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.

Purposeful Compliance

This is another term coined by Richard Hubbard (host) in his Prevail Podcast #4. If you haven’t noticed I tend to like terms and phrases that can and do lead to greater lessons. Sometimes I come up with my own terms or phrases but more often I find them by listening to others such as Rory Miller, Marc MacYoung or Michael Clarke and many others. Over the years these guys have taught me more through such connective verbiage then I have learned in other disciplines but then again this one speaks to me a lot more that those others. 

This particular phrase is about a type of avoidance that is seldom taught in many SD (Self-defense) classes. Oh hell, this one and a whole lot more but that is another posting. Do SD classes actually train and reward students/practitioners to get away safely, to follow the scripts of violence, to give up the urge to karate chop them into submission and take the logical and safe way out, i.e. mugger says “give me your wallet” and you follow the script by keeping the monkey mouth in its cage and simply hand over the wallet then walk away - safe, alive and unhurt. This model is about using purposeful compliance when that is available to them, knowing when to safely leave, give up the item and other forms of compliance.

Marc MacYoung, in his book In the Name of Self-Defense, speaks about how most violence has scripts that both sides follow or should. He speaks/writes that often when violence, in those instances, is given is often because one side or the other fails to follow the script. Usually, it is the victim of said violence/conflict/action. 

This also comes back to the emotional monkey ego pride thing. SD, in my mind, training tends to cater to our natural tendency toward violence so they focus on the cool kung fu ultimate technique SD system over such boring and often counter-ego driven monkey crap that gets us humans into more trouble than necessary. It is so not cool and when you tell yourself that you're listening to the monkey brain. Now, that ain’t cool. 

Caveat: this post may seem like that “one” answer to all things self-defense, about violence or about conflicts but it is only about one very small important aspect that is about one narrow aspect of the world that involves SD and in some cases MA. This post is about introductions and about peaking curiosity so that you, the reader, will actually go out and research the “rest of the story.”

Addendum dtd 22 October 2014 at 09:21 hours: Rory said … Charles-- I don't believe I coined the phrase. That was Richard Hubbard, the host of that podcast. (Thanks for the correction Rory, much appreciated!) Let me add in that upon review Mr. Hubbard said he first heard the term in the "Parker System of Kenpo." 


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1 comment:

Rory said...

Charles-- I don't believe I coined the phrase. That was Richard Hubbard, the host of that podcast.

11:39 PM

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