Frazz by Jef Mallett for October 17, 2019

My favorite story is about the martial arts master sitting on the train when a drunk came up and started berating him. The Master calmed him down, listened to him, let him breathe fumes in his face, helped him get home and inside, and went about his business.

One of the Master’s students witnessed the whole thing and was annoyed that the Master hadn’t used his skills to subdue the drunk. The Master just smiled and said he had used his skills… and look: Nobody got hurt at all!

Over the years, I’ve known many who would say that there is great honor in avoiding unnecessary violence.

While it’s not 100%, the best way to keep people from hitting you is not hitting them.

I guess this all boils down to “tact” and skill. Violence avoided (where possible) is a battle won.

Any GOOD martial artist will tell you that their preferred method to fight is not to

Add speed and a dash of guile to that tact, and you’ll hop through life like Bugs Bunny.

In Tae Kwon Do we were taught to end a fight as quickly as possible, and that walking away was the quickest way to end a fight.

Negotiator: talk before acting

Warrior: if there is time

Using tact is a good place to start for self defense. But I’ll stick with my 12 gauge pump as the last line of defense.

in my experience talking usually only works with an acquaintance not with strangers who might have ulteriormotives, robbery rape etc.

When playing D&D, our DMs always handed out the same XP for avoiding battles with monsters as she did for engaging with them and slaying them all. I always thot that made a lot of sense, because you gain experience either way.

I once had a guy confront me on the street, grabbing hold of my jacket and cocking his fist, saying “Is this what you want?” I did no more than say no, and just stood there. In such a situation clearly the guy wants a response of anger or fear; I gave him neither; he dropped his hands and walked away. (Not that there was much danger: his left hand was occupied with my jacket, so there was only one place a blow could have come from, but still…)

From “The Simpsons:” The most important lesson from Karate is how NOT to use it.

“Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent” : Hari Seldon

Blog PostsFrazz17 hrs ·

Honestly, I already can’t remember if this one was or wasn’t inspired by reading Malcolm Gladwell’s newest book, “Talking to Strangers.” But the timing is right, and the subject matter matches closely enough, and boy, did I like that book.

I know it wasn’t my conversation with my friend the criminal defense attorney, but if it was, that would have been plausible, too. It seems it’s not uncommon at all for a criminal defense attorney to have to defend a mixed-martial-arts fighter. A cage fighter, if you’d rather. This in spite of the fact that any martial arts discipline I ever looked into or toyed with prided itself on its practitioners’ ability to avoid fights altogether. “Oh, they don’t start fights,” my friend said, “but they sure do finish them.”

True warrior always welcome avaided battle.