Moral Dilemmas In Black Hawk Down By Mark Bowden

Individuals performing different occupations may seem to be completely different, but in reality, they are all the same, mentally and emotionally. Also, these individuals will face dilemmas in their line of work that will make them question their morals. These inner battles may influence the individual's decisions, which may result in consequences for the individual. In Black Hawk Down by Mark Bowden, the soldiers were required to kill certain individuals that they would typically never hurt. Alternatively, the soldiers trusted individuals that had previously tried to kill them, and they decide not kill these individuals since the soldiers did not want to harm innocent individuals, knowing that this may put them at risk. Similarly, medical …show more content…
Also, paramedics are required to help individuals that are in the most severe conditions first, and not let their emotions control their decision on who to help. Medicine and the military are two very different lines of work, but both face inner battles that may control the decisions that they make. It is evident that, individuals in high stress situations will be required to question their morals when making decision to perform a task. Individuals in Black Hawk Down have to face constant moral dilemmas that influence the decisions they make in order to live. Notably, the soldiers had to decide whether they should open fire on individuals that appear harmless compared to other individuals that are armed and dangerous. This situation can be seen specifically when the soldiers were in Mogadishu and trying to get to the first crash site. The whole city is trying to kill the American soldiers, and the soldiers had decided to shoot at anyone with or without a weapon in order to stay alive. Sheik Ali, a Somali man, mentions how he saw “the Americans were firing down the streets at everyone. [He] saw women and children fall” (Bowden 180). The soldiers are in a state of distress due to …show more content…
The soldiers in Black Hawk Down were required to shoot and kill individuals that they would never even hurt under other circumstances. Also, the soldiers allowed their morals to make decisions for them by putting their trust into individuals that were previously deemed a threat. On the other hand, doctors have to constantly battle between their morals to decide what is right or wrong when helping an individual. Similarly, paramedics must help individuals who need assistance the most and not allow their morals to make the choice on who to help. Even though medical personnel and soldiers are performing completely different tasks, they both show that their jobs can be difficult physically, mentally, and emotionally. Overall, it is evident that in a high stress situation, individuals will face inner battles that can affect the decisions that they make, which may or may not be