Mortal Combat
Mortal combat is an activity that involves lethal weapons and can result in death or injury to one or both parties involved. It often occurs between individuals who are willing to risk their lives for some cause, such as self-defense, territorial defense, revenge, or protection of property.
Moral Conflict
Morals refer to principles that govern how people behave towards each other in social interactions. They may be learned through religious teachings, cultural norms, personal experiences, or other sources. In military settings, moral conflicts arise when soldiers have conflicting ideas about what constitutes acceptable behavior under certain circumstances.
Veterans and Relational Ethics
Relationship ethics refers to the set of rules that govern interpersonal interaction between members of a relationship. These rules may vary depending on the culture, religion, age group, etc., but they usually involve concepts like loyalty, respect, honesty, trustworthiness, kindness, etc.
Sexual Consent
Sexual consent means agreeing to engage in sexual activities with another person willingly and without coercion or deception. This agreement must be given before engaging in any form of intimate contact.
The Connection Between Exposure to Death and Moral Conflicts
The act of witnessing death or near-death situations can impact how someone views life and morality. Soldiers who experience this firsthand may become more cynical about humanity and less concerned with moral obligations.
They might no longer feel bound by traditional codes of conduct if they believe those codes do not apply to them due to the nature of their job.
Impact on Veteran's Approach to Relational Ethics
When veterans return home from combat, they bring with them these new attitudes toward life and morality. They may find it difficult to relate to loved ones who are still living by conventional social standards. As a result, their relationships suffer as they struggle to navigate between two very different worldviews.
Impact on Veteran's Approach to Sexual Consent
Veterans may also carry over their new approach to life into their romantic interactions. They may have difficulty understanding why others value consent so highly when they no longer view it as essential for survival. They may engage in risky behavior or act impulsively during intimacy because they don't see anything wrong with breaking rules that were previously held sacred.
How does exposure to mortality and moral conflict in combat influence the veteran's approach to relational ethics and sexual consent?
Researchers have found that military personnel who experience high levels of combat stress may develop posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which can affect their perception of relationships and intimacy. This can include changes in emotional regulation, trust, and empathy, leading to difficulties with communicating and managing conflict effectively.