On this edition of Parallax Views, Iraq War veteran, ex-friar monk, and psychoanalyst Mike Kim of Coming Home Well and the Veteran Et Cetera podcast joins us to discuss veteran readjustment culture along with his thoughts on the civilian-military divide and other matters.This conversation was recorded on 6/22/22.
Much of the conversation centers around Mike’s work on war trauma therapy counseling and therapy with a focus on veteran readjustment culture. When a warrior comes home how does he readjust to life outside the warzone? That’s question that Mike’s work seeks to answer. In this regard we delve into issues related to war, trauma, and colonialism as well as Mike’s own personal journey. Additionally, we discuss matters like the the Cold War and Vietnam, volunteers in the Ukraine/Russia war, the movie First Blood and John Rambo, militarism, why Mike believes the civilian-military divide is fake, the myths and tropes of the soldier and warrior, “American Sniper” Chris Kyle and the use of veterans as a political bludgeon, the shaming of the civilian populace by certain military writers, the “Support the Troops” slogan, military spending vs. spending on veterans, war and economic misery, the presentation of war and readjustment in the national narrative and popular culture, “militainment” and the culture of militarism, veteran wellness, and much, much more!
