Video summary
The video explores the statistical rarity of individuals possessing both high intelligence and a propensity for physical violence, using data to illustrate why mass-producing elite special operators is difficult. The speaker presents a chart showing that while approximately 10% of people with an average IQ admit to being in a physical fight within five years, this percentage drops significantly as IQ rises, falling to just 2.9% for those with an IQ between 120 and 129. This inverse relationship suggests that the specific combination of elite mental capacity and a willingness to engage in bar fights or similar aggressive behaviors is incredibly uncommon, making it impossible to simply recruit large numbers of such individuals for military special operations.
Beyond the statistical constraints, the discussion highlights the cultural and psychological friction between the rigid structure of modern military institutions and the operational realities required in special forces. The speaker describes how standard protocols—such as maintaining flat-top haircuts, wearing clean-shaven faces, saluting, and adhering to strict dress codes—are often viewed by operators as unnecessary pomp that hinders effectiveness rather than enhancing it. These constraints are frequently enforced as punishments for minor infractions, leading many veterans to resent the system upon leaving service, preferring to grow beards and adopt a more relaxed demeanor once they are no longer bound by these rules.
The narrative further delves into the moral complexities faced by special operations personnel, who often operate in a "gray area" where they must navigate ethical dilemmas that would be unacceptable in civilian professions like policing or teaching. The speaker expresses deep frustration with systemic limitations that prevent them from taking decisive action against enemies, citing instances where legal and procedural barriers force them to restrain individuals who pose an immediate threat. This inability to act on righteous anger, especially after witnessing tragic events like the downing of a helicopter, creates a profound sense of resentment toward the very symbols of their service, such as the flag on their arm, which reminds them they cannot do what they believe is necessary to protect their team and country.
Ultimately, the video concludes that while special forces units are built around cohesion and shared experience rather than just individual stats, the modern world's incompatibility with the brutal necessities of war creates significant internal conflict for these soldiers. The speaker emphasizes that although they have never committed morally questionable acts themselves, the rules preventing them from doing so in certain situations feel unjust, particularly when facing enemies who would kill without hesitation. This tension between the need for outcome-focused results and the constraints of law and procedure defines the unique and often painful reality of being a special operator, leaving many to question whether they can ever fully reconcile their professional duties with their personal moral compass.
Read the full video transcript
You've seen this chart before?
>> I have seen that chart. I'll explain it
to you. So, it's the prevalence of
violence
perpetrated by
IQ
standard deviation. So, 70 79, 80 to 89,
all the way up. And basically, it's
uh
asking the following question: Have you
been in a physical fight or deliberately
hit anyone in the past 5 years?
That's the question. And the prevalence
as a percentage
is linear, going down. And when you get
to the middle of the distribution, it's
somewhere between 11.4 and 7.9%. So,
what's that? Let's call it 10%.
Something like that. 10% of people with
a 100 IQ
have hit somebody
or been in a physical fight within the
last 5 years. And it goes down and down.
But if you're talking about wanting
somebody who has got
quite elite mental capacities as well,
5.2% between 110 and 119,
2.9% between 120 and 129. And I saw this
tweet that said the percentage of guys
with 130 plus IQ who both enjoy books
and bar fights is incredibly small. And
that is why you can't mass produce elite
special operators for the military.
>> Yeah, it's direct.
I don't have a 130 IQ for sure, but
I do like reading books and punch people
in face for sure.
>> [laughter]
>> Nothing wrong with that.
Nothing wrong with that.
>> [gasps]
>> They're way more constrained than you
would imagine.
And then sometimes they um
A lot of times you don't want them to
be.
Like to me, my special operations guys
don't have flat top haircuts, they don't
blouse their boots, they don't say sir,
they don't salute. They have all the
ability to do those things, but the
job's filthy. Like why would what I
I don't want a Kindle doing that job.
>> it
>> as sort of unnecessary
pomp and circumstance and
uh
ritual that doesn't contribute to the
outcome?
