“An armed society is a polite society. Manners are good when one may have to back up his acts with his life.” ― Robert A. Heinlein, Beyond This Horizon In the Aikido dojo the sword is the soul of the samurai and that spirit remains salient. Even a bokken (wooden sword) should be handled as the symbolic representationContinue reading “EDGED ETTIQUETTE”
Tag Archives: violence
Better Angels
Uncle Jim pointed to a recent article in Science discussing Steven Pinker’s The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined (2011). I gave the book a quick read and found it a simple gloss on the benefits of global integration; hopeful homilies of an academician sheltered from the possibilities of violence. Pinker’s general thesis isContinue reading “Better Angels”
NECESSARY VIOLENCE REDUX
Let me state unequivocally that I am not an advocate for violence. However, in my experience, it is imperative to understand how to employ violence since that is the only way to ensure we are training properly. Hence taking examples, training methods, and being influenced by other arts that focus on pragmatic and effective deployment ofContinue reading “NECESSARY VIOLENCE REDUX”
Protective Arts 