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.

Reap What You Sow

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

Yes, you have the right, you can do what you want and you also have to accept the fact that what you do always, ALWAYS, has consequences. You have the right and you are therefore required to reap what you sow. Repercussions are a fact of life and physics and nature because as explained so eloquently through the Asian symbolic representations with yin-yang, there is always some opposite reaction to what ever action you may take.

Yes, you have the right to apply tattoo’s to your body, you have the right to choose what kind of tattoo’s you apply and you have the right to display them in a fashion appropriate to the requirements of society. When you take actions that become public you also have the right to experience repercussions regarding how that public see’s, hear’s, feel’s and perceives you and what you do. You don’t get a  free pass just because you feel you have the right, that you are entitled. You don’t get a ‘get out of jail free’ card just because of your beliefs, the belief you have the right and that you are entitled because once you exit the front gate of your home and property and become a part of society you have both rights and repercussions to those rights, you have to be ready to accept the consequences of your actions and deeds because others out there may perceive and feel different. 

This is why groups gather and survive, they understand that there are rules in the group and one really important one is that every member of the group must abide by the groups rules to survive or expect repercussions that include being expelled or punished by that group. Society is no different from the group, social dynamics are the same as group dynamics. Society is about social cohesive connectivity, it is about groups within society, it is about the individuals of the group. It is about the individual having personal beliefs tempered with the beliefs of the group that are tempered with the needs and requirements and beliefs of the social order otherwise there is chaos, conflict and violence. 

I have a right, a right to not be gravely injured or killed. I do not require or depend on others to ensure those rights are protected. I have the right to protect myself from grave bodily harm or death. My rights are tempered by the rules of my family, my neighborhood, the groups that I am a member and the society in which I chose to live. The laws, rules and requirements trickle down where no rule subservient to the level to which I live is allowed to circumvent that rule, law or requirement.

It works like this, if society says thou shalt not kill or maim or gravely injure then those groups and individuals of that society do not have the right to break the rules, laws or requirements and when they do those who break them must suffer the consequences of their actions. The groups within that society can have stricter rules, laws and requirements but none of them can diminish or ignore the social rules, laws and requirements. If they do chaos ensues and actions of society will be taken. 

When I hear a cry from someone who feels they are above the laws, the rules and the social and group requirements to satisfy their own egoistic feelings and emotions that go directly against the society, the group, the family and the individual I have no sympathy. It is not about them, it is not personal and it is about survival. When an individual feels they have the right to break the rules, laws and requirements at any level such as using some weapon while disobeying the social order then I expect the social order to act accordingly and punish that individual in the means appropriate to the situation and infraction be it expelling them from society/group; implementing an appropriate lesson to reinforce those rules, laws and requirements and so on. 

Survival of the individual is not possible alone, no person is an island and every person, by nature and social requirements and needs, must be a part of that social group to survive. We must connect and act in a manner that promotes the survival of the social group, i.e., society and its members being individual and group oriented. 

The animal kingdom, supposedly inferior to the human species, all collect into groups for survival such as a ‘pride of Lions’ or a ‘herd of elephants’ and when they don’t they do not survive. 

When chaos ensues and the social connectivity, rules, laws and requirements fail or are ignored for the individual then that social order, group/groups, will die and become extinct. History is full of stories of great societies that are no more and it is obvious that those societies long gone into oblivion first lost their social cohesive connectedness, lost their ability to live and survive under these rules, laws and requirements and drove themselves into oblivion through the chaos of conflict and violence. All societies, all groups, all families and all individuals dies when they fail to relate, understand, believe, connect and live by the social/group survival rules, requirements and laws. 

This is true, it is a fact of life and nature does not use emotions and ego when making that decision for nature knows, nature survives and when all is said and done nature will live long past the time of humans unless ….

Ok, self-defense, got to put in a few words since this is a martial arts/karate self-fense blog so regarding self-fense, if you leave that front gate and wonder out into the world and society all you have to do it remain polite and follow the social rules, requirements and laws. You do have to remember that there are more stringent rules and requirements dependent on the environment in which you travel. Modern society has a much closer mixed multi-cultural belief systems that intermingle a lot more today than in history. It has its good and bad because dependent on how much you travel beyond your comfort zone in society the more you learn and the more exposed you are to conflict and possible violence when you don’t have sufficient knowledge and understanding of those cultural social rules and requirements. Makes self-fense a real challenge don’t you think? 

In a nutshell, an person has to have their beliefs, etc., and hopefully each person knows and understands that their cultural belief systems on a personal level must be such that it allows for flexibility when leaving the front gate to your home and environment, your personal home and environment. Like one professional used and stated, you cannot expect to stay in your personal shell and expect others to compensate but you should understand and expect to adjust your rights and beliefs so that you can function and survive in society. 

It comes down to balance and flexibility, i.e., the flexibility to allow for others and societies differences, rules, requirements and laws while maintaining the integrity of yourself thus by achieving a balance of self to the social dynamic so everyone remains steady, balanced and connected if for no other reason that the social group survival dynamic. 

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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