Psychiatric Aspects of the Prevention of Nuclear War

Th ' fhey maintain, not violence, which is inherent in the human condition. )afhe nate ls still a widespread conviction that war derives straight and inexorably from ^tUani re.0^ man, and the idea of war is still saddled with anachronistic stereotypes fet n. , Vlrtue, self-sacrifice for home and family, glory, courage, initiative and so on. l?t ev ar War is not any kind of "adaptive solution to international conflict". It is g3leterrer)n an outlet for aggressive instincts and "combat heroism", because nuclear 'r4?g-Iik ?e recluires extremes of rationality, of objective insight and of impersonal, al*e'aPse ^atlenceBut the pressure of fear, in moments of crisis, is likely to make us :Ven jn lr?to Primitive behaviour, to lose our capacity for "adaptive discrimination" tye Co shortest run. We may fail to respond altogether?"functional paralysis", fcifccepta C *? deny reality by sheltering behind non-perception, non-recognition, nonrH?ecaUse Ce' distortion; behind a belief in personal invulnerability and irresponsibility, s it^w nuc^ar war is unimaginable?our minds can hold no proportionate image e^on rs e shrink its possible effects and dehumanise its possible victims. Dehumanisa/3:)Ur ow lmes' as a surSeon> a necessary emotional tool) spreads until we see 4*nZn Selves as insignificant, and irresponsible. We connive with our own hopeBut n , i|eeling PS need not? This is an excellent booklet, full of relevant expertise, good ^liticafh Strenuous optimism. One would like to think that students of history and r.how Pr "e?ry, as well as practical politicians and diplomats, will learn from it just p c'sely the idea of a balance of terror is a contradiction in terms.