On Killing

Have you ever wondered what it truly takes to overcome the deep-seated human resistance to killing? This summary unpacks the startling psychological barriers that prevent soldiers from firing their weapons in combat and the controversial training methods used to overcome this inhibition. You'll discover the groundbreaking research that reveals the mental and physiological toll of killing on the human psyche. Learn about the conditioning techniques that have dramatically increased firing rates in modern armies and explore the profound, often traumatic, after-effects faced by veterans in society.

Lt. Col. Dave Grossman is a former U.S. Army Ranger and paratrooper, a West Point psychology professor, and one of the world's foremost experts on human aggression. His groundbreaking research into the psychology of combat began after he noticed a historical reluctance among soldiers to fire their weapons. This inquiry led him to develop his seminal work on "killology," exploring the profound physiological and psychological effects of lethal violence on the human psyche, forever changing military and law enforcement training.