Not to mention the fact that "thrown free" only equals "safety" in a very small fraction of cases. I've got decades of experience in tripping and falling, and it can hurt when I land from standing hieght. I've got no desire to become a 60 mph projectile and then encounter immoble objects (asphalt, trees, other vehicles, etc.) Airbag and seatbelt, please...
"* Martial arts, generally considered a healthy activity and good for discipline and dedication, should *definitely* be banned. Martial arts does *nothing* but try to teach you to respond to violence on reflex alone."
I study Aikido quite seriously, training 6-7 days a week. The more I learn about how to injure people, the less I ever want to do so. I would feel dreadful if I caused someone serious bodily harm, even if it were a life-or-death situation.
In my experience, martial artists are the least violent people I know, and precisely BECAUSE they are so potentially deadly. Once you develop an advanced understanding of the dynamics of physical confrontations, one becomes intently aware of the options available and exactly how much force is necessary to achieve a particular outcome. With skilled practitioners people don't get hurt by accident, and for some reason people who enjoy hurting others generally can't/don't sustain the discipline and concentration necessary to gain high degrees of proficiency.
Slashdot Mirror
Not to mention the fact that "thrown free" only equals "safety" in a very small fraction of cases. I've got decades of experience in tripping and falling, and it can hurt when I land from standing hieght. I've got no desire to become a 60 mph projectile and then encounter immoble objects (asphalt, trees, other vehicles, etc.) Airbag and seatbelt, please...
"* Martial arts, generally considered a healthy activity and good for discipline and dedication, should *definitely* be banned. Martial arts does *nothing* but try to teach you to respond to violence on reflex alone."
I study Aikido quite seriously, training 6-7 days a week. The more I learn about how to injure people, the less I ever want to do so. I would feel dreadful if I caused someone serious bodily harm, even if it were a life-or-death situation.
In my experience, martial artists are the least violent people I know, and precisely BECAUSE they are so potentially deadly. Once you develop an advanced understanding of the dynamics of physical confrontations, one becomes intently aware of the options available and exactly how much force is necessary to achieve a particular outcome. With skilled practitioners people don't get hurt by accident, and for some reason people who enjoy hurting others generally can't/don't sustain the discipline and concentration necessary to gain high degrees of proficiency.