On the Fundamental Stupidity of Gun Control

One who lives the martial way develops a comprehensive understanding for violence lacking in the majority of the population.  Training to use one's own body in a lethal capacity and resist the lethal intentions of others tends to destroy many illusions about pain, victimhood, fairness, and danger.  A true warrior cannot relate to naive conceptions of violence and has a predisposition to offending and frightening those who lack similar experiences.

Gun control is one topic which perfectly illustrates the disconnect between warriors and typical sheep.  A warrior realizes that human beings have always killed one another through a variety of different means, all of them more or less effective.  They realize that guns are simply a more effective extension of one's intent, whether that intent is good or evil.  Therefore, the warrior who seeks an end to gun violence seeks to destroy evil intent, not merely remove the means of expressing that intent.  Cowardly sheep seek merely to attack the opportunities for evil people to harm them, as though taking the gun away from someone who intends to kill is the only necessary step to prevent that person from killing someone.

This issue relates to form versus function.  Sheep focus only upon the form of violence: how it looks.  They see a gun, feel fear, and band together to abolish guns forever so they feel safe... until knife attacks become a new object of fear.  A warrior focuses on the function of violence.  They understand that preventing access to weaponry without destroying evil intent will continue to result in killing.  Below are problems in the logic of gun control:

1.  Shooting people is already illegal.  Those who currently own and carry guns legally cannot legally shoot anyone and get away with it.  Those who go around shooting people to death virtually always get killed themselves or locked up, and those who intend to kill others do not bother to go through the process of legally obtaining their firearms in order to commit criminal acts.

2.  Gun control is impossible.  Because criminals often obtain firearms through illegal means, only law abiding citizens will be disarmed by gun control, often to the great benefit of professional predators.  Gun control will not reduce gun violence.  It will decrease the options of law abiding citizens who must defend against it.

3. Gun control is a slippery slope with no end.  Let's assume that gun control actually keeps criminals from obtaining guns.  Great.  But people keep getting stabbed.  Let's also make knives illegal.  Cool.  But wait, we forgot about bows and arrows, spears, heavy flashlights, farming implements, blackjacks, construction tools, rocks, and sticks.  Might as well make all hand held objects illegal.  But then evil people will continue to beat, choke, gouge, and rip one another to death due to their evil intent which never got addressed in the first place.

4.  Firearms are not nearly as deadly as believed.  80% of handgun shooting victims survive.  Concealable guns are not always the most efficient method to kill someone.  One of the fastest mass killings in history took place between the Hutus and Tutsis and machetes were the primary tool of choice, not guns.  Despite this lack of equipment, the Sudanese genocide killed people at a faster rate than the Jewish Holocaust.  A hunting arrowhead fired from a modest bow can instantly impale and disembowel a struck victim with one shot and no plans are in place to take them off the market.  Other examples of deadly items left out of the gun debate abound.

5. Evil intent does not require a weapon to harm and kill.  Before guns, serial murderers used different tools.  A school full of children can be barricaded shut and burned down far more easily than individually shooting everyone inside.  Serial stranglings and stabbings used to terrorize sheep in the days before concealable guns.

Hopefully, this list can shed light on the absurdity of gun control legislation which will neither prevent criminal access to guns, nor reduce the evil intent of murderers.

A Note on The Martial Way and Asperger's/Autism Spectrum Disorder

This post assumes that the martial way is distinct from the martial arts.  The martial way is the means by which one selects the manner and circumstances of their own death.  The martial arts can be seen as the explicit means of accomplishing this goal.  There are times where the martial arts actually detract from a person's adherence to the martial way by rendering them more likely to engage in conflict, or removing their inhibitions for violence.  Those individuals exhibiting ASD and other antisocial tendencies are particularly likely to fit this description.

For the uninitiated, ASD is a behavioral and social disorder characterized by social insensitivity or oversensitivity, insufficient empathy, and abnormal repetitive behaviors and fixations.  Much like bipolar disorder and other psychological disorders marked by antisocial tendencies, high functioning ASD sufferers will sometimes self aggrandize their disability rather than accepting its limitations and working to correct them.  With respect to the martial arts, this particular tendency can result in destructive behavior patterns and confrontational attitudes toward violence/conflict which guarantee a life characterized by conflict and frustration.

In some ways, ASD drives many sufferers to the martial arts as a means of restoring a psychological sense of safety.  ASD sufferers are almost guaranteed to be bullied at some point in their lives, often to the point of painful trauma.  This author understands this reality  and does not lack empathy for those afflicted.  However, this blog holds the position that rather than helping ASD sufferers prevent future bullying, martial arts training can result in more violent responses to future bullying that could be prevented in other, nonviolent ways.

In order for a typically developed person to succeed in martial arts training, they require certain basic skills.  These include empathy, physical coordination, and the ability to accept sometimes contradictory and vague instructions.  All of these basic capacities are lacking to some extent in ASD individuals.  As such, it is not only useless, but dangerous for a person with these deficits to train in a martial arts setting.

Below, this post debunks some popular arguments for the inclusion of ASD individuals in the martial arts.

The Martial Arts Teach Teamwork, Communication, and Cooperation

This very well may be true, depending on the school, however, the students at a dojo do not pay monthly tuition to offer unpaid social sensitivity training to the disabled.  They pay to learn the martial arts.  A sensei may or may not choose to keep such a student, as the martial arts are not appropriate for everyone.  ASD individuals often respond poorly to instruction, slow down class progress, and can even be dangerous during the training of certain techniques which require students to 'tap out' or risk irreversible bodily injury.  This author has personally witnessed an ASD student hyperextend the elbows of several students before finally understanding that 'tapping out' means to stop cranking another person's elbow!  This is not an appropriate or ethical way to learn social cues!  An ASD sufferer should find other, safer outlets for learning social sensitivity than a potentially injurious, deadly art.

The Martial Arts Can Teach ASD Sufferers Confidence to Overcome Bullying

Firstly, most ASD sufferers do not lack confidence and in fact have a tendency to disdain normal people.  Self esteem is hardly an issue for the typical ASD sufferer and they have little need for more.  Secondly, by teaching a person who already lacks social skills to solve normal social problems with violence, a martial arts school has just taken a technical sociopath and taught them how to best hurt people instead of teaching proper deescalation skills.  Most martial arts schools assume that its students already know how to normally interact, and teach for worst case scenarios.  An ASD sufferer may risk using the last resort techniques of normal people as typical responses to teasing, exclusion, and frustration, thus increasing their likelihood of conflict with others and reducing their control over the manner of their own death.

The Martial Arts Can Keep ASD Sufferers Active and Physically Healthy

Again, this very well may be true, but why not encourage less dangerous forms of physical exercise?  Running, swimming, weight lifting, and yoga replicate or exceed the health benefits of a martial arts class with none of the already described disadvantages. 

So, What Should an ASD Sufferer Do Instead?!?

Before an ASD sufferer is ready to train in the martial arts, they must first master control of their anger and fear, gradually practice social engagement, seek to understand social cues by trial and error, criticize their own faults before those of others, and improve their physical fitness.  All of these necessary skills can be mastered without ever setting foot in a dojo and will greatly improve one's quality of life.  If an ASD individual feels threatened and wishes to defend themselves, they should seek to avoid all contact with those who mean them harm.  If conflict is inevitable, pepper spray is a cheap, nondeadly solution to most physical altercations and requires little skill to implement.

The author understands that this post will upset many individuals who fit the ASD or antisocial profile, but urges those affected to consider their own preparedness for a martial arts setting.  Work on becoming a less dangerous person before attempting to learn a skill which could unnecessarily injure and kill.  ASD sufferers have no business training the martial arts or weapon handling until they have honestly improved their social skills and tendencies to act out aggressively, and teachers have no business offering dangerous techniques to those have not demonstrated proper deescalation skills.

