Self-Defense vs. Honorable Fight

To believe that there are rules in a self-defense situation is a common misconception. Where you are fighting for  your life, or the protection from aggressive bodily harm, there are no rules. If a low blow, eye gouge, or other vital target is readily open, you must not hesitate to strike. A perception of keeping your honor is only valid in an agreed to combative situation. The agreement is only valid inside a ring with a judge to monitor & enforce the rules.

All martial arts have techniques to prevent and to cause harm. Each style has different sets, or patterns, but every martial style is by definition preparing its practitioners to take the life of another by any means at their disposal should the threat arise. Saving a move, leaving an opening, or warming up are the fictions of movies. The fact of reality is when put into a self-defense situation, a person properly trained should react by the best, most effective means at his/her disposal. This should be done from the start.

In the world of politics, positioning, planning, and preparation lead to voting and more rounds of politicking. In the realm of self-defense, there is seldom a round two, let alone any additional rounds. The time of preparation is always beforehand for self-defense. One must steel his/her will to do what he/she must to survive, or a self-defense situation will inevitably end in disaster.

Unlike with many modern skills, a refresher on self-defense will never be readily available at an immediate time of need. No real-life attacker will wait for the victim to "Google" his/her way out of a situation. Modern culture of an immediate, reliable, searchable data set does not apply when fending for one's life. To save one's honor in self-defense is to save oneself. This can only be achieved through memorization before an encounter.

As news events always remind us, we are never safe, and never sure when a true self-defense situation will arise. Whether is be at home, at a mall, at a movie, or listening to a political speech, there is always a chance of an attack. Does this mean we should live our lives in constant fear? No, it means we must set about each day with the resolve to be aware, and prepared to do whatever it takes if a situation presents itself. While combatants and competitors may have honor, by choosing a victim, an attacker has already removed honor from a self-defense scenario.