Before wars were fought opponents often used words and acts to frighten and emasculate the opposition.  Now, these were once very good friends who had a falling out.  One supplied the other with modern and technologically wonderful appliances while the other supplied its trading partner with substances it had in very large supply under the ground.  Both were happy for a while and a lucrative and friendly exchange went on with very little trouble. However, as time went on there was a falling out between these trading partners and they found reasons to distrust and then hate each other. As often happens there began a war of words that escalated over time. Words became restrictions on trade and capture of each others citizens.  Neighboring states got into the act by taking sides and the war of words escalated more frighteningly.

In ancient times walls were erected to keep strangers out and citizens in.  Walls grew thicker and higher until weapons were developed to knock them down. The protocols of behavior between contending forces used words to begin and then developed techniques that were quite effective until larger and more powerful weapons were developed to breach walls and overcome the inhabitants of walled cities and countries with protected borders.

Some of the techniques used by invading armies were massed soldiers.  If enough were employed the opposition could be overwhelmed by sheer numbers despite the carnage that enveloped both sides. Some armed forces clashed their shields against their swords.  Others stamped their feet either in unison or raucously while roaring imprecations or slogans.  Displays of force were good.  In modern times aircraft were sent aloft in waves to show the potential to wipe out huge areas by dropping bombs which were formerly called “traditional” or “conventional” weapons of destruction.

Today there is a battle of words and these words use phrases that include “weapons of MASS destruction.” Each side warns the other and our side came up with the warning that if war breaks out “our Weapons of Mass Destruction are bigger than your Weapons of Mass Destruction.”

It seems we have not learned that wars of words are less insane than wars with weapons of either conventional or MASS capability.  Our capability to maim, incinerate and destroy each other gets bigger and more deadly as the war of words escalates and accelerates. Maybe it is the fault of media that massively and obsessively scatters words of war around people who have not learned from history.