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.

Why I Read A LOT!

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

Study is that something that builds knowledge while utilizing that knowledge in applicable ways builds understanding of said knowledge. The two lead to a sort of enlightened application of things appropriate, if you do it right, for environmental situations both normal and abnormal to living and surviving. 

Here is an add-on to the statement or question of why I read a lot, I don’t just read things once but several times. I will use Marc MacYoung’s book, “In the Name of Self-Defense (I also highly recommend visiting his NNSD web site “frequently”),” in that I have read it at least four times to date and have the kindle edition ready to start the fifth. 

When I was reading his NNSD site today on some of his newest additions of a psychological nature I realized once again that I had read it once before but reading it again not only brought out stuff I missed but made me realize that even tho it was a repeat it was also new. New in the fact that each time Mr. MacYoung presents, in written form, both new and old stuff the mere fact he wrote it again in a different way opened more doorways to knowledge accumulation toward a better understanding. 

I have a great deal of experience in this form of study because there is no facet of my life, my education, my knowledge base and my experiences that have not benefited from the art of reading, a LOT! 

My wife often chides me with, “Why are you saving all this stuff?” To which I respond, “Because I am not done studying it yet!” She then makes the obvious perception that with all the stickies and hi-lights in the book it is apparent I have read them thoroughly but as you can see here my response was that I haven’t absorbed it to a full understanding YET. 

I may never achieve a full understanding ergo why I read A LOT. I, as a semi-retired practitioner of martial arts and karate (semi in that I still practice but don’t teach or attend a formal dojo), who writes on the subject especially as it may apply to self-defense I find that even when I feel good about my understanding that many of the sources and references I come back to time and again simply present something new, something different and different ways of saying the same things as well trigger my firm understanding that there is much, much more to learn and understand. 

I remember once in a flame war on a subject where cognizant dissonance as with many other bias led to a statement that, “I was busy actually training on the dojo floor so I couldn’t respond to your wrongness.” I didn’t respond because at that stage no matter how I put things and no matter the right or wrong of it all that person was in a state of mind that said he or she would not accept or believe in anything other than his position on that or any other subject.

Here is the crux of it, yes it was wonderful that people step on the dojo floor and train BUTTTTT, what is the content and intent of that training, practice and possible applications? Many of the professionals whose stuff I read a lot and study a lot have said time and again that much of what is taught in the self-defense industry is inadequate to the reality of self-defense. Just go visit NNSD and read that ton of information and then realize that it barely scratches the surface, his beliefs not just mine and mine come from the acceptance of his beliefs. 

Then I have to address, as I have before, the content of that dojo floor training as it comes form sensei and sensei’s sensei. If the entire line of sensei to sensei has the content and intent missing parts of the reality of self-defense, for instance, then the entire line of descendency is faulty to the danger point. 

The entire community and business of self-defense be it martial or karate by nature must achieve an open minded perspective in order to change and adjust according to the present moment situation and that starts on the dojo floor, for martial arts and karate self-defense. A good starting point if you have not already started is his article in NNSD, “Psychology of Self-Defense.” I stress this because since it is on the subject of psychology and we can all agree wholeheartedly that martial arts, karate and self-defense all rely heavily on the mind, the mind training is where one should begin. Oh, we call this mind-set and mind-state!

Bibliography (Click the link)
http://www.nononsenseselfdefense.com/psychology.html


No comments: