A good friend of mine will not go on an airplane. All it takes is one Nightly News showing of an airline wreck, and she's decided that it's an unnessesary risk. She will, however, drive to and from work every day in rush-hour traffic.
Logic, true risk, perception, and behavior aren't always in synch with the human animal. It is true that if you are in an airplane heading for the earth, you can kiss your life goodbye. However statistics show this to be an incredibly low probability event. I never think twice about going on an airplane. However because of what I know to be true from public health statistics, I will wear a seat belt, put my child in the rear seat, avoid driving with alcohol, and drive at alternate times whenever possible.
Some interesting discussions have been going on this past year about the effectiveness of various techniques and training modes.
* Some think you aren't doing real fighting if you never spar. Others abhor the popular tournaments because of what they DON'T do (grabbing, throwing, leg kicks, etc) and the bad habits that these venues breed.
* Some interesting discussions have gone on about Tae Bo. Yes, Billy Blanks has made a killing (figuatively speaking only). Yes, the rooms are full of women doing aerobics with movements that look something like fighting. Yes, some people think they are doing real fighting. Yes, we purists are indignant.
* When talking about prearranged kumite, you can't help but hear from a crowd of people who think yakusoku kumite is B.S. Others argue about the complexity of what we do, and warn us that the Incredible Hulk is gonna make us piss our britches. I don't know about you folks, but I've never deluded myself into thinking I have an answer to every physical challenge and any opponent. What about "other" venues of martial arts? I have a friend who is a western-medicine kyusho proponent. He has worked in mental institutions, and needed to keep patients physically restrained every day. The staff didn't take kindly to techniques-o-doom. Bruce Siddle of PPCT speaks to this issue a lot when training prison guards, etc. Sometimes you need subtle, safe methods of control. And...no two situations are alike.
* My first martial arts instructor was (and still is) one mean S.O.B. I've never feared any opponent like I feared him when I was a young guppy. He taught me how to face death, accept it, and make my opponent regret being the executioner. That's an incredibly empowering mindset. But I've had dozens of subtle applications of my martial arts that never came close to a death struggle.
* We hear lots of stories of debriefings of people who got their asses kicked. I want the debriefings of the ass kickers! In any fight, there's usually going to be at least one loser; the goal is to be on the right side of that equation.
* Sometimes when I hear stories of conflicts, it makes me think that there are a lot of people out there who aren't very smart. Some conflicts can't be avoided, but most can be managed long before they get even to the shouting stage.
* Why do I worry about the Attacker from Hell? This is Richmond, VA. We have been (on and off) the murder capital of the U.S. Most of the drug lords don't fool around in this town; a bullet to the head is standard procedure. And Virginia has concealed weapons permits. Best to avoid certain sections of town, keep your temper about you, and keep your middle finger in your pocket. And it's best not to carry a knife to a gun fight....
Thought? Comments? More of the same? I yield the soapbox.
- Bill
[This message has been edited by Bill Glasheen (edited 09-13-99).]
Obsession of purpose
Moderator: Available
-
Bill Glasheen
- Posts: 17299
- Joined: Thu Mar 11, 1999 6:01 am
- Location: Richmond, VA --- Louisville, KY
Obsession of purpose
Glashen Sensei-
Good thoughts.Has anyone the answers to every situaton?Not here on earth, we don't.:-)
As for the extremes: I would agree with you that techniques o' doom is not the answer to every situation.But 'tis good to know them.
Also I would agree that the mindset o' death is not required very often, but my first karate sensei was like yours, and he gave us this mindset to use for when things got rough.
Does one have to fight?Maybe not most times in civilized urban or rural areas, unless you are in Law Enforement or related fields.
If one does, however, it is good to know of what one is capable.
My own POV here is to adapt my teaching to the needs of the students, and tell them the truth about their training.
Women's self-defense is one thing, Prison guards another,someone trying to get in shape is Tae Bo
, and someone wanting to learn karate depends on why they want to learn.
Regards,
John Versteeg
Good thoughts.Has anyone the answers to every situaton?Not here on earth, we don't.:-)
As for the extremes: I would agree with you that techniques o' doom is not the answer to every situation.But 'tis good to know them.