Creating a Minimalist Home Gym

The Russian culture has practically distilled the core elements of strong physical manhood.  Though the country covers 11.5% of the globe, it has endured centuries of freezing cold, famine, warfare, revolution, and cultural isolation.  Russians of all ethnicities have learned to survive and thrive in the face of overwhelming odds.  It is no surprise then that this culture created Kettlebell Sport, the martial art of weight lifting.  This post will detail how basic competence in kettlebell lifting can serve as a platform for a complete home gym which can deliver a lifetime of lifting gains with minimal space and cost. 

The following equipment, when purchased, can meet almost all physical conditioning goals: a complete set of kettlebells (16, 24, and 32 kg.), two 10 pound ankle weights, 2 automobile straps for securing items, two sturdy chairs with low backs, a door pullup bar or free standing pullup bar, a smooth wall, a 10 foot by 10 foot section of floor.

Examples of Heavy Weight Hypertrophy Development

The biggest complaint of this equipment set is the allegedly limited loading capacity of the kettlebell set and ankle weights.  However, the complainant lacks imagination in this instance.  By strapping kettlebells together using the car straps, and using the straps to hang multiple kettlebells around one's waist, around 80 kilograms or 176 pounds can be strapped to the body to increase resistance for pullups on a pullup bar and dips between chairs.  For those who fear damaging door frames with large pullup weights, training the assisted one armed variety can accomplish the same results as adding weight without adding any weight to the door frame.  The 176 pounds can also be cleaned and front squatted for repetitions by strapping the weights together and cleaning them to one's chest.  Changing the uneven load from side to side between sets can prevent strength imbalances.  This load is more than sufficient for almost any strength athlete, as anyone who can pullup, dip, and front squat with 176 extra pounds for repetitions is functionally strong enough for any life task.  This same 176 pounds can be tied together to form one large handheld weight to use for one arm presses and jerks.  A person who can overhead press or even jerk 176 pounds with one arm must be exceedingly strong throughout their entire body.  The smooth wall can be used as an aid for handstand work just as the floor can be used for pushups, planks, and bridges of all varieties.

Examples of Conditioning

By practicing traditional kettlebell sport and running, an athlete may reach very close to their maximum potential for endurance.  Cutting training weight and increasing repetitions of full body movements like the snatch and clean and jerk are the only requirements necessary.  It is even possible to switch weight lifting from endurance to strength in cycles.  For example, one week could include weighted dips, pullups, and front squats along with one arm overhead presses.  The next week could include only the kettlebell snatch or clean and jerk for maximum repetitions alongside bodyweight exercises.

In total, the exercises described in this post constitute a completely scalable training regime for an entire lifetime and cost approximately $700, one time.  Compare this to the average yearly cost of gym membership: $660.  When compared to the large amount of money which funnels into yearly gym memberships and contracts, buying the equipment outlined above is a far cheaper investment for long term physical fitness.

Hopefully this post provides some examples of how a person can stay frugal and develop world class strength and conditioning at the same time in the convenience of home.

Thoughts on Home Defense

A home in the martial sense is wherever one's guard is most relaxed.  Even the most adept warrior must sleep, and developing a safe space for such activity constitutes a basic survival skill.

The first consideration of home defense is location.  Only the ignorant begin a discussion of home defense with a weapon system, as this is a last resort.  The first consideration for home defense is an acceptable location.

A safe neighborhood is one that is well observed by neighbors with minimal turnover and a geographically isolated location.  A criminal should have a hard time finding, entering, and escaping the neighborhood relative to other neighborhoods.  A single entry road is ideal for creating a choke point for would be criminals by law enforcement or vigilantes.  Neighbors who have lived there longer tend to pay greater attention to suspicious situations and are more likely to be vigilant in reporting infractions and strange individuals.

Next, one should examine the relative location of the house or apartment.  Ideally, a home should be within close proximity of trustworthy neighbors.  If that cannot be accomplished, the home should be in an inconspicuous location tucked away from main access routes. 

