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.

Be Careful of Perception Bias

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

Inspired by Rory Miller Post!

According to the Oxford Reference it is a generic term to describe a range of techniques that people use to make sense of the world. They use 'short cuts' that allow themselves to more quickly gain an understanding of a person, event, or situation. Because they are 'short cuts'  they also only provide 'partial and possibly inaccurate' impressions or perceptions, so consequently the perception one gains from these 'short cuts' is biased AND the nature of the bias 'DEPENDS'  on things like past experiences, education and influences of society to include family, friends and all those that make up one's tribe - if you will. The 'short cut' then has a particular effect on the persons perception and standing off to the side in a somewhat objective study will seem or actually be different from one person to another. 

Take a look at, "contrast effect; halo effect; primacy effect; projection; recency bias; selective perception; and stereotyping."
  • Contrast Effect: People have a tendency to judge a person not in isolation but in comparison to others. In some instances, this highlights the contrast between people and our judgements are formed not by the qualities that each person possesses but by their differences from each other. 
  • Halo Effect: This refers to a common bias, in the impression people form of others, by which attributes are often generalized. A powerful social phenomenon, that reputation or belief affects judgement. 
  • Primacy Effect: This refers to the process by which early information colors our perception of subsequent information. The common sense notion that first impressions are the most compelling is not always correct. First impressions may count most because subsequent information is more difficult to absorb—although recent information may be remembered most clearly.
  • Projection: A defense mechanism in which intolerable feelings, impulses, or thoughts are falsely attributed to other people.
  • Recency Bias: A common distorting effect within systems of performance appraisal . It refers to the appraiser assessing performance, not on work undertaken across the full performance management cycle (experiences) , but only on recent events or activities that can be readily recalled.
  • Selective Perception: The process of perceiving certain stimuli and ignoring or forgetting other stimuli on the basis of our disposition. This is a perceptual distortion that arises out of our preference to notice stimuli that confirm our beliefs and ignore stimuli that challenge it or cause us discomfort. It often occurs unconsciously and may be affected by sensory overload and the need to focus on stimuli that meet our needs.
  • Stereotyping: A preconceived and oversimplified idea of the characteristics which typify a person, race, or community which may lead to treating them in a particular way.
For me, in this context of self-protection for self-defense all or a combination of any or all of the above contribute to how we may perceive something, especially as toward “Threats.” Take our deep interest in media such as “gaming and movies and television and fake news” that is created in ways that meet or exceed the above and the compliance/influence principles that trigger such unconscious monkey-mind oriented beliefs that we make our reality. 

The easiest way to example this is to use our ancient lizard-brain survival traits of, “freeze, flight, or fight” responses, i.e., walking in the woods, turning a corner and seeing what your mind tells you is a possible threat, a snake. Your eyes widen, your adrenaline pumps causing breathing changes and a higher heart rate, etc., and your sudden jumping back and away from perceived threat. Then your logical human mind  focuses on the object to find that it is only a strange shaped stick so you breathe a sigh of relief.

In our modern reality of life such threats still trigger that response system of the lizard brain but the above list of ‘short cuts’ under the heading of perception biases and the list provided tend to lead us to different and sometimes more dangerous reactions and responses in self-protection for self-defense. Say, for instance you drilled and trained and came to believe wholeheartedly that someone who acts in a certain manner triggers your reaction and response to ‘take them down now and worry about the repercussions later’ so you perform the set of techniques or methods that stops them and then teaches them a lesson to never, ever, every threaten to hurt you again when the first responders find that the actions of the person headed to the ER were innocent and now you are on your way to the jail and legal system. What of the above might have caused you to perceive that person as a threat instead of an innocent person simply looking to you for some information or help.

Note: this also speaks to how what we do and how we do it and when we stop things and how we understand danger, threats and criminal activities from those who would teach us toward appropriate, effective and efficient self-protection within the requirements for self-defense. This is also what makes things difficult and causes some professionals to answer questions regarding self-defense with, “It depends.” 

Now, review the first paragraph and then the list under the checks and consider how others, like the legal system, can use those same traits to prosecute us especially if you train for self-protection for self-defense using the modern “warrior mode” types of methods, techniques and attitudes; how you can find even those methods, techniques and attitudes of the competitive sport models of martial arts for your self-protection for self-defense without modification to fit the self-defense defense required if you use that skill-set to protect and defend yourself. Like the guy who teaches that once you have a person down and have a neck hold to break his neck because he attacked you drill???? Go to jail, do not pass GO and do not collect anything but bills and jail time, etc.


CAUTION: I may be making this comment under the influence of all the above so take it with a grain of salt and do what I try to do; study it, analyze it and prove that it is viable and doable especially under the self-defense defense laws and what ever you may or might encounter in the legal system - both institutional and especially social (social justice). 

For reference and sources and professionals go here: Bibliography (Click the link)

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