MA and violence

[Jiggy9]

Intresting i'm reading this now, because I just read something Jet Li wrote to a fan a couple of hours ago. Let me find it for you guys :

 

Dear Mr. Li

 

I study Kung Fu and I believe not to use it outside the school. But people now are taking advantage of this knowing that I will not fight back. This has now escalated into me getting beaten up. Have you any advice on when it is ok to use martial arts and do you know any good techniques on avoiding confrontation?

 

Yours Sincerely

 

Alex Griffiths

 

Aberdeen, Scottland

 

 

 

Jet's Response:

 

Fighting, or seeking revenge, is a self-defeating process and the escalation of retaliatory violence can have very bitter consequences.

 

For example, let's say that you fend off three attackers. That's fine, but when those people recover they'll come back to attack with six or eight. Even if your physical training and condition has improved, there is a point in which the outcome is worse than you had bargained for. In the end the potential for harm is unimaginable.

 

You have to ask yourself what is the benefit of fighting back -- what is the emotional reward? Happiness? Will you be happier if you fight them? What feelings will that situation promote? When you seek conflict, there is no end -- it continues until someone breaks the law, or even worse, death or injury. You use a fist, then maybe they get a knife. Then you get a sword, and they get a gun, and it escalates .. and the anger and potential for irreparable damage increases. Where does it end? You can't imagine at the beginning of this cycle what the end will hold.

 

But if you don't fight back, then you are not allowing them to control your response. When you refuse to take revenge then you are in charge. They beat you up once. Then what? They beat you up a second time? Okay .. they already beat you up ... what do they want to prove? That they can win? They already proved that. Fine, they're "better" than you. Congratulations to them. What's next? After once or twice they'll lose interest in beating you up again, then it's finished

 

If you don't give in to the urge to fight back, you control the outcome. If you take revenge, the outcome controls you.

 

I'm proud of your decision not to fight back. When you learn martial arts, it's not just a physical endeavor -- it is also internal -- and your actions show an understanding of some of the highest levels of martial arts. Many masters of martial arts would have conducted themselves the same way as you. And, of course, one day those people who beat you up will have regrets that they hurt you -- they will feel guilty. So perhaps their outcome, even though they won in the short term, is not so kind in the long term.

 

The goal with any conflict isn't to kill the other person. The goal is to win their heart. Turning one from enemy to friend is the highest level of martial arts. You win the battle without throwing a single punch.

 

 

[Ahazmaksya]

completety agree Ad

[MuayTB1]

I agree with you to ad.

 

Whats the point of learing self defence when your not going to use it out side yoru school?

 

if you want to get fit, learn tea bo, if you wnat to be a killer learn MA.

[MuayTB1]

"Fighting, or seeking revenge, is a self-defeating process and the escalation of retaliatory violence can have very bitter consequences. "

 

IF you are a scared of onsequences in life, why are you learning MA? why do you even live for?

 

 

[ad]

yeah for real

 

i know many people would think that martial artist is a peaceful person, but lets face the facts, we would all be scared of bruce lee, why?, because he excels in martial arts, thus making him a better fighter, thus making him more violent, many people who get attacked on the streets with no martial art experience at all, will run away, but most of the martial artist who are brilliant at what they do, will fight back, this decision to fight back, is due to the knowledge of martial arts, so therefore it is martial arts that promotes fighitng back, thus promoting violence

[MuayTB1]

Yep, turth.

[Taikudo-ka]

It's the difference between offense and defense. You learn martial arts to DEFEND yourself. You should NOT be aiming to become an offensive jack-ass like the "Angelo" mentioned in the "MA cost me my girlfriend" post. In fact, part of the reason I study martial arts is to be able to defend myself against obnoxious people like that.

 

It is about protecting yourself, your loved ones, and your property, not starting fights, beating people up and destroying things.

[MuayTB1]

Hahaha true, that big shot angelo. I just what to kick his a**.

 

Well offence is ok to, defends how you do your ofence..not in a jack ass way.

[Taikudo-ka]

True. Sometimes the best defence, etc...

 

Sometimes the best way to defend yourself may well be a swift, hard kick to somewhere painful. I don't see the point of MA as being "let yourself get beaten up" which some others seem to believe. In fact, I see the point as being to stop any harm coming to you or your loved ones.

 

This is different to being "socially" offensive, which involves doing things like hassling innocent strangers in public until they lose their temper and start swinging.

[jahred]

totally agree with you tai.