Thoughts on the Process of Militarization

Over the course of the semester I have learned a great deal about militarization, and know that I will never be able to think of the process in the same ways that I once did. Most importantly, I will no longer be able to avoid noticing the militarization that is all around us. Nor would I want to. The military and its supporting institutions play a critical role in the lives of people across the globe, including of course my own. We have been raised in a society that is thoroughly militarized, and without doubt the process continues as strongly as ever. The end of militarization is, unfortunately, unforeseeable, but I can still make sure to be aware and to interact with the process in a constructive way. I still have much more to learn about militarization, its past, present and future, but this has been as good a start as I could ask for.

I would also like to discuss briefly the outlook for the future of militarization that we covered Monday. As always, it seems that the military continues to expand and grow into any new realms that might arise. Space and cyberspace cannot avoid the process of militarization. As stated in the report on current U.S. space policy, these new areas are equated with "air power and sea power." Potential threats are everywhere, and so we must take care to guard everywhere. It is very unfortunate that our government has come to think in these ways, a thought process that is itself emblematic of the degree to which militarization has permeated our society and its institutions. It seems to me that as we move forward we have to find a way to alter the assumptions and ingrained sensibilities that serve as the foundation for militarized thinking, a task that will take considerable time and effort and that must itself be as powerful and deep-seeded as the process of militarization itself. I don't think that anybody enjoys living in a militarized world, and ultimately it is because of the mistrust and fear that seem inherent in human societies and interactions that we do. But whether it is possible to dispel these things or not, it is important that we try.