You have Value. That's why you should train.

Civilization has made us soft.  Yes, we have antibiotics, microwaves, and 401k's, but as individuals, we've essentially traded some pretty interesting things for this.  There will be some strong arguments around this topic, and the points they make are likely as correct as mine.  I'm speaking primarily about protection of ourselves.  Yes, civilization good.  Uncivilized bad.  Yes, technology is amazing and look at all we've accomplished.  But has trading our personal protection, or at least coming to rely on others for it, diminished our self-confidence behind the false feeling of security?

I wonder if trading the protection of our selves has resulted in making us weaker people, mentally as well as physically. 

When something has value, it must be protected.  Investopedia.com had a great description of value: 

"Value is the monetary, material, or assessed worth of an asset, good, or service. "Value" is attached to a myriad of concepts including shareholder value, the value of a firm, fair value, and market value. " 

You have value.  Your valueables have value.  Bad guys, depending on their needs, wants, or cravings can WANT to take either .  "Evil corporations" or politicians can want to control you because that control has value to them.

Back in the day, when we were banging rocks together, the stronger types protected the weak (Or at least I imagine that's how it was.  I'm old, but I wasn't there back then).  The men fought the other men from neighboring family tribes and if you FA you FO.  As civilization progressed, and yeah I'm skipping over hundreds of years, professional armies were developed because they realized that professional violence doers were generally better than part time violence doers.  'It is better to be a warrior in a garden, than a gardener in a war.' — Miyamoto Musashi

Sure.  There are and will be people who may not be suited for using violence to protect themself.  Sometimes this is a physical thing, other times mental, still other times it's religious.  All are valid.  I am not saying everyone should learn to protect themselves (though it couldn't hurt).   I am saying that by relying on professional violence doers, society has left space for the idea that those that want to protect themselves are somehow less civilized than those that don't.  We fear what we don't understand.  There are people who don't understand why you'd want to learn BJJ, or Muay Thai, or Kali.  They don't understand why you'd want to carry a knife, a gun, or pepper spray. 

There's a viral video online where they ask several mothers, one at a time, "Would you kill for your child?"  Back when I was a kid, if you asked my mom or any of her friends back then, the answer would be almost universally: "They'd never find the body." 

Today, almost every single mom interviewed said no.  Does one viral shock video speak for all of America?  No and yes.  No, because statistically, it's a relatively small sample, they likely didn't make sure it was all that randomized, and most videographers are trying to tell a story (Oh, and also, radical things like that really gets the views.  It would have been a much more lame video if it had been 50-50.)  And yes because most people I've talked to or shared this with weren't surprised.

But that's the world we live in.  People have been so safe in their lives, with so much focus on police and military protection that many simply don't understand WHY someone would want to protect themselves with hands, feet, or worse: Tools. 

What does all of this have to do with self protection? 

You have value.  YOU should be protected.  One of my favorite bumper stickers says:  "When seconds count, police are only minutes away."  If you ask a police officer, they'd agree.  They can't be everywhere all the time.  That's a place no one wants to live (If you want to read about that, the Book is called 1984). 

So, you should learn to protect yourself.  The confidence I have seen in people after just one seminar is pretty impressive.  Yes, I acknowledge that one seminar won't make you a stone cold martial arts expert.  But I also believe that the martial arts journey is also part of the journey of life.  By seeking out training, and being mindful about  your own safety, you will strengthen yourself. You will improve yourself.  You may seek out additional opportunities to learn more.  You will feel more confident in knowing that you are taking your self improvement seriously. 

You are showing yourself that you have value by  acknowledging that things of value should be protected, and by learning how to protect that thing.  "I care about me, because I am worth caring about.  I am worth improving because I care about me." 

It might seem a little woo-woo, but you are worth caring about.  (And I probably don't even know you.)

By being a strong person and taking your value seriously, I imagine that you'll be more likely to want to see positive change in that direction in the world.  Help others less strong than you see their value.  Push back against those that would have you trade your value for protection.  Stand up to those that would take your value or your valuables.  There's nothing against being a strong person.  And one way to get stronger is to train.

I look forward to training with you.

-jim