Steven Pressfield's "The Warrior Ethos": One Marine Officer's Critique and Counterpoint

While serving a tour in Afghanistan in 2013, I came across Steven Pressfield's 2011 monograph The Warrior Ethos, at the top of a list of books that the Commandant of the Marine Corps had made mandatory reading for all Marines. Having enjoyed several of Pressfield’s historical novels before, I was looking forward to this latest volume, but was shocked by what I discovered; a rambling mixture of Laconophiliac hero worship, Eastern mysticism, and pop psychology. As a leader and an officer, I was so concerned by the disturbingly misogynistic and backwards-looking nature of this book that I found myself obliged to write a critique to explain the book’s glaring deficiencies, but soon realized that such a critique would only be half of what was needed; just as important would be a counterpoint to illustrate the nature of a Warrior Ethos more suited for the Information Age than the Bronze Age. Pressfield wrote his book in an attempt that was as well-intentioned as its outcome was mistaken; to define and promulgate a “Warrior Ethos” meant to help guide young (presumably American) fighting men and women along the path to success. Unfortunately, his principles, if followed to the letter, would more likely result in personal and professional failure. This book has been written to accomplish Pressfield’s intended purpose; but I propose a much different moral compass than the honor-bound, shame-based relic of dead cultures that my counterpart has offered up, and this book represents my effort to suggest a useful way forward in considering what sort of ethos modern warriors of all ages, ranks, and nationalities may find beneficial in the years to come.