Key word is Subdue. Which is not the same as avoiding or not confronting the enemy. More schools in the U.S. need to teach their kids this instead of telling them not to fight back or to walk away. Sometimes those aren't viable options. Kids who killed themselves because of bullying, didn't do it because they were only bullied once.
Perfect comedy timing. I freaking read that thing thought I was going to be enlightened by some guy that's been dead for over 100 years and then I got to the end... " Me Just then" ha ha ha. You sir, are a genius.
Whenever I said, "Old Chinese saying said ...", I'm old and I'm Chinese.
A doctor who practices preventive medicine and keeps his patients healthy would never need to operate.
No argument there, which is why I teach classes in bullying prevention. I like Suz Tzu's quote because to me it embodies the idea that fighting should be the last resort. I teach that. But I mix it with what I call (for lack of a better term) "light-switching". If you have to fight, you have to change like a light switch being thrown from nice guy to eat-your-heart-while-it's-still-beating guy. Nobody wins a physical confrontation by being nice. They do it by hurting the the other guy until his point of view changes and he stops trying to hurt you.
I think this is one of the main reasons why Martial Arts Master (the real ones) always spoke of removing emotions like anger and kindness from the training of forms. The tell student to remove these emotions because such physical scenarios it's like what you stated "a switch." Being angry will cloud judgement, being kind will put you in arm. I'm a nice guy so if I start worrying about my attacker's well being or my morale values then I'll put myself in danger. Martial arts reduces everything to focus and action. It teaches to fight with the same concern of well-being that a person kills a mosquito with. We don't feel, we just do.
This is why I make sure I talk in a calm voice about the destruction some techniques can cause. I just comment on it: "And if I can't control him here, I'll take the shoulder out." I talk at other times (not during technique) about the repercussions of self-defense decisions, but in that moment, I want it to be clear to them that if I've been put in a position of having to defend, I can't really afford to be nice unless it is clear I absolutely outclass the guy (and even then, I'm taking a risk to do so). I need to end this as quickly as possible. If that means he has a concussion, broken wrist, or whatnot, that's what I'll do.
A doctor who practices preventive medicine and keeps his patients healthy would never need to operate.
You know who said that?
Take a guess.
The calm voice is when I'm talking about the destruction/injury that we can cause (not the repercussions). I use a calm voice to make sure they understand this is not about being bloodthirsty or wanting to hurt people. Sometimes, it's just what it takes, so you do it.
As was yours.
Depends how hard you hit someone with them.
