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Self Defense and the Killer Instinct
October 18th, 2008 · Filed Under: self defense
There was a recent post on the Wednesday Night Group’s JKD Talk Forum that strikes at the heart of self defense training.
You can read the full thread here: Jeet Kune Do Forum
Basically, the poster asks the questions:
1. Would you use extreme/deadly force if necessary?
2. If you think you have this warrior/killer instinct how do you know?
Addressing the first question, I believe that self preservation is hardwired into all living organisms. At the very least, an organism will attempt to preserve itself long enough to pass on its genetic
material.
Nature has produced many creatures with elaborate methods of self preservation, but human beings seem to have the most variation compared to any other single species of animal. The most basic form of this killer instinct is simply to eliminate a threat with bare hands and raw, adrenaline pumped rage.
In the case of humans, social conditioning frequently interferes with this instinct. In fact, many of the dysfunctions, diseases, imbalances, etc., existing today are most likely due to (directly or
indirectly) emotional/spiritual issues stemming from social conditioning.
What’s my point?
Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, has that warrior/killer instinct to protect self and extensions of self (ie. loved ones. friends, country, god/s, race, etc.) The real question is, will your social conditioning allow that hardwired instinct to express itself, or will it interfere in such a way that it will be completely suppressed, mutated, weakly expressed, or anything in between.
Regarding the second question, yes. As for how do I know? I just feel it. I’m pretty passive in general, but I know that I would act immediately and with deadly force, if necessary, to preserve myself and loved ones.
As for self defense, training should include a degree of mental/spiritual/social conditioning that will ensure access to the warrior/killer instinct when/if ever it becomes necessary to draw upon. The ability to harness our primal energy, “emotional content” as Bruce Lee might say, is key.
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Nhan-Esteban Khuong, L.Ac.
www.SGVJeetKuneDo.com
November 27th, 2008 at 9:33 am
There’s fighting and there’s combat.
Fighting is about stupid things…who’s the “baddest” in the room. It’s for social position to figure out who the “top dog” is. You see this in parties or at bars, where two drunk young men push each other until someone throws a sloppy punch.
Animals fight all the time, but it’s usually not to kill.
Combat is the serious stuff where people are trying to kill you, your friends or your family. A mugging or a rape is combat.
Both can be avoided, but it’s important to know what is a fight and what is combat. An eye gouge, throat shot and then throwing your assailant head first into the corner of a wall is a little bit much at the bar where a drunk idiot just got in your way and shoved you! LOL!