For the home itself, points of entry become the next consideration.  All doors to the outside must contain a deadbolt at minimum to prevent silent lock picking. A peephole, chain, or small window is another necessity to discretely provide information on visitors.  A gate over the door can provide additional security.  Dog doors should not be used.  All windows must have secure, strong latches and sticks in their sills to prevent opening in the case of broken or forgotten latches.  Upstairs windows should be difficult to access without specialized equipment and balconies should be too high to jump and grab.  Ideally, upstairs windows should not have overhangs or extensive sills.  All windows should have steel shutters, if possible.  Screen doors should either open to an inaccessible balcony, or connect to the main living area of the home.  Screen doors to bedrooms pose an extra security risk.  Ventilation ducts, attics, and basements should not have direct entrances from the outside. 

Now that the points of contact with the home are covered, a home owner must establish a continuum of escalation during a break in.  Sleeping should ideally be done in a room that is accessible only through a lockable door and an inaccessible window, preferably on the second story.  Sleeping in a windowless room is even more ideal, though it may conflict with some preferences.  The main living area should constitute a safety buffer between the outside world and the bedroom, such that a break in will enter the main area and be detected before contacting the bedroom.  In a rich home, a panic room, or windowless, hidden, and reinforced room adjacent to the bedroom can be used to protect occupants before a breach of the bedroom is possible as well as providing a safe place to phone authorities.  If a panic room or tactical retreat is impossible, a homeowner must phone authorities and/or fight.

This is where a discussion of home defense weapons and combat becomes relevant: as a final line of defense when all other lines have been fully exhausted.  Use of a gun provides the advantage of range, speed, and ease of use, but other methods are possible.  When no gun is available, the defender should find an ambush point and wait with a heavy blunt object and knife.  This author recommends a large maglight and a tanto point.  Those skilled in gun disarms may find the knife alone is sufficient.  The first priority is getting out of the line of fire of a potential attacker, the second is to control the weapon's aim, and the third is to neutralize the attacker.  Striking the attacker with the maglight, grabbing control of the gun, and repeatedly stabbing the attacker in the neck is one example of these principles in effect.

Now that all possible levels of home defense have been considered, the reader should note the various kinds of criminals who will be deterred at various levels.  They consist of three types: opportunistic criminals, committed criminals, and selective criminals.

Opportunists seek easy entry and exit from homes, minimal resistance, and easy access to valuables.  These criminals may be deterred through simple neighborhood selection, attention to locks, and inaccessibility of windows.  These are the least selective criminals, as anyone's valuables will satisfy them.  These are the most common criminals who require the least amount of will power and they exist on a continuum from thieves to serial murderers. 

Committed criminals have chosen a specific home, but are indifferent to the occupants.  They will generally study a house for weaknesses and design a tactical approach to home invasion.  Such criminals usually remain committed despite disadvantages because of the high value of their targets.  These criminals will usually be deterred by a well locked bedroom, but some may require a panic room to avoid contact.

Finally, selective criminals are the most terrifying type, as they have chosen a specific occupant or set of occupants as their targets.  These criminals will not be deterred easily by mere difficulty of entry.  They will need to be removed by authorities or neutralized.  Such criminals tend to seek vengeance, information, hostages, or sadistic pleasure.

This author encourages the reader to meditate on their preparations for home defense, the sorts of criminals that are likely, and the layers of protection their home currently affords.  All self defense is a matter of probability and it is possible to reduce one's probability of victimization to nearly zero with appropriate preparations.

Contrast is Sexy

Virtually every human being alive in every culture entertains a variety of sexual fantasies and desires, yet almost no discussion has shed light on why certain things are sexy.  This blog offers a theory which might explain the motivations of those who seek to control society.  The sexiest situations are characterized by stark contrast.  Large, muscular men dominating petite waifish girls generally constitutes the most common preference across cultures.  However, this contrast stands opposed by an unnatural contrast: the domination of large, muscular men by petite waifish girls.  This new contrast characterizes so called progressive cultures and explains their every idiosyncrasy.

