the black belt I got faster

“I’ve got this black belt… the black belt I got faster than normal by paying a little bit extra… the black belt they gave me even though my punches carry very little weight and my kicks are more likely to injure my own leg than whatever I’m kicking… the black belt that would be mine forever, even if I stopped training and allowed my skills to deteriorate… the black belt that would be a reflection of my aspirations, rather than my abilities… the black belt that may make me overconfident and more likely to get myself into trouble I would otherwise avoid…” - God’s Bastard

Comment: one word, “Commercialism.” Another word is control while another is dominance. A symbol created to control and to earn funds to keep the training hall open and with many students in attendance. What is a black belt and did anyone even at the very beginning when the dan-i was created consider its symbolic meaning? 

ideologies are strongly dependent

“ … our beliefs and ideologies are strongly dependent on our circumstances.” - Marc MacYoung

Comment: This just makes me think until my brain hurts.

justified and justifiable

“Maybe justified and justifiable can be subsumed under smart. Do the smart thing. If it's not justifiable and you either can't live with yourself or you go to prison... hmmm, maybe it wasn't all that smart? Justifying -- articulation -- then becomes the skill. Do the smartest thing you're capable of, but practice explaining why it was the best available option.” - Rory Miller, Justified, Justifiable, Prudent and Smart dtd. Tuesday, January 13, 2015, Chiron Blog

Note: all the above highlighted quotes are presented “out of context” because I liked them as I read his blog post. You can read that post here: “Justified, Justifiable, Prudent and Smart”

Comments: Who the hell knew one’s communications ability would become so critical to self-defense. Even if an able communicator if you don’t have the knowledge and understanding then how can you articulate properly. 

finish things quickly

“Sometimes it's so important to finish things quickly that it's worth taking damage to do so. (And, less academic, you're probably going to take some damage anyway, so suck it up, Buttercup. But that said taking damage unnecessarily is, by definition, unnecessary. Smart people don't do it.) Sometimes, fighting out of a shitty position is more important than ending the threat. Better to do both, but if you're with a bad guy in a burning, collapsing building and damage to him will cost you even a second, improve your position.” - Rory Miller, Justified, Justifiable, Prudent and Smart dtd. Tuesday, January 13, 2015, Chiron Blog

Comments: Sage advice, wonder if such a thing is even discussed in martial arts or is it always about the drama and appearance of social status driven dominance. Make your shitty position one far and a good distance away from the actual violence. Monkey shit ….

faster, safer and more effective

“’High levels of force are faster, safer and more effective than lower levels’ is a good rule of thumb. But like all of them, it has a failure point. A situation where something else becomes true. Or truer.” - Rory Miller, Justified, Justifiable, Prudent and Smart dtd. Tuesday, January 13, 2015, Chiron Blog

Comments: Higher is not always best. Except when it is best. 

completely justified

“ … sometimes the higher level of force can be completely justified, completely prudent, but not the smart thing to do. Like fighting out of a crowd.” - Rory Miller, Justified, Justifiable, Prudent and Smart dtd. Tuesday, January 13, 2015, Chiron Blog

Comments: Perceptions and perspectives of others. Others who may take an emotional view of what you did regardless of whether you are truly and legally justified. Add in a mixture of hate and an agenda of forcing personal beliefs on others you get screwed. 

their daily behavior

“People 'learn' karate from someone who 'teaches' it, and so there is little need for an experienced karateka to 'transmit', through their daily behavior, something that a student (if they have prepared themselves sufficiently) is able to 'receive’.”  - Michael Clarke Sensei 

Comment: the main point I am commenting on is the inference toward “Transmitting” as in actions to deeds and our behavior both on and off the dojo floor. In modern dojo or rather schools since my perception of dojo does not match what I witness in schools of karate they are not participating enough to witness a sensei or senpai both during and after training and practice end. In order to have a martial art “Transmitted” in its entirety it takes a lot more than just attending classes three times a week for a couple of hours duration. Add in the fact that when training occurs it is often at a ratio that does not leave room for more than “Learning Karate.” It comes down to a certain type of relationship between sensei and deshi, senpai and kohai and finally tori and uke. It means exposing one another above and beyond mere class attendance, it is about transmitting something more than mere physical movement. It is about “Essence.”