Stupid is as Stupid Does - Forrest Gump

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Rory Miller’s Four Stupids Rule: "Don’t go to stupid places, at stupid times, to do stupid things, with stupid people." One of the reasons I follow the efforts of folks like Rory Miller is because he is and those others are simply, “Intelligent, Smart and Especially Savvy.” It is just one of those things where you get that feeling due to the content and expression of things that they speak from a position seldom held and found in the self-protection/defense industry. Even with those in the SD communities whose intent is honorable and well intentioned, they just don’t know what they don’t know they don’t know. 

When I read for the first time Mr. Miller’s quote on stupid it immediately reminded me of the quote from the movie Forrest Gump when he says, “Stupid is as stupid does.” Mr. Miller, I believe and I do not speak for him on this, is speaking more toward the social monkey rather than an asocial view. Although, stupid does apply as well to those who end up exposing themselves to the predatory efforts of the asocial criminal element. I say monkey social thing because in my limited experiences and my understanding through both experience and study most of the self-defense practitioners won’t face much more than the monkey dance. 

Now, in all self-protection we have to self-assess our triggers and glitches as people especially as it applies to aggression and violence that means emotional triggers and glitches. I mean that we must look at ourselves and our activities and attitudes to discover those things that will trigger emotional responses that trigger physical/psychological responses and those responses are the one’s that either lead to non-aggressions and non-violent actions, reactions and responses, i.e., developed concepts that are triggered with out the glitches found in emotional intelligence and maturity issues. 

In short, 

• perform a security assessment using the four stupids as your guide, i.e., 
• "Don’t go to stupid places, 
• at stupid times, 
• to do stupid things, 
• with stupid people."
• perform a security assessment of your ego; 
• perform a security assessment of your lifestyle; 
• perform a security assessment of your perceptions especially as they regard aggressions and violences; 
• perform a security assessment of your home, neighborhood, work and any other places you may visit, etc.; 
• perform a security assessment that includes different times of the day, evening and night; 
• perform a security analysis as to attitudes and actions you may or may not take in consideration of the contact with others you will encounter; 
• perform a security analysis of those other folks be they family, friends, coworkers, friends of friends, etc., as to their virtue/ethics, actions and attitudes for they can open the door to issues that result in being stupid. 
• Not an all inclusive list but you already know that don't you? 

See, this is why I follow the advice provided by Mr. Miller and others of like mind, attitudes and expertise, because they have this very terse and critical way of expression that makes sense, is viable and of value due to their huge collective experience in violence and aggression and they are well trained and experienced in the “teaching of such things.” In a collective all of these professional experts say the same things, have the same credentials and the same motivations to pass along what they have so that other pro’s and experts as well as all of us in the self-protection communities don’t have to make the mistakes, errors and omissions that would put us deeper into the danger zone of aggression and violence. 

Remember, just imagine, if you don’t know something; if you don’t know you don’t know it; then how can you train for it; then how can you practice the reality of it; then how can you create the triggers and concepts for it; then how can you apply it when the reality of violence is facing you and looking you in the eyes, with eyes of a predator?

In closing, although I refer to the social monkey aggressions don’t allow that to disuade you from studying how the stupids applies to the rare, for many, instances when a true asocial predator is interviewing you for possible targeting because that would be a huge mistake. Social monkey dancing is the most many will have to deal with unless they truly live by the “Golden Stupid Rules”, and asocial violence may be rare yet all of them are possible so be prepared, be ready and act properly and efficiently and appropriately IF or WHEN it happens. Isn’t that the true objective of studying self-protection and self-defense?  

"life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what your gonna get!" - Forrest quoting Momma

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