Image by ThePixelman from Pixabay
It has been a month since I posted a Metamorphic Safety article. In my first article I explained the concept behind Metamorphic Safety. It deals with the proper mindset that limits your exposure to danger.
This article deals with the role of violence in society.
There are two opposing views for addressing violence. On one side there are people who think that the only way to end violence is to disarm the public. For this group, violence is the enemy, and all possibilities for it should be extinguished from society.
The other side believes that everyone needs to be armed.
There is an excellent quote that finds the balance between the two opposing views.
“It is better to be a warrior in a garden, than a gardener in war.”
The warrior in a garden quote can be compared to the expression “Better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it.”
However, what this quote is really saying is, prepare for war in peace, because when it is at your doorstep it is too late.
Why do you think it is important to prepare for war in times of peace?
It is a simple answer…Weakness attracts violence.
The quickest way to attract violence is to deny its existence. People who have the most to lose are the ones who want to disarm society. Violence does not exist in their world; therefore, all forms of its expression must be eradicated. Little do they know that by doing so they invite it upon themselves.
Men must become warriors.
It is the responsibility of men to build up their capacity for violence. With protests, criminal violence and police shootings happening around us you might be thinking the last thing we need is more violent men. However, I did not say violent men, I said men with the capacity for violence.
Dr. Jordan Peterson lectures eloquently about the necessity for men to become dangerous and disciplined. I extend this to women and children. However, it is men who need it the most to become useful members of society. A weak man is a bigger threat than the one who has a capacity for violence and controls it. This is because a weak man will follow anyone, and do anything, for someone who promises him strength.
Ignore the marketing.
If you agree with what I just said, it is important to avoid the pitfalls of marketing. Too often, we get focused on the hardware that promises us strength and security. What keeps us safe is a balanced approach to life. This is the lesson Mr. Miyagi was trying to teach Daniel LaRusso in the Karate Kid movies.
“Better learn balance. Balance is key. Balance good, karate good. Everything good. Balance bad, better pack up, go home. Understand?"
Mr. Miyagi was not just talking about the balance needed to do a Crane Kick. He was telling Daniel that his life was out of balance. It was his imbalance that was attracting people who wanted to kick his ass.
If you remember in the first movie, trouble started with Daniel after he begun hanging out with Allie. But Allie was not the only girl in his high school. She was just the first girl who showed him kindness, but she had a boyfriend with a bad attitude and a black belt. If Daniel had balance, he would have avoided trouble by paying attention to someone else.
I can already see the negative comments coming my way. Someone is destined to think I am blaming Allie. I am not. I am still putting the blame on Daniel. Allie did not do anything wrong by welcoming the new kid in school. But if Daniel felt Allie liked him, he should have said something like, “I like you too, but you still haven’t worked things out with Johnny, let’s hang out after you’re square with him.”
If this were a real relationship, Daniel would have challenged Allie to figure out her own problems, and the two would have grown as individuals.
Karate provided a path for Daniel to find balance.
Mr. Miyagi is the archetype of a dangerous, but balanced man. His strength gave him the power to choose a peaceful life. The bad sensei, from Cobra Kai, was the archetype of a man who is dangerous and imbalanced. He used his skills to hurt people and ended hurting himself in the end.
The moral of the story.
When you are in touch with your capacity for violence you tap into a reserve of inner strength. It gives you force in the world that can be used for good. Without it, you attract violence, and the hope for peace is gone.