Also I would agree that the mindset o' death is not required very often, but my first karate sensei was like yours, and he gave us this mindset to use for when things got rough.
Does one have to fight?Maybe not most times in civilized urban or rural areas, unless you are in Law Enforement or related fields.
If one does, however, it is good to know of what one is capable.
My own POV here is to adapt my teaching to the needs of the students, and tell them the truth about their training.
Women's self-defense is one thing, Prison guards another,someone trying to get in shape is Tae Bo
, and someone wanting to learn karate depends on why they want to learn. Regards,
John Versteeg
Obsession of purpose
I think one's "purpose" for training changes over time and with experiences in the dojo and out there in the real world.
Strive to meet the "purpose", and change or modify the focus of training with the perceived changes in focus.
I believe there are few things that are truly linear in life. There are ebbs and flows, a mish mash of different currents. Tuning into them, and being honest with oneself, one is able to train in way that comes closer to meeting one's purpose(s).
david
Strive to meet the "purpose", and change or modify the focus of training with the perceived changes in focus.
I believe there are few things that are truly linear in life. There are ebbs and flows, a mish mash of different currents. Tuning into them, and being honest with oneself, one is able to train in way that comes closer to meeting one's purpose(s).
david
-
Shelly King
Obsession of purpose
Hi Bill
"Kiss your life good-bye"
That's a disappointing statement. I wouldn't have figured you to give up so easily.
Purpose huh? When I drive, I wear my seatbelt, my car has airbags. When I fly, I count the number of seats to the exit in front of me and behind me, I keep my seatbelt on. I know if I wreck my car, the airbag and seatbelt won't save my life if they aren't being used correctly, but if I do it right I increase my odds of survival. If the plane crashes, I might not survive, but if I can find an exit without being able to see it, then again, I have increased my odds of survival. I study Uechi, haven't been doing it long, it might not save my life, but again I am attempting to increase my odds for survival. And not just from some would be attacker, but also from a health and fitness angle. But if you had to boil everybody's reason for studing down to one answer, it would have to be because we enjoy it. Everybody starts for their own private reasons, but I don't think anyone would stay for long if they didn't enjoy just doing it.
------------------
Shelly
"Kiss your life good-bye"
That's a disappointing statement. I wouldn't have figured you to give up so easily.
Purpose huh? When I drive, I wear my seatbelt, my car has airbags. When I fly, I count the number of seats to the exit in front of me and behind me, I keep my seatbelt on. I know if I wreck my car, the airbag and seatbelt won't save my life if they aren't being used correctly, but if I do it right I increase my odds of survival. If the plane crashes, I might not survive, but if I can find an exit without being able to see it, then again, I have increased my odds of survival. I study Uechi, haven't been doing it long, it might not save my life, but again I am attempting to increase my odds for survival. And not just from some would be attacker, but also from a health and fitness angle. But if you had to boil everybody's reason for studing down to one answer, it would have to be because we enjoy it. Everybody starts for their own private reasons, but I don't think anyone would stay for long if they didn't enjoy just doing it.
------------------
Shelly
-
Bill Glasheen
- Posts: 17299
- Joined: Thu Mar 11, 1999 6:01 am
- Location: Richmond, VA --- Louisville, KY
Obsession of purpose
Shelly
Don't get me wrong. On planes I choose an aisle seat and I sit in the exit row whenever possible. But I do not delude myself into thinking I'm going to have a high probability of surviving most plane wrecks.
Forgot one thing on the car....I always drive with my lights on. It comes from my days of riding a motorcycle. If you survive your first year of that, you have really learned a lot about defensive driving.
The attitude I develop comes from my 7 years past academia and into the coorporate world. The shareholders don't like it when we have high administrative costs; we are made to run lean and mean. We never have enough resources to do everything that COULD be done, and never have the time to do things perfect. This teaches you a few things about how to operate business (and your life)
* Prioritize your opportunities. Then act on the important things first. Very often your best opportunities aren't glamorous, but it's the end result that counts.
* Never let perfect be the enemy of "good enough". (This is a hard one for me).
