Armchair warrior


"Armchair warrior" is a pejorative term that alludes to verbally fighting from the comfort of one's living room. It describes activities such as speaking out in support of a war, battle, or fight by someone with little or no military experience.
Typical "armchair warrior" activities include advocating sending troops to settle a conflict, lobbying to keep defense jobs to make outdated military equipment as part of the military-industrial complex, or to make political messages on radio or television talk shows in favor, or using armed forces in a conflict over trying diplomatic channels.
An early example of using the term "armchair warrior" appeared in a Twilight Zone episode originally aired on March 3, 1963 called No Time Like the Past. Rod Serling wrote a speech for the episode that is made by a time traveler directed towards a banker calling for sending young soldiers to fight a war against American Indians in the late 1800s. Serling had received a Purple Heart for injuries incurred while serving as a paratrooper in World War II.
This differs from "slacktivism" in that no action needs to be done by an "armchair warrior" beyond stating a point of view versus an act to give the appearance of making a difference from a "slacktivist". It is more of a variation of "chickenhawk", which was a slang term used during the Vietnam War to describe a superior officer that was not on the frontlines.
Don Henley refers to "armchair warriors" in his song "The End of the Innocence".