Last night I stupidly got involved in trying to break up a street fight where a guy ended up getting his head caved in, and I have an opinion about street fighting. Anyone who gets into a "street fight" is a complete idiot and deserves whatever they get. Street fighting and self defense are two entirely different things: self defense is driving your car through an obstacle course, street fighting is driving your car into a wall. People when they get angry are homicidal idiots and should be treated like the stupid animals they are, not indulged in some macho pissing contest.

I'm a troll. Please respond to my post.

As a former bouncer of almost 15 years, I truly agree. It's hard to imagine anything that would make me act so ridiculous. Booze or drugs are almost always involved.

How about if someone sodimized your seven year old daughter. Do you think that would make you fight in the street?

THE PURSUIT OF JUSTICE IS SACRED. FIGHTING FOR THE RIGHT REASON IS NOBLE.

The "pursuit of justice" is exactly what street fighting is not. What is important is what you actually do, not what motivated you to do it. People screaming "THE PURSUIT OF JUSTICE IS SACRED" in all-caps mode tend not to be actually doing what they think they are doing: achieving noble things is generally not the end result of blind rage.

Try to keep that in mind next time you start fantasizing about people sodomizing your child.

Self-defense is *not* like driving your car though an obstacle course.

A fight is the act of using force to impose your will on another person. The idea is to make your opponent unwilling or unable to do the inverse to you.

An unwillingness to hurt and be hurt can be interpreted as weakness. This alone is often impetus enough for an attack. Spend time in prison or any rough neighborhood and you'll see how far pacifist notions will take you.

Violence is only an extension of policy. Street fights have their time and place.

It’s unfortunate the guy had his head caved in. I don’t know the circumstances so it would be unfair of me to say whether or not he deserved it. It would also be unfortunate if the only thing you take from this experience is that all “street fighting” is idiotic.

Perhaps a better assessment is that fighting out of anger is idiotic.

Best wishes and good luck with your training.

I totally agree, street fighting is dumb! But what about when someone is hitting on your girl, talking up a sports team you hate, or they call you a whimp-in public!! Man, you gotta cave a guys head in after that!! So I mean yeah, street fighting is bad, but some times you have no other choice. Lifes hard in the "NO".

Chris,

If a bully was stealing your kid's lunch money, wouldn't you advise him to fight?

Self-defense by the original poster's definition would imply that either running away or surrendering to the bully is the proper course of action. This, after all, would be avoiding the obstacle.

Standing up to the bully is an act of policy. It is saying to the bully and any other potential aggressors that there is a price to be paid for messing with your kid. Even if your kid looses the fight he can still make it a point that he is someone not worth bothering.

Of course, no sane person goes looking for a street fight. They’re dangerous, messy, and there can be legal repercussions even when you win. What I am offering, however, is that there are some things worth fighting for aside from just protecting yourself from bodily harm.

If the objective is always escape wouldn’t it make more sense to train in track and field?

Cheers.

I rarely find myself in positions in which I would have to resort to violence...except in training!

I would agree in principle. Street fighting is not the first option in settling a dispute. For that matter, war should not be the first option in settling a dispute. I would say, however, that since the intended purpose of most MA is self defense most schools should gear a good portion of instruction to street defense. All too often a street fight is not the agreed upon alternative by both parties but is initiated by one individual attacking the other. If you are attacked and aren't prepared you might be in trouble.

The best way to avoid these situations is to stay away from places where you might encounter violence. The number one most likely place? That would be any place where people are doing a lot of drinking. I have been involved in street fights but only when I couldn't avoid them or was defending a third party.

Taiwan and Archer have great points. I too used to bounce (only for 5 years or so though) and quickly it lost it's glitz and glamour. Fighting is stupid, but we need to be prepared for anything. I guess it is a fine line, but one we chose to walk.
Alcohol and ego/testosterone are a terrible mix! People are already dumb, and the combination above makes them mumbling idiots.
Jake

steet fight is rarely a choice,it's more something that is brought upon us by violent idiots,
unless we are that person!
but sometime it's better to stand up for ourselves
and everyone else that could be bullied or hurt,
than walk away,and let someone else get beat up!
isn't why we train MA? to stand for ourselves
and for the ones that can't do it for themselves?
and i'm not saying to be stupid neither!
but there is some cooky people that should get there asses kicked??!

"...brought upon us by violent idiots, unless we are that person"

if you're the one picking the fight!that's what i meant.
if some punk pick a fight with you,avoid it,till you can't.then fight your ass off!!!
ps.bob if your joke was about grammar,i've been
speaking english for only 4 years.give me a ••••••• break.

Exactly my point Marc. Fighting should be a last resort. If you have to fight to defend yourself or others then be prepared. Also, I could tell that English wasn't your first language so no problem there. You're doing pretty well for only 4 years.

thanks t-69-73!
some people have different levels of tolerance though!some might jump the guns quicker than others!

Or jump for a gun.

Street fighting is IDIOTIC? Every one seems to rant on about taking it to the street etc., street fighting this that and the other technique, wheras Bar Room Brawling is hardly ever mentioned!!!!!,

Now which one of you Punks knocked over my beer !!!!!

Exactly.

Guys who never trained anything a day in their lives will feel their fragile egos under duress, deploy the ratpack headstomp technique and kill another human being for no actual reason. That is the stupidest thing I have ever seen in my four decades on this earth. Idiocy in its pure form. Me, I have a family to support and things I care about seeing get done, and I am not going to put that on the line for a pissing contest with morons. Self defense, yes, I will do what is necessary to keep my people safe, but at the same time I am going to keep enough perspective to avoid the level of getting into a "street fight" with fcukwad idjits. When the dust settles and its time to take the statements, I was defending fundamental values and never lost my head. Self defense yes, street fight no.

Training martial arts is a form of self-cultivation, and as far as what that means, Angus Graham defined "ren" as the intention that makes right action effortless.

Right on My-o,

Although I appreciate selfcultivation and frequently champion it on this board, few other find it important let alone vital.

Please start a self cultivation thread.

"Enlightenment is to be realized by the wise within themselves" - S.

"Do as I say, not as I do."

"To break the rules you must first embrace them."


- M. E.

Enest Jack