Good Fighting Is Not An Excuse for Bad Behaviour
There is a camaraderie that easily forms when you fence with someone intensely and enjoy the experience. I’ve seen this in wrestling, sword fighting, and other martial arts. There is an intimacy to that kind of visceral connection that forges bonds—types of bonds not often formed in other places. Especially for men in our society who have few opportunities or frameworks to form close physical relationships with others outside of the romantic world. And for women who are given few places to engage physically with men that don’t involve sexuality.
Yet like a physical attraction, this type of connection can often screen us from really seeing or acknowledging the negative behaviours and actions of these people. It’s very easy to feel: “I had a great fight with that guy, therefore, he is an awesome person.” Yet how much do we really know about this person and their values? Or, knowing their values, how much do we want to excuse them based on the worth of the sparring session we had?
Those to whom we offer respect and friendship become a type of leader in our lives, and we look to leaders to share with us their ideas on how to live. This is especially true when we are entering a new community. These role models tell us how to behave in that community. We learn from them what is acceptable and what is not. What has worth and what is irrelevant. And these lessons are imparted by how that person responds to failure, offers respect, deals with challenge, and their relationship with honesty. It comes across not just in what they explicitly say but in their actions as teachers, students, friends, and colleagues.
Don’t underestimate your capacity to absorb values implicitly. It’s part of our evolved human instincts to survive and fit in. Whether you want to or not, the people you spend time with, change you.
So choose your friends, teachers, and sparring partners wisely. Make sure that the influence they’re going to have on who you are is going to take you toward the values you hold close. Yes, developing your martial skills is important, but it is your character that carries you through life. There are plenty of teachers and sparring partners out there capable of helping you develop as a martial artist while supporting and encouraging the best of you as a person.
A few questions I ask myself about teachers and training partners. Does this person…
- Show care and compassion toward others?
- Seek to better themselves AND those around them?
- Welcome others in who are not like them?
I don’t expect them to be perfect. They don’t even have to be nice all the time. But as people, I expect them to be good ones.
What are your values? What are the choices you need to make to support them? Take a moment to share a thought in the comments.
Devon
Are we talking alignment here? I vote for no 12th level chaotic evil fighters allowed at l’Academie! But wait, those lawful good paladins can be equally annoying.
We gravitate towards the sparring partners and teachers and yes, schools, that appear to share our values. Do I want to spar with someone who jumps up and down, screams like a bird, and fist pumps every time they hit me? (think Olympic fencing). Uh, not really. I don’t care how good they are. How about someone who knows I’m a green chord, but constantly uses techniques outside my realm such as blade grabbing or false edge moves to hit me? No, I don’t want that either. And don’t think I’m learning from being constantly beaten this way. It’s going to frustrate me and make me wonder if I should sign up next month. However, it’s up to me to let that person know I prefer to stay within “true fight” before we spar. If the person is “good” they will respect your request. If not, avoid them. There are plenty of fighters who will respect your wishes and help you progress.
Well said, Simon. Thankfully AD’s Salle and many others have attentive practitioners who will go out of their way to help. We all received this art freely (the fees are for electricity and stuff, not the art itself), and we are obligated to freely pass it on.
Now I will say that the challenge of fencing someone of superior technique, no holds barred, is there for the taking. And when one feels up to it, make it a learning experience that will give focus to training and lots of food for thought.