Fall of Kabul Journal #3 – Incompetence, Catastrophe, and a Renewed Calling for Leaders, with John McCarthy

The following podcast is part 3 of a series on the author’s reactions to the Fall of Kabul. If you appreciate the content, consider sharing. Last night, I had the opportunity to speak with John McCarthy, a fellow infantry officer, about the events of the last week. https://open.spotify.com/episode/3x5ttEiwBIGpGrnLdkchKW?si=ho8VKeytTguCjgOwCDdAMQ&dl_branch=1

Fall of Kabul Journal #2 – Our Unaccountable Elite

The following is the second entry in what will hopefully be a collection of the author’s thoughts and reflections on the 2021 Fall of Afghanistan. If you enjoy it, consider sharing. If you missed Entry #1, you can view it HERE. In the summer of 2014, I had the privilege of attending the infamous Infantry … Continue reading Fall of Kabul Journal #2 – Our Unaccountable Elite

Fall of Kabul Journal #1 – An Open Letter to the Warfighters

When the bullets cracked overhead, you did not fight for abstract notions of freedom or liberty, you fought for love of your fellow man. You faced rockets, mortars, and roadside bombs to bring the brothers to your left and right back. Those who are no longer with us did not die in vain. They sacrificed their lives for one of the noblest reasons known to mortals: so that their brothers might live.

The Casualties of Meme Warfare

Typically, memes are an oversimplification of complex issues. They are rough 2-D representations of a nuanced world. Their strength comes from their portability and adaptability. Like viruses, they are easily transmissible due to their ability to convey an idea while requiring minimal mental bandwidth. And like viruses, they evolve and transform to become more effective.

Building Resilience Beyond 2020

As I reflect on the last year, it goes without saying that 2020 created tremendous obstacles. Workers lost their jobs. Families lost their loved ones. In order to fight the virus, significant changes were made to the way we work and learn. And for many, it was the first time they were forced to wrestle with the idea of their own mortality.

Contend. Contest. Compete.

You don't have to go far in your ancestry to find tough men and women who contended with nature and adversity. Whether it was in war, wilderness, or want, hard men and women created the abundance of modernity. While every generation has claimed that the one following it had it made, only recently have a majority of people been allowed to flip the game of life to the EASY setting.