In response to this amped culture of female supremacy, two exaggerated responses are possible for men.  They can either double down on dominance or completely submit.  There are no other options left or they lose male identity in the broader culture.  For those men who double down, fetishes involve contrasts which contrast female purity and corruption.  Spilling the pure seed of life in a sweet girl's dirty shithole.  Tying up a warm trusting girl with cold chains in order to betray her.  Punishing a girl who is innocent, kind, and gentle.  For those men who submit totally, fetishes involve contrasts of male superiority and weakness.  A business executive being pegged by a young intern.  A financially enslaved cuckold powerlessly watching as his wife is bred by a better endowed man.  A small man being abused by a large woman.

The intensity of such contrasts have a social cost.  A functional society encourages limited contrast in sexual desires such that men do not need to be brutes and women do not need to be wimps nor the inverse.  Healthy societies thereby encourage unity, harmony, organization, and happiness.  Societies ready to die generally exhibit a more pronounced contrast in sexual fantasies and are characterized by division, aggression, chaos, and misery.

The contrasts which get a person off generally inform the totality of their personal and political views.  Men who are dominant generally support right wing positions to shackle women while women who are dominant generally support left wing attempts to shackle men.  The alternative to these prurient psychosexual conflicts is to disassociate one's sexuality from one's politics and way of life.  Shackle only those who harm others. This is the only way of peace.

Fire is the Ultimate Equalizer: On Equalism and Other Excuses to Destroy

The doctrines of equalism, communism, socialism, progressivism, feminism, postmodernism and all other leftoid academic movements reduce to a single motivation held by almost all members of these movements: the desire to see something destroyed.  These movements distinguish themselves primarily by their targets.  Equalists wish to destroy judgement.  Communists and socialists seek to destroy, or merely cripple, capitalism.  Progressives seek to destroy established patterns of conduct.  Feminists seek to destroy the patriarchy.  Postmodernists seek to destroy dominant, mostly western, philosophical paradigms.  However, even these identifications of hostility do not fully reveal the complete intent of those philosophies.

When one considers the actual human damage accomplished by these movements every day in the name of their causes, one is left with a clear picture of what these movements actually oppose.  A victim count reveals the true preference of these 'humanitarians.'  Equalists hate fair treatment and people of merit.  Communists and socialists hate anyone who possesses something which cannot or won't be redistributed.  Progressives hate stable, enduring patterns of conduct.  Feminists hate strong men, women who love them, and the children they produce.  Postmodernists hate useful, empirical knowledge derived through centuries of trial and error.  When all of these things are destroyed, a logical person has only one question to ask.  When the great march of progress has finally done away with our talented people, our markets and wealth, our familiar traditions, our strong men and gentle women along with their families, and our useful knowledge, what is left?

The philosophies of equalism described above mask their aggressive intents behind veils of jargon and half hearted statistical formulations.  In truth, they are not philosophies at all.  They are merely the justifications of a collective of people individually choosing to destroy.  Sometimes individuals subscribing to these justifications are antisocial and simply enjoy the act of destruction.  Sometimes they have suffered and wish to inflict suffering on others.  In any case, they are just bands of Homo sapiens chimping out by harming and killing other Homo sapiens for pleasure.  Any attempt to justify such conduct behind the pretense of philosophy is as shameful as it is cowardly.

Fire is the ultimate equalizer.  All living things, no matter how magnificent or unique, can burn to the same ash.  The equalist is no more and no less than a social arsonist.  When one is too talentless, hateful, and unimaginative to build something, they often take an empty comfort in seeing something burn.  Their dream of tomorrow is a world as desolate, grey, and ashen as their own broken lives.  An equalist cannot even pretend to understand beauty, creativity, kindness, or peace.  As such, those burned by such arsonists can fight back best by making themselves inignitible and refusing to become ash.  One need not fight back.  There is no triumph in destroying an already defeated opponent.  Respond to such cowardly attacks by redoubling efforts to build and defend.  Pay no heed to the walking dead populating the philosophies of equalism.  They are all the same.