* Whenever possible, function in a manner where you achieve many ends with few means.
* Find a way to enjoy yourself. You'll never achieve maximum productivity if you don't.
So....why would I obsess about the most perfect way to travel on a plane? It isn't likely to crash in the first place, and if it does, I'm not likely to survive. I care a lot more about whether or not the bloke sitting next to me has a cold.
Here's my perfect example of a disfunctional person - an individual who smokes and bitches about the health care they receive. In a research project I did once on people with asthma, 20% of the patients were smokers. If only I could be dictator for a day....
- Bill
Don't get me wrong. On planes I choose an aisle seat and I sit in the exit row whenever possible. But I do not delude myself into thinking I'm going to have a high probability of surviving most plane wrecks.
Forgot one thing on the car....I always drive with my lights on. It comes from my days of riding a motorcycle. If you survive your first year of that, you have really learned a lot about defensive driving.
The attitude I develop comes from my 7 years past academia and into the coorporate world. The shareholders don't like it when we have high administrative costs; we are made to run lean and mean. We never have enough resources to do everything that COULD be done, and never have the time to do things perfect. This teaches you a few things about how to operate business (and your life)
* Prioritize your opportunities. Then act on the important things first. Very often your best opportunities aren't glamorous, but it's the end result that counts.
* Never let perfect be the enemy of "good enough". (This is a hard one for me).
* Whenever possible, function in a manner where you achieve many ends with few means.
* Find a way to enjoy yourself. You'll never achieve maximum productivity if you don't.
So....why would I obsess about the most perfect way to travel on a plane? It isn't likely to crash in the first place, and if it does, I'm not likely to survive. I care a lot more about whether or not the bloke sitting next to me has a cold.
Here's my perfect example of a disfunctional person - an individual who smokes and bitches about the health care they receive. In a research project I did once on people with asthma, 20% of the patients were smokers. If only I could be dictator for a day....
- Bill
-
RACastanet
- Posts: 3744
- Joined: Thu Mar 11, 1999 6:01 am
- Location: Richmond, VA
Obsession of purpose
William sensei: It is good to see that you are learning a few things from the corporate world. Now you need to try one of the bastions of ultimate global capitalism like GE or IBM to really undestand what 'shareholder value' means.
And, to quote (paraphrase) one of my heroes, General George Patton: "A good plan executed on time is better than a great plan that is late".
Rich
And, to quote (paraphrase) one of my heroes, General George Patton: "A good plan executed on time is better than a great plan that is late".
Rich
-
Ted Dinwiddie
- Posts: 537
- Joined: Thu Sep 16, 1999 6:01 am
- Location: Charlottesville,VA,USA
Obsession of purpose
Why do we train? As previously mentioned, the reasons change as we train over time, just as we change because we train over time.
The lessons I have learned in the dojo have application every day. The dojo, for me, is a microcosm of the world outside where I am able to "learn to face myself, strictly, with severe eyes" and be a better husband, father, employee and citizen. A sufi friend of mine uses the term "mindfulness". The intensity, complexity, and endless nature of Karate training develops "mindfulness". Self-defense requires this. If one is able to be truly mindfull about their life, situations will rarely develop to the point of uncontrolled violence. Besides, Karateka are learning precisely controlled violence.
As a postscript to my first participation in this wonderful forum, I must mention Glasheen Sensei that my first sensei is an old aquaintance of yours, Ray Berry. I still hear his voice when I practice.
The lessons I have learned in the dojo have application every day. The dojo, for me, is a microcosm of the world outside where I am able to "learn to face myself, strictly, with severe eyes" and be a better husband, father, employee and citizen. A sufi friend of mine uses the term "mindfulness". The intensity, complexity, and endless nature of Karate training develops "mindfulness". Self-defense requires this. If one is able to be truly mindfull about their life, situations will rarely develop to the point of uncontrolled violence. Besides, Karateka are learning precisely controlled violence.
As a postscript to my first participation in this wonderful forum, I must mention Glasheen Sensei that my first sensei is an old aquaintance of yours, Ray Berry. I still hear his voice when I practice.
