War and Violence in the 21st Century

View one or more of the following Ted Talks about violence and war.

• War and Peace in the 21st Century – The Stories in Our Minds (16:06) (Links to an external site.) – In this Tedx Talk, historian Daniele Ganser argues that most wars seem to be resource wars, whether in the past or the present. We should be careful, however, not to fall for everything we are presented with.
• Extreme Ownership (13:49) (Links to an external site.) – War is a brutal teacher. In this talk, Jocko Willink explains from personal experience how war teaches you the most when things go wrong. Jocko asserts that when a team takes ownership of its problems, the problems get solved.
• Sgt. Bowe Bergdal’s Platoon Members Speak Out – Part One (19:12) (Links to an external site.) – In this video, platoon members are interviewed by Fox News about the case of U.S. Army soldier Bowe Bergdhal.
• The Pros and Cons of Drone Warfare (02:54) (Links to an external site.) – This video addresses ethical concerns about drone warfare.
• Deadly Detachment (12:03) (Links to an external site.) – With the use of drone technology, Brandon Bryant’s unit was involved in the deaths of more than 1,600 people. Bryant began to feel uneasy about his work and in 2011, he decided to make a career change. In this video, Bryant speaks out about his experience to show that the role of operators in war is more than just a video and often involves innocent victims.

Thoughtfully reflect on the issues discussed in the talks that you have viewed and post a discussion response addressing the following points:

• What is the speaker’s point of view about the topic? Is the speaker biased?
• What ethical issues and ethical reasoning are argued?
• Do you think that the use of drone technology has moral and ethical implications? Why or why not?
• Do you agree with the speaker’s point of view? Be specific and thorough. Express how and why you agree or disagree and discuss how ethics and values contribute to your opinion. Consider the theoretical concepts discussed in the course. Do not just state your viewpoint, rather provide relevant details to support your findings and/or position.