Ritualised violence has become perverted

It has happened again. And once again in Munich. On a subway train youths attacked a man and severely injured him.

What did he do wrong?
Did he look at the young thug in a wrong way, or fail to pay him enough tribute? There was probably no objective reason at all, but many of these thugs have long ceased to need one.
Those training in our BlitzDefence know that the escalation stages of violence formerly served to secure the respect of others and to maintain one’s status in the group versus outsiders. Impelled by instincts that are many thousands of years old, noblemen in the Middle Ages would challenge any upstart to a duel who dared to fix him with his eyes.
Such duels only ended fatally in very rare cases, as their purpose was actually only to satisfy honour. In the same way – at least until the end of the 1970s – a shove or a punch to the face sufficed to consign the victim back to his position in the food chain with the first show of blood. There was no reason to kill the opponent, who was after all a member of one’s own species, whatever the rivalry.
There is still no reason to do so today, but it still happens increasingly often. To counteract this tendency, young people must e.g. be shown new perspectives and therefore alternatives to "brutal" violence, and relearn the rules of ritualised combat, which is the antithesis of killing and actually a “blessing”.
I have been teaching self-defence for more than 40 years, and for more than 20 years I have closely studied violence between men in the form of ritualised territorial combat. My specialist area is to teach and train the intended victim, i.e. the defender. I show him how he can prevent violence, or if necessary bring it to an end effectively.
I am no psychologist or criminologist, but in my view the motivation of the perpetrators works on many levels. Moreover, I personally think it is doubtful whether we can turn the wheel of perverted violence back. It is being inexorably driven by music that encourages violence, and by computer and Gotcha games that were originally conceived by psychologists to overcome the natural reluctance of soldiers to kill. Added to which we now have films and videos, as well as martial arts events for spectators (which have recently been allowed in Germany) where kicks to the head of a prone opponent (!) are permitted.
When will people understand that it is not punches, but precisely these kicks to the head of an opponent lying on the ground that kill?

What does this mean for us WingTsun people?
Above all else, it clearly shows how essential and at the same time simple the purpose of our training should be. Passing grading tests, enjoying the physical exercise, friendships between training partners, learning new techniques – all these are stages on a journey that is hopefully enjoyable to you all. But anybody reading such shocking reports must be aware that the goal is always to defend ourselves successfully.
We train to prevent violence, or at least not to fall victim to it. That is our goal. Everything else is subordinate to it. Starting with excessive traditionalism, which makes us think in terms of techniques, and right up to our greatest inner enemy – our own ego. By all means enjoy your WingTsun training, but never forget: violence is not confined to Munich. It can occur anywhere.

Best wishes
Your SiFu/SiGung

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