Warrior mindset?

[Cosmoline]

I really dislike the term "warrior mindset".

I'm also about fed up with it. The term "warrior" gets massively overused these days. It reminds me of "synergy" back in the early 90s. And in the case of self defense, overwrought machismo is the very LAST thing you want to bring to a tense situation. Keep a cool head, leave your ego behind you and pay attention to what's in the guy's hands. Remember the elements of using deadly force, think of them as toggles. Imminent? Check. Deadly? Check Unlawful? Check. That's a green light, so shoot immediately and keep shooting till one or more of these toggles is back to off. No hesitation, no warning.

Bringing chest pounding bravado into that scenario will bring your attention to the threat's eyeballs. Eyes have never killed anyone. Hands kill. It will also tend to make you vocalize and posture, as you've been hard wired to do. Think of the old national geographic shows about tribesmen fighting. There's all this show and posture where each warrior sizes up the other. In the modern world that tom foolery will get you killed, as you will be prone to challenge with a yell or curse esp. if you're male. Leave all that nonsense.

Perhaps worst of all, being a "warrior" may make you stay when you should get the heck out of Dodge. That doesn't mean abandon your friends or others to a rampaging killer, but it does mean when some idiot challenges you to a bar fight, you back down precisely because you're packing. Be a proud coward, not a warrior.

 

[mbt2001]

What?!?!

No.
Warriors are those who wage war.
They are not healers.

A warrior's purpose is to defend against "the enemy" and to destroy "the enemy".
Being a warrior is not about protecting one's wife, nor about healing, nor about reacting in a quick and decisive manner during any given crisis.
It's not about being a leader or a rescuer.
It's about waging war.

The warrior mindset is nothing more than an "us vs them" mentality.
And it's not a very useful mindset outside of war.
In a peacetime society, the warrior mindset can actually cause the afflicted to see enemies where there are none.
It can lead to a delusional state where one feels that they must constantly be on guard against "the enemy" even if there is no enemy.
The "warrior mindset" and the paranoid mindset are but a few degrees from one another.

First off, you redefined the terms.

Second off, I don't totally disagree with your post.

Third off, the roots of budo / the martial tradition is what I am referring to. Commonly called "the warrior tradition" and incorporating the ideals of that tradition to develop a mindset.

If you carry a weapon, then you need to have software to ensure that you are not an idiot with a gun, instead someone who understands the terrible consequences of action.

Being a warrior is not about protecting one's wife, nor about healing, nor about reacting in a quick and decisive manner during any given crisis.
It's not about being a leader or a rescuer.
It's about waging war.

That sentiment is why we have so many broken people that come back from "NAM", why we have alcoholic vets and police officers. What do you do with your bloody guilt??? You torch a village, you had a reason, when you get home you are going to have to live with that. The warrior tradition is about the healing of the warriors. That is the entire point and if you fail to see that, then you failed as a student. The US's martial tradition (EDIT - the ideals of the country, glorification of violence, romanticism of carnage, etc...) is horrible. All about looking cool and being elite, but nothing about how to live with yourself.

 

[Cosmoline]

The US's martial tradition is horrible. All about looking cool and being elite,

I think you're confusing the sillywood image with reality. Our martial tradition has long been about killing the other guy for his country. Nations such as Japan and Germany with very proud "warrior" traditions wanted to find some kind of inner beauty in the carnage. We didn't, and we still don't. That's why they went to war in crisp wool suits that looked great, and we went to war in potato sacks. Heck our elite warriors are known for running around wearing hockey equipment. Whatever works.

 

[mbt2001]

Well, your right, that can be taken the wrong way.

Our military is great. Our software / mindset / insert PC term here is a bit flawed and doesn't teach people with how do accept their actions, mistakes, and so on and live with them.

Let me end with... Everyone has their own opinion, you are welcome to yours.

 

[easyg]

Third off, the roots of budo / the martial tradition is what I am referring to. Commonly called "the warrior tradition" and incorporating the ideals of that tradition to develop a mindset.

Keep in mind this: in order for the feudal overlords (in Japan and in Europe) to develop a band of warriors who would both kill and die for their overlord, they had to surround the ugly truth in the trappings of such notions as "honor" "sacrifice" "chivalry" "budo" etc....
It's all just a sweet shell surrounding the bitter truth.

