Men,Warriorism, and Mourning: the Development of Unconventional Warriors

In this article, I consider the interrelation between the warrior ethos, warriorism, and mourning. More specifically, the question I seek to answer is how a young man moves from warriorism—an uncritical acceptance of warrior ethos—to being an unconventional warrior who, while remaining attached to the warrior ethos, is critical toward a government that uses its military to further the aims of political and economic elites. I rely on psychology of religion perspectives to understand the warrior ethos and warriorism because they have many parallels to religion. In addition, I find Nathan Carlin’s discussion of religious mourning helpful in framing this process of change. Finally, to illustrate my claims, I discuss the life of Marine Corps Major General Smedley Butler.