Martial arts creates Violence? Say Yes or No

[CB Jones]

Do You think Martial arts creates Violence?

No.....violent people create violence.

 

[CB Jones]

Asking if martial arts create violence is like asking if bacon creates breakfast.

Bacon is simply an ingredient that a chef uses. Just like martial arts is an ingredient that a person can choose to use

 

[Steve]

Violence is inherent to martial arts. The root of the word "violence" is the same as for "viola" and "violin", which is from Middle English root "violenca" and the Old English 'Vitula" from which we also get the modern term "vitriol."

Not many know that this shared root for "violence" and stringed, musical instruments are where the term "Martial Art" comes from, meaning "harmful music." It's not an accident that the sound of the bow being drawn across the strings on a musical instrument sound like the screams of someone in pain.

Or it's possible I just made all that up. Who knows?

 

[oftheherd1]

Violence is inherent to martial arts. The root of the word "violence" is the same as for "viola" and "violin", which is from Middle English root "violenca" and the Old English 'Vitula" from which we also get the modern term "vitriol."

Not many know that this shared root for "violence" and stringed, musical instruments are where the term "Martial Art" comes from, meaning "harmful music." It's not an accident that the sound of the bow being drawn across the strings on a musical instrument sound like the screams of someone in pain.

Or it's possible I just made all that up. Who knows?

Well that's how it normally sounded when I played the violin. I guess that relates to why I like martial arts?

 

[Buka]

Do You think Martial arts creates Violence?

Only if you're an arsehole.

 

[Anarax]

Martial Arts on it's own doesn't make people violent. Concerning MA and it's connection to violence, that's more on the character or lack there of for the individual and the Instructor. MA can help with controlling irrational violent tendencies and it does in a lot of cases. However; I've seen horrible schools that encourage violent and all out barbaric behavior in training/sparring. IMO these schools usually only retain students that already had behavioral issues, thus I don't think the MA itself is to blame. I also think that these types are environments are a reflection of the Instructor rather than MA itself.

There are MA Instructors that don't fully take into account the ramifications of teaching MA to those who are already dangerous. I've seen some instructors excuse grotesque behavior, but I've seen others throw students out of their schools.

I think it's more a matter of both the instructor's and student's character rather than MA.

 

[_Simon_]

Sort of. In the same way a vaccine contains the virus it's created to inoculate against.

There have been some awesome analogies already, but this one takes the cake, love it!

No.

Our animalistic natures create violence. Martial arts just teaches us to do it better, but at the same time gives us an outlet to let out our aggression and gives us the discipline to control ourselves.

Martial Arts, like any other weapon, cannot be blamed for the violence in the human nature.

Yeah great point. It's like the old question of guns creating violence. No, the gun is actually neutral, it's the person wielding it that creates the situation/consequence.

It's the animalistic nature which spurs forth violence. Violence in this context being wanting to truly, truly hurt or kill someone.

It's actually a great question, because that's what it looks like when viewing or participating in martial arts classes, there are violent techniques being taught. But the intention behind it is where this all lies. Don't quote me on this, but I don't really think many take up martial arts to be violent as such... As in to purposely use it to go out and hurt people with it. Could be wrong! Obviously training gyms vary, and clearly some places are designed to train people for full contact and ring/cage-fighting competition etc. But seems different from the violence the OP is talking about.

All depends on the context of what you mean by 'violence' hey!

 

[pdg]

There have been some awesome analogies already, but this one takes the cake, love it!



Yeah great point. It's like the old question of guns creating violence. No, the gun is actually neutral, it's the person wielding it that creates the situation/consequence.

It's the animalistic nature which spurs forth violence. Violence in this context being wanting to truly, truly hurt or kill someone.

It's actually a great question, because that's what it looks like when viewing or participating in martial arts classes, there are violent techniques being taught. But the intention behind it is where this all lies. Don't quote me on this, but I don't really think many take up martial arts to be violent as such... As in to purposely use it to go out and hurt people with it. Could be wrong! Obviously training gyms vary, and clearly some places are designed to train people for full contact and ring/cage-fighting competition etc. But seems different from the violence the OP is talking about.

All depends on the context of what you mean by 'violence' hey!

Yes, MA can be viewed as a tool that can be used for violence (like a knife, or a gun, or a pillow), but the tool doesn't initiate the violence.

What can though is the relationship with the tool, or the way that relationship is conditioned.

If you are a cobra kai student, that type of training can make you violent - but that's not the art itself at fault, it's the relationship conditioning...

 

[Xue Sheng]

Martial arts creates Violence? Say Yes or No

No

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

No. I wouldn't even say martial art causes people to be more violent. It's helped me and at least a few other people I know and on this board (cough cough @Ironbear24 cough cough ) become less violent

 

[JowGaWolf]

Do You think Martial arts creates Violence?

Yes and No.
Like so many things in this world, the answer is rarely an either/or

 

[Danny T]

I don't think martial arts creates violence though it may use violence.
Many practitioners at the higher levels can actually prevent violence by knowing and understanding what to do in a potential violent situation. I believe myself to be a violent person though I may be very willing to use violence if the situation deems it appropriate for my or my loved ones personal protection.

 

[_Simon_]

Yes, MA can be viewed as a tool that can be used for violence (like a knife, or a gun, or a pillow), but the tool doesn't initiate the violence.

What can though is the relationship with the tool, or the way that relationship is conditioned.

If you are a cobra kai student, that type of training can make you violent - but that's not the art itself at fault, it's the relationship conditioning...

YES! Exactly, if we all just take a look at Cobra Kai, question resolved ;D

 

[Ironbear24]

No.

 

[Dirty Dog]

No.

 

[pulsescarborough]

No.....violent people create violence.

Totally agree

 

[pulsescarborough]

Asking if martial arts create violence is like asking if bacon creates breakfast.

Bacon is simply an ingredient that a chef uses. Just like martial arts is an ingredient that a person can choose to use

I didn't get you exactly

 

[pulsescarborough]

Violence is inherent to martial arts. The root of the word "violence" is the same as for "viola" and "violin", which is from Middle English root "violenca" and the Old English 'Vitula" from which we also get the modern term "vitriol."

Not many know that this shared root for "violence" and stringed, musical instruments are where the term "Martial Art" comes from, meaning "harmful music." It's not an accident that the sound of the bow being drawn across the strings on a musical instrument sound like the screams of someone in pain.

Or it's possible I just made all that up. Who knows?

I barely like things, but the way you explained it changed my opinion on martial arts

 

[pulsescarborough]

They created controlled violence, which is not unruly.

Sent from my BV8000Pro using Tapatalk

But violence is violence. Does it matter whether it is controlled or not?

 

[pulsescarborough]

Is my joke getting really that old?

Yeah