eli_gottlieb 10y ago
>I think more importantly than anything you learn about your own physiology or mental dedication, you learn how to motivate and lead people who are as broken or more so than yourself. So when people ask "why is it necessary to destroy people like this" that's why. Yes, because everyone knows that Suffering Makes Stronk. In fact, permanent damage to your physiology is nothing if you're stronk, and there's certainly no advantage to actually keeping healthy your whole life in performing difficult mental and physical tasks. /s
- scott_s 10y ago
  I think a charitable read of remarkEon's comment assumes he meant in the context of combat training, and not necessarily in preparation for life in general.
  - eli_gottlieb 10y ago
    I legitimately don't think that permanently injuring people makes them more ready for combat.
    - scott_s 10y ago
      I don't think this kind of training permanently injures them, nor did I feel that was implied by the parent comment. I do think this kind of training, which pushes them to physical and mental limits, helps prepare them for missions where they will also be pushed to physical and mental limits.

eli_gottlieb 10y ago

>I think more importantly than anything you learn about your own physiology or mental dedication, you learn how to motivate and lead people who are as broken or more so than yourself. So when people ask "why is it necessary to destroy people like this" that's why. Yes, because everyone knows that Suffering Makes Stronk. In fact, permanent damage to your physiology is nothing if you're stronk, and there's certainly no advantage to actually keeping healthy your whole life in performing difficult mental and physical tasks. /s

scott_s 10y ago
I think a charitable read of remarkEon's comment assumes he meant in the context of combat training, and not necessarily in preparation for life in general.
- eli_gottlieb 10y ago
  I legitimately don't think that permanently injuring people makes them more ready for combat.
  - scott_s 10y ago
    I don't think this kind of training permanently injures them, nor did I feel that was implied by the parent comment. I do think this kind of training, which pushes them to physical and mental limits, helps prepare them for missions where they will also be pushed to physical and mental limits.