Aiki, Social Violence, and Predatory Violence

TrueAiki.com reader Robin Scheachter. posted a really great question in response to my blog https://trueaiki.com/ooooooo-what-takuma-hisa-said/  and I thought the subject worthy of its own post so here it is.  Robin wrote:

Here is my reply:

Hi Robin,

I agree that consciously selected forms of conflict training and competition can be placed in the category of “social violence.”  Such conflicts are expected, and to some degree regulated.  Predatory attacks are usually unexpected, advantageous to the predator, and unregulated.  It makes sense that Aiki techniques and responses which rely upon complex motor skills, acutely accurate perception, and are sourced in the parts of the brain that tend to go “offline” in the type of adrenaline dump that so frequently follows a predatory attack will likely go “offline” themselves. I agree that this was likely Takuma Hisa’s point.

As you pointed out, reactions relevant to both social violence and predatory violence can be habituated through relevant practice exercises.  Many if not most martial arts training regimens are geared toward dealing with, and in some cases dealing out, social violence as opposed to predatory violence.

A friend of mine proudly told me that she had just learned knife defense in preparation for her black belt test in the art she was studying.  She wanted to show me.  She told me how to attack her and signaled that she was ready.  She performed her defense as I am certain her instructor had taught her.  I complimented her on her efforts and asked her if she wouldn’t mind if I showed her a knife attack later on.  She happily agreed.

So I waited for a moment when she was separate from our coworkers.  I asked an individual to go ask her a question.  While she was answering the question I walked up behind her and “stabbed” her about 5 times in the back with a small stick I had picked up before she turned around.  She instantly smiled at me and asked what in the world I was doing?  I told her I was showing her a knife attack as we had previously discussed.  I had, of course, taken advantage of the difference between social violence and predatory violence.  I suggested that, while her martial arts training certainly had benefits, she would do well to also consider far more likely possibility of predatory violence as well.  I did this because I cared about her.  I also did this because I had the benefit of having been unexpectedly “shanked” by one of my students one day.  It was a well orchestrated “kill” and it was both an edifying” and valuable experience.

What is missing and often overlooked in these discussions is that when one develops an Aiki body/mind, over time, there are long lasting anatomical and neurological changes present that can only be “undone” in the same manner, over time.  I’ll make an analogy.  If one were to develop a body/mind that is well prepared for Mma, one’s techniques might go out the window in a predatory attack, but the benefit of one’s physical and mental conditioning could very well provide some advantage.  So, to the degree that one has developed an Aiki body/mind, that is a body/mind very different in internal development and response than an ordinary athletic body/ mind, that is the body/mind they have use in the world.  It can’t be “taken away” by a shock.  To the degree that one’s Aiki body/mind is developed, when it is interacted with, “techniques” (odd Aiki derivative results) will “happen.”  This is exactly what those with Aiki body/minds have said.  It has also been my growing experience.

Now, there is a big difference between having a developed Aiki body/mind, and having a developed Aiki body/mind AND effective training for social violence and/or predatory violence.  Obviously, the latter has an advantage in the context of social and/or predatory violence.

However, everything has a limit.  That limit is reached very quickly in a world where even moderately advanced technological weaponry is present

This of course means that whether one is engaged in conventional physical development, Aiki development, social violence or even predatory violence, the scope of viability is severely limited.  This is the reason that law enforcement and military personnel carry weaponry, weapon retainment, and why much of modern combat training is focused on deployment of weaponry.

With regards to Aiki . . .

There is the big difference between developing Aiki techniques, and developing an Aiki body/mind.  Furthermore, training Aiki techniques has proven to be rather ineffective at developing an Aiki body/mind.  That is to say, one can spend decades practicing Aiki techniques and never develop the ability to manifest the attributes that make Aiki attractive in the first place.  This is why there were practices for training Aiki techniques, and practices for developing an Aiki body/mind.

Aiki techniques are fine, but they suffer from some of the same inherent weakness that other techniques do.  A well developed Aiki body/mind can be advantageous in dealing with combat, especially when coupled with relevant training.  However, that to has limitations.  

Tactically, realistically knowing one’s strengths and weaknesses is an advantage.  Ignorance is almost always a disadvantage.

Thank you Robin for such a great question!,

Allen

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