War is the Force That Gives Us Meaning:
In his narrative poem, Genesis, Frederick Turner includes the passage:
Those who say war is hell tell only half
the story – the other half is joy.
There’s something to this. The point is, it’s a problem. War is beguiling. Even those of us who have spent years opposing this war, and the next one, are testament to this. We could be writing every day about tax policy or drug laws or health care policy or Lindsay Lohan. We write about war because it’s important, but also because it’s fascinating. Even as we abhor it we are mesmerized.
Is it war or is it just the intensity of the experience that makes it so beguiling/fascinating? It certainly rules out intelligent design of killing other people is the most rewarding experience a designer has in mind for us.