Chapter 273
The Machine of War
On the eighth of September an officer—a very important one judging by the respect the guards showed him—entered the coach house where the prisoners were. This officer, probably someone on the staff, was holding a paper in his hand, and called over all the Russians there, naming Pierre as “the man who does not give his name.” Glancing indolently and indifferently at all the prisoners, he ordered the officer in charge to have them decently dressed and tidied up before taking them to the marshal. An hour later a squad of soldiers arrived and Pierre with thirteen others was led…
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Critical Thinking Exercise
Map Your Own Institutional Machine
Think of a recent frustrating experience with an institution - your workplace, insurance company, school system, or government office. Draw or write out the 'machine' that created the problem. Who were the individual people involved? What roles were they playing? What rules or incentives were driving their behavior?
Consider:
- •Focus on the system, not blaming individuals
- •Look for where personal discretion gets overruled by policy
- •Notice how each person might be decent while the outcome is harmful
Journaling Prompt
Write about a time when you were part of a system that produced an outcome you didn't personally want. How did institutional pressure override your individual judgment?
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