A popular psychological strategy encountered in war and conquest is dehumanization—depriving the enemy of a status that warrants respect, and equating them with animals or demons to justify slaughter. It is less often emphasized, however, that in order for a fighter or soldier to kill, they must also “dehumanize” themselves. They cannot allow for weakness or fear, nor can they have doubts, scruples, or a sense of guilt. Above all, they cannot feel compassion.

History and anthropology provide rich material illustrating the mechanisms of abandoning one’s identity during combat, and in particular, the ritual transformation into a predatory animal. Berserkers, the infamous Norse warriors, most often turned into wolves or bears. The rite of metamorphosis led to a trance-like