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.

Social Conditions

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

Modern social conditions and that resulting conditioning of our species is reaching critical mass. Our modern society is being driven toward two conditions that if not restrained or even reversed will spell the doom of said society.
  • One, we are creating a social condition that is becoming too complicated for our species to understand.
  • Two, there are those in our society that are willing to take advantage of these conditions to distort it for fun and profit.
It is a fact that our species is great and our brains capable of many wonderful and extraordinary things but it has its limitations. It is why we have traits like our biases because when our brains, our minds, become confused we default to those biases so that we can simplify, especially stressful, things enough to understand. Mostly that works for us as a species because when it comes down to it all we have to do is two things, i.e., “Survive and Procreate.” 

Now, since my writing in this venue is about survival through martial arts, karate and for self-defense we have a dual issue that makes us resort to our biases to get-r-done and often with results of not so nice repercussions due to the distortions promulgated by the very industry who are more than willing to distort things and manipulate things for profit. 
  • First, we make the requirements of training, practice and application way too complicated in our credential oriented school type testing and certifications that also build on the complexities of validations toward rankings, levels and perceived uses of the very disciplines taught. 
  • Second, we also work hard to provide a perception of simplification by using meme’s that promote a one stop shopping this will always meet your self-defense needs symbolized by another complexity of warrior-like attitudes and efforts that in the end if use indiscriminately as advertised will ‘get you locked up, gravely damaged or even killed’ and that is not good. 
This issue of violence and defense is complicated and the program to avoid or defend is also complex and the training and practices to meet the requirements are complicated so the simplistic answers sold in the industry are not adequate but we can still work diligently - over time and with patience - to achieve a social and personal conditioning that embraces the very complexities that will let us avoid or deescalate or utilize the appropriate accepted defensive requirements to stay within the social laws, requirements and conditions that are self-defense. 

The simplest method is to create a social condition and conditioning that will foster, promote and validate an ability that will naturally handle the very nature of the human condition that is our natural inclination of survival and procreation in spite of human conflicts and possible violences. 

Bibliography (Click the link)



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