That sentiment is why we have so many broken people that come back from "NAM", why we have alcoholic vets and police officers.

Actually the number of "broken people" due to "NAM" is rather small compared to the number that served.
And many were "broken" long before they were drafted.
The drinking culture of the military and of law enforcement, coupled with the addictiveness of alcohol, cannot be underestimated.
The vast majority of old drunk vets and old drunk cops never saw a single minute of battle or conflict.
Most just started drinking because of the drinking culture surrounding them, not as a coping mechanism.

The warrior tradition is about the healing of the warriors. That is the entire point and if you fail to see that, then you failed as a student.

I disagree.
The "warrior tradition" is not about healing.
It's about conning the next generation in to believing that killing and dying for one's overlord (or president, king, parliament, government, "country", etc..) bestows honor, nobility, and integrity.

And don't think that I'm bashing those who served.
I fell for the same con (U.S. Army 86-92).

 

[Old Guy]

I really dislike the term "warrior mindset".

Me too, but lots of good opinions here, yes?

I know that a lot of old guys live by a "code of chivalry" of sorts, but I don't subscribe to the notion that all women are helpless little damsels in distress that need a man's protection.
In fact, I kinda detest women who play the part of the "helpless little woman".

Well how about some manners you were never taught. I exit the jeep first, I go to the passenger door to be there when I take my Wifes hand, more to do with safety really that chivalry, I open doors for her, and any other lady, pulling the chair out when seating a Lady, automatic for me.

But I do see woman pop the door open and march in ahead of the Guy they are with, they also drive (it is their car) she pays?

This is the modern way, I beg to differ, maybe a biker bar? We do not go to bars, I carry.

My Dad walked holding my Mum's hand, I do too. My thought is I at 200 lbs and her at 122, division of duties right there, I can also do the washing, an now and again do the dishes, depends.

Would I have acted the same way if it was a male friend? My Male friends don't look hug able! I truly believe my function as a Husband, is to look after my Wife. One of them any how, I was raised in England, but I have American friends who think like me in this regard. Pauline is 65, looks 40 if that, I am 74 and look quite handsome actually!

Can not wait for my Glockgen4 model19, it is on it's way.
Will give a write up at that time. Will be interesting to check out that grip angle.

 

[easyg]

Well how about some manners you were never taught. I exit the jeep first, I go to the passenger door to be there when I take my Wifes hand, more to do with safety really that chivalry, I open doors for her, and any other lady, pulling the chair out when seating a Lady, automatic for me.

Yeah, I was taught the same stuff you were taught.
My parents were from your generation (Dad died at age 72 and Mom is still alive at age 70.
But I have since learned that some of those "manners" are really irrelevant these days...

Yes, I hold the door for my wife if I happen to be the one who enters first, as she does for me if she enters first.
I don't sprint around her just so that I can open the door for her.
And she doesn't stand there like some baroness waiting for me to open the door for her if she happens to be closer to the door.
We both hold the door for others rather than letting it slam in their face, which would be rude.

As for opening her car door....
That's nothing more than a hold over from the horse and carriage days when women (who were usually wearing long dresses) had to step down from the carriage.
Typically a man would open the door and offer his hand to assist her so that she did not trip over her dress or miss a step.
These days it serves no purpose and is certainly not an indicator of one's class or manners....but perhaps one's age I suppose.

But I do see woman pop the door open and march in ahead of the Guy they are with, they also drive (it is their car) she pays?

Do you think that this is wrong?
Do you think that women shouldn't drive, or own a car?
Do you think the woman should walk behind the man?
Do you think the man should pay for dinner?
Does it matter who pays if the couple shares a joint banking account and both have jobs contributing to that account?

Me and wife sometimes joke at the end of dinner with a little back-and-forth of "allow me", "no, I've got it", "don't even think of it", "no, The check is mine", etc...
It's a joke because the money is neither mine nor hers...we have a joint account and it really doesn't matter who actually puts the money on the table.

 

[Cosmoline]

Anyone trying to hug me is gonna get bit. And I mean that literally.