Pulling the trigger.

[Scythe13]

Please can I just address the elephant in the room.

To be able to place yourself into a genuine mindset style situation, you do need to have the capability.

You must have a shotgun, or other black powder style device, to be able to have the capability. If you do not have that, then this thread is just a bit of ego-masterbation. However, looking at it from a, could I shoot an arrow side...that's a very different skill set, and the odds of that working out are slim to none. What about stabbing a person? Again, pick up a knife and while holding it, imagine there is an angry mother in front of you and she's gung-ho for your food. You know she's a mother, because she's got one of those weird sling things across her body, and you can hear her baby crying on her back. Now, with that knife in your hand, could you? You tell her to stop time and again, you pull the knife forward to scare her off, she stands there, baby on her back crying, and she says to you "Go on then, kill me." Truthfully, could you?

Unless you have the capability to pull a deadly trigger, this thread is just self gratification. If you change trigger to a hand held weapon, you need to be able to have the mental edge where you are able to, let's say, beat someone to death, but also the physical capability. Same with stabbing, slashing, and the alike.

Once someone hits the floor, it doesn't mean they're dead. Not by a long shot. So could you then complete an execution cut, shot, stamp, or whatever?

Hide all that macho survivalist stuff and imagine it from a real situation. When walking down the street, look at a person, up close, and think about if you could kill them where they stand (obviously don't do it, it's just a mental exercise). Consider the thought that the person may well have children, a husband or wife. That is someone's son or daughter, father or mother, aunt or uncle. Because those are the kinds of thoughts you'll have once you've done it.

You may feel queezy and vomit once you actually do it, in real life. But that is a normal reaction for someone not matured and conditioned for the act. You will probably have nightmares. That is normal.

If you think you can pull the trigger, consider that in WW1 (it may have been WW2), the troops only had an 18% fire rate. Meaning that only 18 men out of every 100 actually shot their guns. So just picking up a gun and having an enemy infront of you shooting, just means that there's an 82% chance you WILL NOT shoot.

In Vietnam many of the soldiers shot ABOVE the heads of the VC by an average of 2-3 meters.

If all these soldiers have not been able to shoot, I think this thread needs greater consideration and study on the subject. Plus a lack of bravado and seeming weak. Truth is, we are human and we frequently will battle with our emotions and pre-conditioned selves.