Like to to jump through those hoops, to
do the
>> Oh, you mean play the song and dance?
>> Yeah, of course. Yeah, yeah, yes, sir.
No, sir. The clean-shaven, the no
tattoos and stuff like that.
>> They only do that as punishment. Anytime
anybody does anything wrong, cut your
hair, shave your face.
That's why we hate it. That's why most
of the guys when they get out they grow
a beard, grow their hair out. They're
like, "I am sick of this. I'm never
doing that again."
>> Okay.
>> They run that for a year and then they
shave it all and whatever. They go back
to normal.
But no, I mean
>> It's the you can't tell me what to wear,
Mom equivalent of being in the special
forces.
>> Have you ever seen a meme that's got a
bunch of green berets sitting around,
hands in pockets? Hands in pockets, the
only reason I went to selection.
I want to be able to put my hands in my
pockets and spit Copenhagen on your
floor and grow a beard and
>> [laughter]
>> No, like I'm I want to be a
one-percenter.
>> Mhm.
>> Yeah.
>> And you're allowed to do special things.
You said uh it's more lawless than
people might realize. What do you mean
by that?
>> Everything's black and white.
Special operations find a way to live in
that gray area. [ __ ] gray area
navigation tours running every 30
minutes.
We will find a way to navigate through
the gray area to get to the end state.
As long as we know what the why is, what
we have to get accomplished, we'll find
a way to get there.
And sometimes it's not pretty, but I
mean I'm I'm pretty honest. I'll break
every rule in the book right now if it
puts the team in a better position. Even
if it puts myself at a disadvantage or
threatens my career, maybe even my life.
If it's good for the group, I'll do it
anyway.
But not lawless in the sense like people
don't like
People aren't murdering people. There's
no rape. Not a lot of drugs anymore.
Like
But not uh
There's not a whole lot of guys who
transition to be police officers.
>> Too constraining?
>> Too constraining.
I don't want to be constrained. I
I don't like it. Cuz everybody asked me
when I got out like, "Why don't you want
to be a cop? You can go to FBI."
Absolutely not.
I love those guys. They're amazing.
Nothing but respect. I can't do that
job. I'm in the gray area too much.
>> Mhm.
>> You understand? But I'm open and honest
about it. I don't hide that a bit.
>> I think this is what I was trying to get
at before when I said, um, the modern
world being incompatible with some of
the ugly parts of war.
>> Mhm.
>> That, um,
if you're focused on outcome, uh, if
you're focused on the ends, the means
can sometimes become
up for debate.
And
the ends are often not scrutinized, but
the means are
by people. Does that make sense?
>> Mhm.
>> Yeah.
>> [gasps]
>> And
>> [sighs]
>> I'm trying to
You can find a way to word this.
I've never seen anything in my military
career that I would even put morally
questionable on any level. Not for a
cop, not for a fireman, not for a school
teacher. Everything has always been
above board, but there are times where
you just want
to hoist a black flag and start slitting
throats. You just do.
>> Mhm.
>> I can't believe we're going to put this
dude in the back of this helicopter and
let him loose. I I I can't believe we're
going to let him do it.
>> Because you know that he's a bad guy.
>> Yeah. Or [clears throat] some of the
things you see, some of the things you
know that you're doing,
you have because it's not an assault on
you, but some of the stuff they do to
children, it's just
it's so disgusting
that if I if I didn't have that flag on
my arm and I was just a tourist, I'd
kill you.
If I get away with it right now, I'd
just kill you, but because I have this
flag on my shoulder, now I can't, and
now I resent the flag because I can't do
to you what I know needs to happen to
you.
>> How does that feel that
uh, systemic constraint when you've got
righteous anger?
>> It's hard, man. It is.
It's hard, especially
when you've lost friends or
you know, extortion 17 happened in
August of uh extortion 17
had a a whole troop get killed. Hilo got
shot down, killed everybody on board, 31
guys.
