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.

A Matter of misdirection/Deflection

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

Ever notice when presenting a set of facts, or theories or ideas with associated reference to show how you got there those who disagree, especially from emotional positions, avoid the subject and content and go for emotional responses that have nothing to do with either the subject or content solely  as misdirection/Deflection so their beliefs take center stage?

Notice how, if you fail to see it coming it leads to something else to further their agenda?

When you finally get off the monkey 🐒 train 🚂 and begin to contemplate the events you realize you fell prey to misdirection/Deflection and not once did they address the true nature of the subject and content until they got what they wanted to begin with, there own generated evidence to justify their agenda and a way to solidify their beliefs so they remain safe and secure.

Humans do that especially when it seems to refute there beliefs or seems to reflect negatively on them, their beliefs and especially their tribe, clan or group or status, in say the karate community, in which they are members while you as the article author are an, "Other."

Did you see how they generated emotionally charged counter arguments that cannot be fact checked or argued logically that due to their state always leave any counters as mere fuel for more unfounded emotionally irrelevant rhetoric?

It is like a loved one who says, "If you respected me you would not leave the toilet seat up!" You respond by saying you put the seat down all the time but that is not the true subject but misdirection/Deflection fueling more of the same with the lid changing to taking out the garbage and so on. The true subject being, "Do you love her?"

Using misdirection/Deflection is a way to foster aggressive responses to move away from the true issue to one the other can argue and win.

To say you have ten years of experience for a discipline that takes up only a small part of your life is first fooling yourself, and then it is fooling others to present it as truthful and factual is not right.

I write an article on karate so a disgruntled reader reacts emotionally and says, “If you know karate, if you met the master, you wouldn’t write crap.” Since the last statement takes a dominant position in the mind you, especially when it triggers your emotional monkey brain and the adrenal rush hits, you will address it first by saying something like, “I don’t write crap, it is fact based … yadda yadda yadda.” If you don’t or are unable to catch yourself and back it down this can go on forever. Their focus, deflection, toward their agenda, i.e., you don’t know karate and you don’t know the master, is a total misdirection as that has nothing to do with the subject of your article and assigning personal emotional traits to it, i.e., you are disrespecting … yadda yadda yadda, the truth and true exchange will never materialize.

Now, in their defense I would, hopefully after backing it down a notch, reflect on what they said/stated and find the true problem on their end then correct that especially if I made a mistake as long as I am able to keep my articles core intent then I would rewrite it along with regrets or apologies as necessary to reconnect and work the communications process again.  

Literally, the time and effort to do this has another effect, it allows the other side of the discussion to also cool down, back it down a notch and then approach the next phase with appropriate caution and open eyes then there is a chance communication lines can be reestablished. Both of these are rare especially after the cat got loose and the monkey began his or her dance under the light of the moonbat. 

I speak from experience because I too have fallen prey to such things. It seems humans avoid this type of recognition so when it does become apparent it is a bit disconcerting to say the least.

I would add, as additional reference, taking a look at the bibliography for the books, “The Gentle Art of Verbal Self-Defense” series for all the attack methods used can be found within the good Doctor’s pages. 

Oh, heck, here they are:

Elgin, Suzette. "The Gentle Art of Verbal Self-Defense" Barnes & Noble. 1993.
Elgin, Suzette. "The Gentle Art of Written Self-Defense" MJF Books. 1997.

Example:

Satir Modes

These 5 communication modes were first described by Virginia Satir in her book People-making.

Blamer: This mode comes out of a need to feel powerful. Blamers act like they are in charge, and whatever's wrong must be somebody else's fault. Blamer-mode communication often sounds angry.
"Why are you ALWAYS DOING things like THAT?" or "Only an IDIOT would leave the door open on a hot day like today."

Placater: This comes out of a wish to avoid conflict, and a fear that everyone will abandon the speaker. Placaters insist that things are all their own fault, and that they'll go along with whatever the other person says. Placater-mode sounds frightened and desperate.
"Oh, you know I don't mind. WhatEVER you decide is okay with me" or "WHY do these things always happen to ME?”

Computer: This comes out of a fear of showing one's real feelings. Computers try to avoid saying "I", and sound very formal.
"That is a perfectly normal reaction to this crisis" or "One must remember always to close containers after they have been opened."

Distracter: This is a confused blend of other modes. Distracters are panicked, and jump between modes.
"Don't you talk to ME like that, young lady! I'm sure any rational person would be calm right now. Please, just settle down; I'll be quiet if you will, okay?"

Leveler: This is just what it sounds like—someone who's telling the straight truth about their thoughts and feelings. However, there are phony levelers, who've learned to act like they're being truthful and telling just their plain feelings; these are the hardest to spot, and the most dangerous. (Tony's statement in the sample story is an example of phony leveling.)
"I hate it when you tap your pencil like that" or "I'd rather skip the movie and catch up with you later."

Oh, and these references were found from a book written by Rory Miller and his stuff is most excellent as well for study (this article has nothing to do with Rory’s work except as the source of the above references).

Bibliography (Click the link)



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