THE BODY OF THE SACRIFICED SOLDIER GIVES RISE TO THE REALITY OF THE NATION
(to bear the pain of telling the truth)

In war, the body and blood of the sacrificed soldier gives rise to the reality of nations. Killing and dying substantiate the idea that nations exist. The sound and fury of battle convince us that something profound and real is occurring. Battle—producing bodies of dead and wounded soldiers—anchors belief in material reality, persuading us that nations are more than social constructions. It is unbearable to contemplate the reality the human beings kill and die in the name of no thing.