Having to back those guys up on
deployment in that exact same place,
living in their beds.
If I'm being totally I just wanted to
kill everybody.
And to not be able to do it, it's hard.
Because you have the opportunity and
it's like
he's not doing anything bad now.
Yeah, I guess you got to put you in
handcuffs, throw you on a Hilo, drop you
off here, they'll put you in a detention
center for 10 days, they'll release you.
>> Mhm.
>> I'm like
okay. They wouldn't do that to me.
If they wrapped me up and put me in
handcuffs, they would saw my head off in
15 minutes. Now we all know it.
>> [snorts]
>> It's not fair.
>> Have you been tracking this
uh the fallout after Rob was on Andy's
show talking about the Osama raid?
>> Yeah.
>> What do you make of that?
>> I hate the fact we're even talking about
it if I'm being honest.
Like they did such a good job about not
talking about it.
I mean, Rob was my first team leader.
So
I know Rob.
I owe a lot to Rob cuz Rob drafted me
and brought me in.
I wish nobody would have ever said a
word. When they left to go on the raid,
I didn't know where they were going.
>> Were you on compound or whatever it's
called?
>> I was in his team.
>> Yeah. So you didn't get chosen?
>> No. Mother [ __ ] Too junior. Yeah.
>> Uh how
>> You know, we'll see we rank all the
teams. We'll say there's seven guys.
One to seven. They took twos and above
and took them off from every team. Those
are the guys who went.
>> Oh, interesting.
>> It's the first time they ever did it.
>> So it's closer to being
and how many how many
people in total uh
>> Can't talk about it. No.
>> Okay. Fine.
>> We'll talk about it off screen. Way less
than you think.
>> Cool. Um it's so it's closer to me what
it sounds like. I'm I'm loving the
sports analogy. Uh, it's more like
having a league of teams
>> Mhm.
>> and then you've got the Steph Curry
or the Kevin Durant from each team.
>> Yep.
>> And then you're able to
take the top filtering.
>> Does that not create That surely that
must create a um
>> a lot of animosity, a lot of resentment?
>> Uh, some of that, but
>> Completely Yeah, yeah, because you know
>> Hang on, who the [ __ ] what? So I'm
number [ __ ] six, am I? Um
More so complexity that the verticals of
the teams have got culture
>> Mhm.
>> baked in and as you start to take people
I'm I mean
Perfect example. When players come
together to play for their national team
when they've played for rivalrous
>> Mhm.
>> uh, local teams.
>> Yep.
>> That doesn't always work well. Like and
sometimes
a team which has the maximum
player stats for each individual player
but not the cohesion
doesn't necessarily perform as well as a
vertical team that does have the
cohesion with
uh, somebody that's got less experience
or whatever. Look at me
>> Yep.
>> sat in the stands talking about how the
special forces should be run.
>> I mean that's how it's always been run.
Take a team, take a troop, take a
squadron, whatever it is, and you go out
and do the thing.
They cherry picked from inside of the
same squadron. And none of us knew.
I didn't know.
If we we knew they were spinning up on
something and they would tell us like
it's some [ __ ] training mission.
Like it was my first cycle. I had just
gotten through selection and all of them
were like "Enjoy your first rotation."
He's like, "You ain't missing [ __ ]
Trust me. This is going to be a dog and
pony. We're going to waste our time and
nothing's going to happen. Promise you."
About 5 days before they went to go do
the thing, we all came in, had a big
blowout.
You know, dudes are buying new watches,
buying thousand dollar sunglasses cuz
they didn't think they were going to
come home. We all thought they were
going to go get Gaddafi.
So, when Obama walked out and did the
news announcement, I was in my living
room with my wife, with my shooting
buddy on speakerphone. And as soon as
they said it, screaming. Like the so
proud.
>> knew that that was
>> Oh, yeah. Oh, so happy. Never been more
proud in my [ __ ] life. Oh my god.
And then we came back and
everything started to roll out.
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