John D, mountain guide, was asked to contribute to a report on the death of 5 soldiers during a blizzard on Mt R.

“It was a situation for which they were insufficiently trained?”

“Yes. However, these were all highly trained soldiers.”

“They were trained for other things.”

“Training itself was also to blame.”

“How?”

“They were trained in various techniques for warfare and survival, but they were also trained to take orders unthinkingly. They were trained not to listen to their doubts.”

“Were they given bad instructions?”

“Their officer in charge misread the situation.”

“How?”

“He decided there was time to get off the mountain safely.”

“And they followed the advice unthinkingly.”

“Yes. Despite their physical fitness and the high quality of their clothing, they became rapidly hypothermic. The rest is known.”

“They should have made a snow shelter?”

“They had the skills, and others on the mountain survived the blizzard by doing just that.”

“Could we say that they had had their human capacity for judgment suppressed by their military training?”

“I’m no expert.”

“We wonder whether they had been made into human machines.”

“I don’t see it that way. Their deaths were tragic. I can’t imagine what their families went through. They were people, not machines. But maybe they were people CAUGHT IN A MACHINE.”

“What do you mean?”

“The structure of commands and compliance is like a machine. It is the structure of a machine, built with human muscles and neurons. It has its proper operation, and everything that deviates from it is a problem to be repaired.”