When Violence Is the Answer

1. Violence is a tool, not inherently good or bad

Violence is a tool like any other. As with any other tool, the proper object of our moral and ethical judgment isn't the "what"—after all, you wouldn't call a screwdriver or a toothbrush evil—but rather the "why," the ends to which human beings choose to direct it.

Violence is amoral. Like any tool, violence itself is neither good nor evil. Its morality depends entirely on how and why it is used. In self-defense situations, violence may be the only option to protect oneself or others from grievous harm.

Effectiveness matters most. When facing a life-threatening situation, the ability to use violence effectively is what determines survival. Moral judgments about violence become irrelevant in the moment - what matters is stopping the threat.

Prepare mentally. Accepting violence as a potentially necessary tool allows one to mentally prepare for its use if ever required. This mental preparation can help overcome hesitation in critical moments.

2. Distinguish between social aggression and asocial violence

Social aggression is avoidable—and you should avoid it. You can choose not to participate. You can employ social skills to remove yourself from the situation, or to de-escalate it.

Social aggression involves communication. It often involves posturing, threats, and attempts to establish dominance within social hierarchies. This type of conflict can usually be avoided or de-escalated through social skills and awareness.

Asocial violence is predatory. It involves a predator seeking to harm a victim, with no interest in communication or social standing. There are typically no warning signs, and de-escalation is not possible.

Recognize the difference. Understanding whether you're facing social aggression or asocial violence is crucial for determining the appropriate response:

• Social aggression: Use de-escalation techniques, walk away if possible
• Asocial violence: Immediate decisive action may be necessary for survival

3. Develop an action-oriented mindset for self-defense

Survival isn't the exclusive province of the bigger and stronger—it goes to the person who approaches his or her circumstances with the proper mindset, takes control of the situation and acts to cause decisive injury instead of reacting to the effects of someone else's choice.

Adopt a cause-state mindset. Focus on taking decisive action rather than reacting to your attacker. This proactive approach gives you the initiative and increases your chances of survival.

Visualize success. Train your mind to see yourself as capable of defending against any threat. Reject the victim mentality and embrace the possibility of prevailing in a violent encounter.

Overcome hesitation. In life-threatening situations, hesitation can be fatal. Prepare mentally to act swiftly and decisively when necessary, overcoming societal conditioning that may cause you to freeze or hesitate.

4. Learn from criminals to understand effective violence

Criminals don't need to be taught this lesson, or if they did, they only had to learn it once. The rest of us, though, are prone to making the bad assumption that the other guy in any given conflict is operating under the very same rules we're taking for granted.

Study criminal mindsets. Violent criminals often have extensive practical experience with violence. Understanding their mindset and tactics can provide valuable insights for self-defense.

Focus on vulnerable anatomy. Criminals often study human anatomy to identify the most effective targets for causing injury. This knowledge can be applied to self-defense strategies.

Key lessons from criminal violence:

• Target selection based on vulnerability, not size or strength
• Commitment to action without hesitation
• Focus on causing debilitating injury rather than pain compliance

5. De-escalate when possible, but be prepared to act decisively

Three days from now, if you're sitting in a jail cell or lying in a pine box, was the escalation worth it?

Prioritize de-escalation. Whenever possible, use social skills and awareness to avoid or defuse potentially violent situations. Walking away from a conflict is often the wisest choice.

Recognize when violence is unavoidable. In cases of asocial violence or when de-escalation fails, be prepared to act swiftly and decisively to protect yourself.

Consider consequences. Before escalating a situation, consider the potential legal and personal ramifications. Many conflicts that lead to violence could have been avoided through better decision-making.

6. Identify vulnerable targets on the human body

A target is an anatomical structure that can be crushed, ruptured, broken, or otherwise rendered useless, thereby rendering your opponent useless.

Understand human vulnerabilities. Every human body, regardless of size or strength, has vulnerable areas that can be exploited in self-defense situations.

Focus on debilitating injury. Target areas that, when injured, will immediately impair your attacker's ability to continue the assault. Key vulnerable areas include:

• Eyes
• Throat
• Groin
• Knees
• Solar plexus

Visualize effectiveness. When targeting these areas, visualize driving through the target to create maximum damage, rather than simply striking the surface.

7. Train slowly and deliberately to master self-defense principles

Slow is smooth, smooth is fast, fast is deadly.

Prioritize accuracy over speed. In training, focus on executing techniques correctly and accurately at slow speeds. Speed will naturally develop as you master the movements.

Develop muscle memory. Slow, deliberate practice helps ingrain proper techniques into your muscle memory, allowing for automatic responses in high-stress situations.

Avoid common training pitfalls:

• Training too fast before mastering proper form
• Focusing on complex techniques rather than fundamental principles
• Neglecting to train realistically for high-stress situations

8. Use body weight and leverage to inflict debilitating injury

Body weight in motion crushes and ruptures tissue. Body weight in motion tears out joints. Body weight in motion propels people to the ground.

Harness your body weight. Effective violence doesn't rely on strength alone. Learn to use your entire body weight to generate force, regardless of your size.

Understand leverage. Proper leverage allows you to break joints and control your opponent's body, even against a larger attacker.

Key principles for using body weight and leverage:

• Move through your target, not just to it
• Use your legs and hips to generate power, not just your arms
• Apply force in optimal directions to maximize effectiveness

9. Striking, joint-breaking, and throwing are key injury mechanisms

Striking is the most basic way to inflict injury: throwing your entire mass through a single target to wreck it. It forms the basis for all violence; every method by which to deliver injury will derive its power from striking.

Master fundamental injury mechanisms:

1. Striking: Using body weight to crush or rupture targets
2. Joint-breaking: Applying leverage to move joints beyond their natural range of motion
3. Throwing: Using an opponent's balance and momentum against them

Understand the principles behind each mechanism. Rather than memorizing specific techniques, focus on understanding the underlying principles that make these injury mechanisms effective.

Combine mechanisms for maximum effect. In real situations, you may need to use a combination of striking, joint-breaking, and throwing to effectively neutralize a threat.

10. Intent and commitment are crucial in self-defense situations

Intent—the focus of all your efforts—drives striking. Without it, striking becomes halfhearted and limp. It lacks spine and prevents positive results. It is flaccid motion devoid of commitment.

Cultivate decisive intent. In a self-defense situation, half-measures can be dangerous. Commit fully to your actions with the intent to immediately stop the threat.

Overcome psychological barriers. Many people struggle with the idea of causing serious harm, even in self-defense. Mental preparation and training can help overcome this hesitation.

Understand the stakes. In a true life-or-death situation, your survival depends on your ability to act decisively and effectively. Cultivating the proper mindset is as important as physical training.

Last updated: October 13, 2024