Necropolitics and the Language of Death: How Military Talk Turns Recruits Into Killers
From The Observatory
At the Marine Corps training base at Parris Island, new recruits quickly learn that language is one of the most powerful tools the military uses to change them. From the moment they step off the bus, drill instructors shout commands and strip away words like “I” or “me.” Recruits are no longer individuals; they are trained to think of themselves only as part of a unit.
This change is not just about discipline—it is also about preparing young people to kill and to accept their own “killability” in war. Military culture is filled with what veterans call “kill talk,” a way of speaking that makes violence easier to carry out. Recruits chant the word “kill” during training, sometimes even using it as a casual greeting or response. On the battlefield, soldiers are encouraged to use euphemisms like “neutralizing a target” or “engaging the enemy” instead of words that highlight the human cost of war.
Psychologists and philosophers explain that this language works by creating emotional distance. Killing another human being is extremely difficult for most people, but words can help dull empathy and normalize violence. The philosopher Achille Mbembe describes this as “necropolitics”—the power of governments to decide who lives and who dies. By changing how recruits speak and think, the military helps them accept this role.
Profanity, slurs, and insults are also common, further toughening recruits and dulling sensitivity. But for some veterans, the words used in training and combat cause lasting harm. Looking back, they regret not only what they did, but how they were taught to talk about it.
In the end, language does more than direct orders—it reshapes identity, morality, and emotion. In war, words can be as powerful as weapons in transforming ordinary people into soldiers.
Read the full article “Necropolitics and the Language of Death: How Military Talk Turns Recruits Into Killers” by Janet McIntosh
🔭 This summary was human-edited with AI-assist.
