Please take a look at Articles on self-defense/conflict/violence for introductions to the references found in the bibliography page.

Please take a look at my bibliography if you do not see a proper reference to a post.

Please take a look at my Notable Quotes

Hey, Attention on Deck!

Hey, NOTHING here is PERSONAL, get over it - Teach Me and I will Learn!


When you begin to feel like you are a tough guy, a warrior, a master of the martial arts or that you have lived a tough life, just take a moment and get some perspective with the following:


I've stopped knives that were coming to disembowel me

I've clawed for my gun while bullets ripped past me

I've dodged as someone tried to put an ax in my skull

I've fought screaming steel and left rubber on the road to avoid death

I've clawed broken glass out of my body after their opening attack failed

I've spit blood and body parts and broke strangle holds before gouging eyes

I've charged into fires, fought through blizzards and run from tornados

I've survived being hunted by gangs, killers and contract killers

The streets were my home, I hunted in the night and was hunted in turn


Please don't brag to me that you're a survivor because someone hit you. And don't tell me how 'tough' you are because of your training. As much as I've been through I know people who have survived much, much worse. - Marc MacYoung

WARNING, CAVEAT AND NOTE

The postings on this blog are my interpretation of readings, studies and experiences therefore errors and omissions are mine and mine alone. The content surrounding the extracts of books, see bibliography on this blog site, are also mine and mine alone therefore errors and omissions are also mine and mine alone and therefore why I highly recommended one read, study, research and fact find the material for clarity. My effort here is self-clarity toward a fuller understanding of the subject matter. See the bibliography for information on the books. Please make note that this article/post is my personal analysis of the subject and the information used was chosen or picked by me. It is not an analysis piece because it lacks complete and comprehensive research, it was not adequately and completely investigated and it is not balanced, i.e., it is my personal view without the views of others including subject experts, etc. Look at this as “Infotainment rather then expert research.” This is an opinion/editorial article/post meant to persuade the reader to think, decide and accept or reject my premise. It is an attempt to cause change or reinforce attitudes, beliefs and values as they apply to martial arts and/or self-defense. It is merely a commentary on the subject in the particular article presented.


Note: I will endevor to provide a bibliography and italicize any direct quotes from the materials I use for this blog. If there are mistakes, errors, and/or omissions, I take full responsibility for them as they are mine and mine alone. If you find any mistakes, errors, and/or omissions please comment and let me know along with the correct information and/or sources.



“What you are reading right now is a blog. It’s written and posted by me, because I want to. I get no financial remuneration for writing it. I don’t have to meet anyone’s criteria in order to post it. Not only I don’t have an employer or publisher, but I’m not even constrained by having to please an audience. If people won’t like it, they won’t read it, but I won’t lose anything by it. Provided I don’t break any laws (libel, incitement to violence, etc.), I can post whatever I want. This means that I can write openly and honestly, however controversial my opinions may be. It also means that I could write total bullshit; there is no quality control. I could be biased. I could be insane. I could be trolling. … not all sources are equivalent, and all sources have their pros and cons. These needs to be taken into account when evaluating information, and all information should be evaluated. - God’s Bastard, Sourcing Sources (this applies to this and other blogs by me as well; if you follow the idea's, advice or information you are on your own, don't come crying to me, it is all on you do do the work to make sure it works for you!)



“You should prepare yourself to dedicate at least five or six years to your training and practice to understand the philosophy and physiokinetics of martial arts and karate so that you can understand the true spirit of everything and dedicate your mind, body and spirit to the discipline of the art.” - cejames (note: you are on your own, make sure you get expert hands-on guidance in all things martial and self-defense)



“All I say is by way of discourse, and nothing by way of advice. I should not speak so boldly if it were my due to be believed.” - Montaigne


I am not a leading authority on any one discipline that I write about and teach, it is my hope and wish that with all the subjects I have studied it provides me an advantage point that I offer in as clear and cohesive writings as possible in introducing the matters in my materials. I hope to serve as one who inspires direction in the practitioner so they can go on to discover greater teachers and professionals that will build on this fundamental foundation. Find the authorities and synthesize a wholehearted and holistic concept, perception and belief that will not drive your practices but rather inspire them to evolve, grow and prosper. My efforts are born of those who are more experienced and knowledgable than I. I hope you find that path! See the bibliography I provide for an initial list of experts, professionals and masters of the subjects.

