The Look

Men through time and experience develop a look.  We recognize it in others who have it.  We instinctively know when others don't have it, because we can't see it.  It's funny that generally those who have the look are not generally the people who cause problems without having a good reason.  They are generally pretty laid back, until somebody threatens them, their family, or somebody they care about.  Or unless someone else is just being completely moronic and stupid and public because they think they are going to get away with it, or in worst case scenarios because they think they are some kind of bad ass.  It is always unfortunate when someone who is dangerous has a run in with someone who thinks they are dangerous.

As I started the post off with this look takes time to develop.  It generally develops after you have been knocked down more than once and know you can get back up and ask for more.  It develops after enough training or fights that you're confident in your ability to inflict large amounts of pain and severe discomfort upon another individual in a rather short amount of time and usually under some duress.  It develops because you know you can withstand the punishment of other better skilled men and still inflict enough damage the other guy is going to end up in the hospital with you.  You know you may lose but you're tough enough to take it and dumb enough to take an ass whoopin to not just let go.  Or you know you can totally take the other guy out and inflict just enough damage to dissuade them from being stupid for the moment, or a bit more to maybe cause a life changing moment in the other person's life.

That's why people learn martial arts, lift weights, train on punching bags, learn to fight with swords, shoot guns accurately, throw knives, and many other ways of hurting to killing our fellow man.  We learn to defend ourselves so we can walk around without being afraid or so we can relax and enjoy the good parts of life knowing that if the evil side of life presents itself that you will not be caught unawares.  The confidence is a freedom unto itself.  It lets you relax your guard and enjoy life.  It lets you stand up for others who can't defend themselves.

It's something I learned between my time in the United States Army, taking Kempo Karate classes, and from my father growing up.  I learned about weapons as a child in the back woods of Idaho growing up.  From shooting pistols, rifles, and shotguns and somewhere along the way I learned about archery, sword fighting, how to throw knives and axes.  Some of my friends and I were discussing that look you recognize in some men which gave me the idea for this post.  Some people will never get it, some will never understand.  Those of us that have it recognize the look in others who have it.  So when you see that look and get that that feeling of maybe I shouldn't push this point.  Maybe you should reconsider your current course of action, or the next stupid thing that's on the tip of tongue.

You never know what the other guy knows or has been through in his life.  You can't measure the level of the other guy's persistence, drive, or endurance.  Some of the most dangerous men I know are the nicest looking laid back guys who generally have a smile on their face and are the salt of the earth.  Until you cross them or piss them off.  If you're lucky, you'll see the look before they tear you a new one.

Have a nice day!  Remember to Smile and be extra nice to others in Missouri, it's a right to conceal and carry State.  You never know who may be packing heat, hell grandma could be carrying a gun.

Posted in: Experience Dangerous Martial Arts