The Private and Public Dimensions of War with Susan Griffin

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This 1994 Archive Edition with Susan Griffin continues to remain relevant in today’s world. As the media brings us daily visions of suffering, violence and war from all over the globe, what is the interplay between our private suffering and public tragedy? The answer to this question and others serves as our focus in this deep dialogue.  Few individuals have so profoundly influenced the course of contemporary thought on women, the environment, pornography, and violence, as Susan Griffin, With her unique literary style she has created a montage of images and ideas that forces us to examine familiar ground in wholly new ways. Here she discusses the interconnectedness of personal and planetary consciousness, emphasizing the impact of the Nuclear Age on human cells and the cultural interpretation of history. Her book "A Chorus of Stones" explores the private and public dimensions of war, using cell biology and historical themes to juxtapose life and death. Griffin critiques the dissociation in military actions, the conditioning of soldiers, and the societal structures that perpetuate violence. She highlights the role of women in holding societal emotions and calls for a transformative feminine perspective to address war and its aftermath, advocating for long-term solutions over military strategies. (hosted by Michael Toms)

Bio

Susan Griffin, (1953-2025) was a poet, essayist, ecofeminist, and author of more than twenty-two books. She won many awards for her work as poet, feminine writer, playwright and filmmaker.

Susan Griffin’s books include: 

• A Chorus of Stones (Doubleday, 1992)
• What Her Body Thought: A Journey into the Shadows (HarperSanFrancisco, 1999),
• The Book of the Courtesans: A Catalogue of Their Virtues (Broadway Books, 2001)
• Wrestling with the Angel of Democracy (Trumpeter 2008). 
• Woman and Nature: The Roaring Inside Her (Counterpoint 2016)
• Out of Silence, Sound, Out of Nothing, Something: A Writers Guide (Counterpoint 2023)

 To learn more about the work of Susan Griffin go to www.susangriffin.com

 

Topics explored in this dialogue include:

• What is the interconnectedness between private and public life
• How we carry the world, its history, and its events inside us
• How weapons of war distort, truncate, and shrink human intelligence
• How did the women’s embroidery of the invasion of England in 1066 by William of Normandy show the truth of the brutality of war
• How Heinrich Himmler was one of the chief architects and administrators of the Holocaust in Germany
• How sophisticated weaponry was developed from various German scientists who were captured after WWII
• How the V-2 missiles were being developed in the Mattelbau-Dora concentration camps in Germany
• How Himmler was a loyal follower who allowed Hitler to stay in power
• How does an attraction to uniforms act as a kind of conditioning that encourages young men to sign up for the military
• How young men have to be brainwashed to make them into good soldiers under fire ignoring their natural impulses
• How British Major General Hugh Trenchard, the father of the RAF, carpet-bombed cities that included civilians
• How the history of racism and the history of misogyny are part of nuclear warfare
• How the military budget produces a kind of a quick gain, but over a long term produces a terrible loss, and we're seeing that now in our country.
• How the prejudices in Nazi Germany towards Jews, homosexuals, and sometimes Catholics are still present with us
• What are the long-term effects of war on society, including the production of nuclear weapons and their impact on human health.
• How warfare is like playing a video game and is dissociated from emotions
• How war comes home to the private sector increasing domestic violence and sexual abuse
• How empathy and compassion are needed in creating a more peaceful world

Host: Michael Toms    Interview Date: 2/11/1994   Program Number: 2440