A 21-year-old American man who was killed in eastern Ukraine in 2024 while fighting under contract for the Russian military has been identified as the radicalized son of two members of the American security apparatus, including a deputy director of the CIA.
What a beautifully written and utterly heartbreaking human tragedy of the ache to belong and a defensive arrogance that rejects reason, analysis and judgement. It is an odyssey of missteps and endless slipping from sense. It reminds me, perhaps strangely, of Emily Dickinson's great line: "Ruin, is formal, Devils work, consecutive and slow. Fail in an instant, no one ever did. Slipping is Crashes Law. It's been decades of slipping for that pour soul. Truly stellar, prize-deserving journalism. Thomas
I already said most of this on your very kind re-stack but thought I'd add it here for other readers:
Thank you. Although I did not make any of the same mistakes that Michael made, I grew up in a somewhat similar environment and traveled in similar circles in my youth. This story gave me a certain feeling of “but for the grace of God go I.”
Very grateful for my family whose guidance helped me avoid anything even remotely like this. It’s sad that Michael never snapped out of his youthful stupor, although at just 21 years old, he didn’t have much of a chance to grow out of it.
What a beautifully written and utterly heartbreaking human tragedy of the ache to belong and a defensive arrogance that rejects reason, analysis and judgement. It is an odyssey of missteps and endless slipping from sense. It reminds me, perhaps strangely, of Emily Dickinson's great line: "Ruin, is formal, Devils work, consecutive and slow. Fail in an instant, no one ever did. Slipping is Crashes Law. It's been decades of slipping for that pour soul. Truly stellar, prize-deserving journalism. Thomas
I already said most of this on your very kind re-stack but thought I'd add it here for other readers:
Thank you. Although I did not make any of the same mistakes that Michael made, I grew up in a somewhat similar environment and traveled in similar circles in my youth. This story gave me a certain feeling of “but for the grace of God go I.”
Very grateful for my family whose guidance helped me avoid anything even remotely like this. It’s sad that Michael never snapped out of his youthful stupor, although at just 21 years old, he didn’t have much of a chance to grow out of it.