Technically right. Tactically stupid.

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Technically, in all martial arts and karate dojo the Sensei is likely to have all the technical parts of the teachings right but a lot of his or her philosophical teachings of the what, when, where and how not derived from hands on experience, and even then it is still a maybe, don’t equate to reality leaving that part just plain stupid. 

Tactically, whether you avoid, deescalate or go hands on depends and it is solely up to you regardless of what your sensei teaches you. Teaching the physiokinetics is often technically right while the mind-set, mind-state and distinctions often taught as self-defense make it all pretty stupid and highly susceptible to legal, moral and social ramifications. 

When you see something going down and you decide you have the skills and step in to combat the situation, did you consider as you approached and observed that although a righteous move that in the end it could be a tactical mistake? If you didn’t consider that part then tactically you may be making a very stupid mistake. 

I used this as an example to the person who posed the question or rather made the statement, “Technically right, tactically stupid.” "The guy who feels he has the right to go into a biker bar and do what he pleases but the bikers have a different perspective on that kind of action." He does have the right yet to do so would be just plain stupid?

I tend to think about such things now days because in truth what is in your mind when you act makes a huge difference. If you think the technical parts alone are enough then you haven’t considered how the psychological will manifest in your actions and later in the effort to articulate to the authorities, i.e., the LEO, the Prosecutor, the LEO’s leadership and to society in general all the way from elected officials to the poor souls sitting in a box on uncomfortable seats being subjected to stuff they dislike and missing out on other events and goings on they would rather be at then where they are currently. It matters. 

I kind of wonder sometimes if there is a way to successfully teach how to avoid stupidity. I guess it is a combination of various teachings that when brought together in a holistic manner provide enough to help one avoid stupidity, at least mostly. I know that in all the years I spent in the dojo learning martial arts and karate for self-defense not one person ever mentioned stupidity or stupid stuff and I can say now, after forty odd years, that there was a lot of stupidity in what I was taught. 

My goal is to be both technically right and tactically smart. I now advocate learning and teaching those more mindful things leading to avoidance at the top of my list with deescalation and running the other way rather than the macho egoistic advocated mind-set of beat the shit out of the asshole who dared to make you late for your appointment or other endeavor. You just gotta get the mind right and that must be first before you ingrain stupid shit and make tactical mistakes. 

Then there is the other question, “Is it functionally right?” 

Hat tip (Ritsu-rei) to <Mr. Marc MacYoung at MacYoung’s Musings Blog> and No Nonsense Self-Defense Site> as the inspiration for this post.

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