Dear Martial Artist, you have just reached the shortest and most simplified article of our entire database. Don’t expect us to say much about the Psychology of Aggression, as there’s nothing more simple than the following statement:
In a real life situation, whoever is about to attack you has nothing to lose
The Psychological part of this Statement
Easy sentence, isn’t it? Now let’s discover why:
- In a real life situation. Yes, because out there – and not on a ring – there are no rules, there is no timer, environment can work against you and, most important, the attacker will make sure there won’t be any crowd watching or any referee stopping him.
- Nothing to lose. In the Hagakure, the ancient Book of the Samurai, most of the essays focus on the fact that “a Warrior’s life is based on Death”. And that’s true:
if you are always ready to die, why bother..?
The attacker who is just about to hit you knows this principle and – sorry to say that – outmatches you under this point of view. “Why??!” you may wonder. Because you have got a house, a girlfriend/spouse, parents and friends, maybe a child, material belongings you care about, and ultimately a lifestyle that after all is not that bad…
…and the attacker? Nothing. So who, of the two parts, will think twice?
Learn this before life throws you a curve-ball!
While your mind is wasting time thinking about the best action to take before and during the attack, the attacker has already finalized his strategy: a plan as simple as the word “attack” itself, boosted by the fact the maybe he has already seen a jail in his life or, more simply, he has nothing to lose by ending up in one.
Only by keeping in mind these cruel but real life-rules we will have the right spirit when facing our enemy. Because the ultimate rule of all fighting rules is
Know your Enemy as you know yourself
