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.

You Can’t Speed up the Process

Blog Article/Post Caveat (Read First Please: Click the Link)

I have cried wolf so many times trying to convey in my articles that martial arts, karate, is not best practiced and learned by cutting corners and leaving out those things we find boring, uncomfortable and seemingly useless. One spoke in a bike wheel if missing may seem innocuous and unnecessary but over time it will have adverse effects on the wheel, the bike and the rider - you need all the spokes and they must be balanced in the wheel at all points along the outer and inner rims.

If you don’t want to accept that then heed the following facts about people and our genetics, genetics adaptations of people from the effects of our environment is found in the evolution process, i.e., that process that contributes hugely toward human survival. One of the greatest advancements of human existence came from the agriculture era, i.e., apparently that occurred approximately 10,000 years ago. Geneticists find that humans evolve and adapt genetically over a very long period of time, 25,000 years. We are still adjusting and evolving from the effects of the agriculture revolution. 

We have not fully and completely evolved from that beginning and now we also have to deal with other advancements of a very significant nature, i.e., specifically the Industrial revolution and now, today, the Technological revolution or era. According to the article written by Sebastian Junger the following quotes would indicate the effects of people, humans, cutting corners.

Background: “Early humans would most likely have lived in nomadic bands of around fifty people. They would have experienced high levels of accidental injuries and deaths. They would have countered domineering behavior by senior males by forming coalitions within the group. They would have been utterly intolerant of hoarding or selfishness. They would have occasionally endured episodes of hunger, violence, and hardship. They would have practiced extremely close and involved childcare. They would have done almost everything in the company of others and they would have almost never been alone.”

Significant Changes requiring Adaptation by Humans: “Our human experiences have encountered two major changes of which the first was the “Agriculture Era” and then the “Industrial Era.” During these era’s people were able to accumulate more personal property and to make more individualistic choices about their lives. It is this process that inadvertently and unavoidably diminished group efforts toward a common good. As modern times evolved people found themselves able to live more independently with less reliance on the communal group. There is evidence that this mode of human existence is hard on people and is overwhelming. “

Today: “Modern Society - despite its nearly miraculous advances - is affiliated with some of the highest depression and suicide rates and are going up higher as we progress. It seems to me that our evolutional scale vs. that of modern advancements is leaving humanity far behind and the mental and physical repercussions are mounting. We are afflicted more and more with maladies such as higher rates of depression, schizophrenia, poorer health overall, anxieties, resentments, loss of emotional maturity and control and chronic loneliness. It seems like our increased societal wealth is foster the decline of health in people.”

Lets say, for the sake of this discussion/article, all that is true and found through research and studies then we can extrapolate, synthesize, that if humans require a certain time span to learn, understand and evolve that by creating significant changes requiring human adaptation at a faster rate than nature intended with devastating effects detrimental to human survival why can’t we accept the fact that cutting corners, removing the boring and seemingly useless parts of other disciplines and situations is good? 

If this is true, then isn’t it also possible that our taking shortcuts and leaving out parts of the whole would result in certain changes that would degrade the discipline or adaptations with less beneficial results, i.e., slowly erode the system or discipline causing it to change into something less and losing the authentic traditional foundation of that discipline. Change is good and changing the discipline is beneficial as long as you don’t lose its true authenticate foundational essence that makes it wholehearted and complete. 

It seems like I am countering my beliefs that adhering to an original with no changes is now a good thing but in truth I am saying adhering dogmatically to the superficial outer dressing of that tradition is not a complete system but merely the cover to the entire book and the content of that book is what needs updating, changes and further editions to ensure its viability and validation to the times, etc.

Change is good but let that change come over time and with its entire recipe because although the frosting is delicious and triggers all those brain cells of gratifying pleasure it is not the entire cake. Make sure you bake the entire cake, you can always scrape the bowl and feast on the left over frosting when the cake is finished. 


Bibliography (Click the link)

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