Forged in combat and synthesized to handle the opportunities and challenges of the 21st Century, Meditations of an Army Ranger describes a practical, modern day philosophy to guide us all in our daily lives. As the book outlines, you must do more than talk about your philosophy; you must live it, exemplify it, and apply it in a consistent and focused manner to make the world a better place.
As a culture, we currently tend to seek little more than motivation from our Special Operations warriors and in this, we are missing the mark, as they have far more to offer us. From ancient times, we have built our human foundations upon the philosophy of warriors. Not on their philosophy of war, but on their philosophy of life. How they saw the world. The ideas of democracy, service, education, and love that evolved from earlier generations of human beings who had seen combat. Philosophy, to these ancient warriors, was not a luxury reserved for the privileged, but rather a tool; a necessity required not only to fight better, but to live better. The time is now ripe for the return of the warrior-philosopher. We are hungry for it: the wisdom and guidance which can be brought to us by someone with firsthand experience of the real world.
What does it really take to lead other human beings? If we are to seek a true substance matter expert on the topic, it behooves us to ask someone who has not only led, but who has led under the most adverse conditions. War is perhaps the greatest teacher of human nature; as it affords human beings the opportunity to witness and experience both the highest pinnacles and the deepest nadirs of our existence often simultaneously. Soldiers in combat are put into situations that force them to ask themselves questions that are central to philosophy, and these are not small questions. They penetrate deeply into the soul of what it means to be a human being. Philosophers choose to ask them; warriors have to ask them.
All this being said, Meditations of an Army Ranger is not a book of pure philosophy. It takes an unintimidating approach to deep, rich, and thought-provoking content. The result is a practical, accessible, and readily applicable work of contemporary thought that both draws upon the past and suggests new directions for the future. Men and women of action, take note. Meditations of an Army Ranger establishes a practical roadmap for purposeful action and thoughtful personal growth. Its aim is not to motivate, but to inspire. It is not a philosophy for warriors; it is a philosophy that serves human beings. That is all warriors are, at the end of the day; human beings with a highly specified skillset. But human beings.
Read, understand, and apply in order to honorably lead and serve in all walks of life.
