Note: This essay is based on a talk given by Dr. Saiffudin Robinson. It was originally published at the now-defunct RidingTheTiger.org, and has been reprinted with permission of the former owners of that site. It has been edited and abridged from its original version
The world is undergoing profound changes. Industry, technology and media have brought the world closer together, but they have also decreased our privacy and given governments untapped reserves of power. In the face of untold change, it is also necessary to return to the fundamentals; we must focus on an area that many have abandoned because the increase of anti-religious, anti-cultural, and anti-Traditional sentiments and take up the forgotten tradition of chivalry. Yes, that virile path known in all glorious peoples: bushido, futuwwa, the way of valor. Above all, it is important to tread a fine line and remain humble to conceal one’s true nature.
Traditions the world over extol the virtues of self-sufficiency, and learning how to protect and provide for oneself and family beyond our professions and occupations. Until recently, the farmer, the artisan and the warrior were more important than the merchant and the factory worker. That is not to say that merchants and bankers provide nothing of worth, but much has been forgotten.
Many examples through the ages have communicated to us that men should learn how to hunt, how to fish, how to fight, how to ride horses, and how to swim. In the past the predominant arts were archery, wrestling, and other striking arts. Today we drive cars, but few of us know how to swim, how to defend ourselves, how to shoot a bow or any other projectile weapon, or even how to live off the land. If some disaster was to happen, what would happen to so many who may be worthy but so ill-prepared?
In light of this knowledge, we need to return to the basics of life. First, we should strive to live healthy lives. We should eat well and exercise regularly, and keep a sharp mind. Secondly, we should all strive to be men and women of good character and morality by keeping in due bounds with their fellow man.
If the basics have been achieved, we can begin to build our communities. Training ourselves, our families, and ourselves in martial arts or some self-defense system can be very productive. If nothing else, it can serve as a form of exercise and a social event. It need not be fancy—yet in our time in which the popularity of mixed martial arts and other systems is popular—must be practical enough to give a person a fighting chance and means of escape if possible. For those who live in rural areas, learning to live off the land could be crucial, and for those who are in urban areas, having a store of dried goods to sustain them in the event of chaos.
As important as the preceding is, it must be combined with a spiritual life, a mission, and responsibility. It is not for those irresponsible, callous, arrogant, or cruel to have such knowledge as they may instead use it for abuse. This path however martial it may seem is also one to be tempered with mercy and compassion lest it simply become a path to a lust of violence. As the people who wish to honor our path, we have a higher moral standard to maintain even if we may not be able to fight against the torrent of the Iron Age.