Dangerous Old Men
I came across this interesting post about old men, young men, and the role of violence in maintaining social harmony.
UPDATE
The entire post is thought provoking, and while I found myself nodding in agreement in several places, I do disagree with the following(despite the risk of being pedantic):
Any martial arts school that claims to teach young men to fight but is actually teaching them techniques that are 'not terribly effective' is guilty of fraud - and possibly endangering students. God help the poor student who is forced to use his style in real life only to find that it is more flash than substance, that years of study have been a lie - the results could be rather...unpleasant.
Nor does the dominance of the older teacher(s) rest upon secret or hidden techniques; it rests, as the author notes, on 'discipline in training.' Simply put, the process of learning a traditional martial art is the process of training one's body to move in a new and different manner. Movements are repeated and drilled, over and over again, so that they become more precise, natural and powerful. This process takes quite literally years and years. A student may practice for 3,5 or 7 years before achieving the rank of shodan (1st degree black belt) and even then are very much considered beginners(albeit beginners who have demonstrated that they are serious and dedicated students), not 'masters.' If you look closely enough, all techniques of traditonal martial arts are 'subtle and quick,' as well as physically devastating. The secret is that it take years of practice to actually perform the techniques in such a manner on a consistent basis, especially under pressure. The longer you train diligently, the more skill you accrue, which is where an older practitioner has an advantage than a younger novice.
N.B. The opinions above are simply that - opinions, based on one individual's experience in tradtional martial arts. I do not claim to know all about the subject, so your mileage may vary on this topic.
I was reading an article the other day, in the local newspaper, about an elderly Korean gentleman who has moved into town and opened a martial arts studio. He chastened the reporter who had come to interview him not to suggest that the martial arts were 'all about fighting.' "No!" he said. "The purpose is social harmony."
That is exactly right. The secret of social harmony is simple: Old men must be dangerous.
UPDATE
The entire post is thought provoking, and while I found myself nodding in agreement in several places, I do disagree with the following(despite the risk of being pedantic):
The traditional martial arts tend to teach young men to undertake flashy and impressive, but not terribly effective, fighting techniques. Only as you grow older do the masters of the art teach you the real secrets--the subtle, quick, physically simple ways in which the human body can be destroyed. In this way, the old retain their power over the young--although they lack the speed and strength, they have in discipline in training more than enough to maintain the order.
Any martial arts school that claims to teach young men to fight but is actually teaching them techniques that are 'not terribly effective' is guilty of fraud - and possibly endangering students. God help the poor student who is forced to use his style in real life only to find that it is more flash than substance, that years of study have been a lie - the results could be rather...unpleasant.
Nor does the dominance of the older teacher(s) rest upon secret or hidden techniques; it rests, as the author notes, on 'discipline in training.' Simply put, the process of learning a traditional martial art is the process of training one's body to move in a new and different manner. Movements are repeated and drilled, over and over again, so that they become more precise, natural and powerful. This process takes quite literally years and years. A student may practice for 3,5 or 7 years before achieving the rank of shodan (1st degree black belt) and even then are very much considered beginners(albeit beginners who have demonstrated that they are serious and dedicated students), not 'masters.' If you look closely enough, all techniques of traditonal martial arts are 'subtle and quick,' as well as physically devastating. The secret is that it take years of practice to actually perform the techniques in such a manner on a consistent basis, especially under pressure. The longer you train diligently, the more skill you accrue, which is where an older practitioner has an advantage than a younger novice.
N.B. The opinions above are simply that - opinions, based on one individual's experience in tradtional martial arts. I do not claim to know all about the subject, so your mileage may vary on this topic.
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