What War, Humor, and Storytelling Reveal About Human Nature | Kenny Dupar

What can war, humor, and storytelling teach us about human nature?Today’s guest is Kenny Dupar, a retired military officer, retired construction professional, author, and storyteller based in East Tennessee. He describes himself as “Colonel Kenny” because, as he puts it, he refuses to take himself too seriously.In this conversation, Kenny reflects on his experiences in the military, his time in Iraq, human nature, family, storytelling, and why humor can become a way of maintaining perspective when life gets dark.We explore:How Kenny’s experiences changed the way he sees human natureWhy he believes survival can sometimes take precedence over humanity’s more noble qualitiesWhy family is, in his words, “the linchpin”How humor became a way of coping with difficult experiencesWhy he believes sometimes you have to laugh just to keep from cryingUsing humor alongside stories about combat and traumaWhat his experience in Iraq taught him about war and cultural differencesWhy he believes people don’t always understand cultures outside their ownHow war affects families back home—not just the people deployedWhy returning service members can find that life has moved on without themWhy imagination allows us to explore ideas beyond what we can immediately proveThe role of mythology and storytelling in preserving ideas from the pastWhat stories can reveal about human natureWhy curiosity means making up your own mind rather than automatically trusting other people’s judgmentsHow the COVID-19 pandemic unexpectedly became part of his second novelKenny’s writing moves between war, history, humor, romance, classic cars, and speculative ideas. He describes storytelling as a way to explore the emotional core of human experience while keeping some of life’s darker realities in perspective.🌍 Thought Atlashttps://joinpodmatch.com/thoughtatlas📚 Kenny’s BooksKenny specifically tells listeners to search “Kenny Dupar” on Amazon.He names these books:Scoundrels in Iraq: An Engineer’s AdventuresPinup Dolls and Classic Cars: A COVID Love StoryHe also says his books are available on Audible.🌐 Connect with KennyKenny says listeners can go to his website, which he identifies verbally as being under the name Kenny Dupar.