Men Will Be Boys/Boys Will Be Men

 

 Old folk adages reflect timeless thoughtful

observations of experience that point to

certain undeniable truths. Nature decrees

that boys will in the fullness of time become

men. Folk wisdom turns that around in its

declaration that men will be boys and both

are true. Examples abound but in particular

there is the time-weary repetition of the

fascination that war and weaponry have

for boys. Who inevitably become men and

among them men of great power governing

nations for whom preparedness for war is

a fundamental of national security. Male

curiosity about mechanized military technology

leads to invention, production and stockpiling

of lethal weaponry that lie, promising but

unused, treasures in the minds-eye of the boy

in adulthood. Any manufactured provocation

will fit the bill to declare a war and the race

is on to determine who among the contestants

has acquired the most usefully lethal weapons

in the hands of regimented and trained men in

service to their countries. Of necessity the

procurement and use of long-range weaponry 

capable of destroying structures and people

alike buoy the economy as weapons producers

churn out progressively newer models as the

men who are boys play their deadly war games.