The Ethics of Violence Part 1
// March 23rd, 2010 // Self Defense, Thoughts
Do this with me… Take a breath, clear your mind. Shake off thoughts of the day, of work.
Visualize this scenario:
An individual, whom you do not know, is threatening your family in a violent manner. Be it your daughter, sister, mother, whoever. We’ll call the threatening character Bill. Bill has a weapon and Bill is gesturing very aggressively toward the family member referenced. You’re not sure what Bill’s intentions are and all he is saying is “Don’t move! Don’t move! Don’t move or else!”
Bill has the means to hurt your family (the weapon) and he has the opportunity for now (he is between you and them). Does he have the intent? Is he mentally capable of deciding what is the morally correct action?
Lets say that you have an opportunity, whatever it may be, to disarm this situation. Considering the use of force continuum, he has not responded to verbal or presence means, and you’re not sure that a soft attack will stop Bill if he decides to act on his seeming intent.
It is an adrenaline fused anger laden difficult scenario which only emulates one of millions of possibilities regarding a violent act.
Things to consider :
1) Bill is bigger than you
2) Bill already has a time advantage (he is closer to your loved one(s) than you are)
3) Consider your surroundings, think blanket thoughts I.E. “If there were a X I would do Y.”
What would your next action be? How far would you go to stop Bill? Could you think clearly enough given the stress of the situation and the likely adrenaline dump? Are you prepared for something like this happening?
Yes, actually I have thought of this and millions of other scenarios which have brought me to a million different conclusions…thus the life of a thinker, right?!
My action would be to figure out (in a fraction of a second) Bill’s weakness. Studying with Guinn Sensei I have learned to always be aware of the surroundings…at all times, and use the environment against Bill somehow and impose my will on him without thinking..just reacting.
The stress and adrenaline would be overwhelming given the situation, but I trust my instinct, training and teachings and feel that at that moment, I’d just react. I’m not sure how…but I would react immediately.
Am I prepared? Never enough…but again, I trust myself, and my teachings to know that I should be able to handle this sort of scenario; one that none of us ever wants to face.
Nice post brother…made me think.
I’m glad i Could incite some brain activity. I definitely agree with the constant awareness. One of the posts I’m going to put up later in the month is my analysis of the avoidance ideas Miller presented. I think you might enjoy that, I’ll shoot you a message when I do.