The Survival Instinct (Maslow’s Needs)

Blog Article/Post Caveat (Read First Please: Click the Link)
  1. Survival: the state or fact of continuing to live or exist, typically in spite of conflict and/or violence (an accident, ordeal, or difficult circumstances).
  2. Security: the state of being free from danger or threat; the state of feeling safe, stable, and free from fear or anxiety; the safety of a state or organization against criminal activity such as terrorism, theft, or espionage; procedures followed or measures taken to ensure the safety of a state or organization.
  3. Belonging: be a member or part of (a particular group, organization, or class); have the right personal or social qualities to be a member of a particular group; (of a person) fit in a specified place or environment; be rightly classified in or assigned to a specified category.
  4. Esteem: respect and admiration, typically for a person; respect and admire; Self-Esteem: a person's overall subjective emotional evaluation of his or her own worth; a judgment of oneself as well as an attitude toward the self; beliefs about oneself, as well as emotional states, such as triumph, despair, pride, and shame; the positive or negative evaluations of the self, as in how we feel about it.
  5. Self-Actualization: the realization or fulfillment of one's talents and potentialities, especially considered as a drive or need present in everyone (A person who embraces the unknown and the ambiguous; who accepts themselves with all their flaws; they enjoy the journey not the destination; inherently unconventional without succumbing to shock techniques; motivated by growth, not a satisfaction of ego; have purpose in life; not troubled by small things; have gratitude and show appreciation; have close tribal relations while identifying with others; humble; resist enculturation; accept their imperfections).
The reason I have presented definitions to the Maslow hierarchal pyramid of needs is to show that ‘Survival’ is the very foundation of that hierarchy, it is the very essence of humanity itself. It is encoded not just in our gene’s but in nature itself and permeates every single atom that makes up our universe. Consider the concept and theory of the ‘Big Bang’. Isn’t that actually a form of violence, a form so huge the human mind has issues with the very concept and why it is referred to as a big ‘BANG.” 

There is a most excellent article about Maslow’s needs and you can read it here before continuing here (Note: this article has nothing to do with my article except as a subject of discussion, etc.)

There, in my mind, is an apparent dependency here and why I feel that survival holds up the pyramid and thus is meant to teach us that survival is the very essence, the cornerstone, of humanity and human existence. It is one of those reasons as to why I have the belief that every facet of human existence is based solely on humanities very survival/existence. It is the very core of why, what and how to  the very existence and meaning behind such disciplines as martial arts (Karate for me in particular). It is why I feel considerably strong about the existence of martial arts is about survival whether as a tool to keep our connection with that fundamental principle through a philosophical study or through the more violence oriented fense (defense/offense) studies. 

Hey, even playing video games has a thread that reaches toward an instinctual feeling in regard to ‘survival’. In truth, I see and feel that the five levels of the Maslow model is how we come to create our selves as to personality and character. I have also come to believe that the upper levels of security, belonging, esteem and self-actualization are all ego based personality and character traits the provide humans the ability to think, analyze and synthesize so that they can navigate the world and universe and survive the worlds and the Universes obstacles that are often dangerous and a threat to our very … wait for it … ‘SURVIVAL’!

You then have to ask yourself at every dangerous encounter, “How will this effect my survival?” Not just those immediate dangers that result in either or grave harm or death but the layers in between that affect your survival, i.e., your job stability as it relates to your income as it relates to your ability to provide as to the ability to have shelter and sustenance as to staving to death as to being exposed to the elements of the world as to your surviving those very elements by not freezing to death; being exposed to the dangers of nature; being exposed to the dangers of others who would need, want and require what you have for their survival and so on. Oh, and I didn’t forget that a pert of all this is also that drive to propagate so that your tribe (family) and you survive. 

If you stop and think of the connections they all find themselves connected to the very center of each individual and groups center - a need to survive. If we take the pyramid and change it a bit we can then see survival as the very center of human existence while the other needs circle and connect to make survival possible except when survival becomes and triggers our very instincts, i.e., the flight-fight urges. 

Bibliography (Click the link)

“In order for any life to matter, we all have to matter.” - Marcus Luttrell, Navy Seal (ret)


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