Author Archives: Douglas R. Satterfield
[February 4, 2023] Sebastian Junger answers a question that has chased me for many decades. He gave a TED Talk (link here, 12:55 minutes) to explain. Junger believes he knows why soldiers miss war. A few years ago, on my blog, I tried to answer a similar question a high school student asked: “Do you miss war?” I… Read More »
[February 3, 2023] Is there a way to conduct your life in such a manner that the inherent susceptibility that characterizes your life is not just acceptable but desirable? That is the central question of existence. Tragedy With regard to tragedy, humans are vulnerable. And that is tragic. But if that is the price we pay for existence,… Read More »
[February 2, 2023] Discipline means that you can make sacrifices for your future self. You must understand that today you are not disciplined if you just do more of what you want. Discipline is when you want to do something right now and instead put it off your gratification. Do this forever, maybe, but at least for a… Read More »
[February 1, 2023] Shortly after retiring from the U.S. Army, I wrote a three-part series (see them below) on American Core values. I recently wondered to myself if these 10 values hold true or maybe I would write a better explanation of each. Here is quick list of the 10 American values I identified: Liberty and Freedom Equality… Read More »
[January 31, 2023] We think with speech. Free speech is identical to freedom of thought. And free speech is not just another freedom or right among many. It is the antidote to ignorance and corruption. If thought is not free, it’s not thought. “A world without freedom of speech is a world of slavery and tyranny.” – Dr.… Read More »
[January 30, 2023] The offer for us in our modern culture is for self-indulgent happiness. That is no exaggeration. I see it as the aim of many young folks who say they just want happiness in their lives. But that is not true; that is not what they want. The opposite of that pursuit of happiness is another… Read More »
[January 29, 2023] My son was about 11 years old when The Lion King (1994) movie came out in theaters near us. I drove him and several of his friends to see it. Nearly everyone I know has seen it and came away thinking the movie was right about life. It struck a chord in us somehow. Dr.… Read More »
[January 28, 2023] Everyone tells us today, young men in particular, that we should be harmless, virtuous, and don’t do anyone any harm, hold back your competitive instinct, and you shouldn’t try to win. Don’t be too aggressive or too assertive; take a back seat. No! Instead, embrace the monster in you. Be a monster, and then learn… Read More »
[January 27, 2023] All this week, I’ve been around New Jersey (I live in South Jersey, which is rural). Part of the reason was testing for an upcoming medical procedure, where I spoke with several folks in the medical profession. I always come home from them in a better mood, but it was especially true this time. Several… Read More »
[January 26, 2023] Compare yourself to who you were yesterday, not to who someone else is today. You need to be aiming for something – a higher goal – and that means you’re going to be lesser than other people who’ve already attained status in that aim. My second lesson for men is, “Don’t compare yourself to others… Read More »