Probability of Violence

One of the chief reasons people started in karate was to learn a means of fighting. Although the word self-defense was bandied about when it came down to it the real reason was learning to fight. 

Now, you could say that if this is so then there are many other methods to learn self-defense like boxing. So, what drew them to the Asian systems of fighting or combatives? The allure of the Asian culture. It was cool looking. It way mysterious. etc.

If, regardless of the discipline trained, self-defense or fighting is true then the question is required, "what is the probability that you will encounter violence?" The answer is very complex but in the end everyone who thinks or assumes they "need" self-defense should perform a self-analysis of their lives and life styles. 

Conflict is an every day part of life. Each encounter with another living being poses a potential for conflict. It can be as simple as a disagreement that leads only to a hearty exchange of conversation posing one sides views vs. the others. It can also be such that verbal exchanges lead to physical actions resulting in damage of many kinds. 

Violence is another subject over conflict even when conflict is actually violent. You can have conflicts without violence but violence is always about some form of conflict even if it is one of you have something that someone else wants who is willing to do you damage at various levels to get. As I say, its complex. 

One form of violence is always avoidable while the other form is mostly avoidable depending on many factors mostly within your control. So many factors and so many variables it is as I said, complex. 

Take a look at your probability of violence and then decide what you need for self-defense. Remember, for the majority of us it means we can avoid conflicts and it means if we are knowledgeable and aware we can avoid violence. It is time to get real about our needs vs. our wants.