A Quick Dose of Reality

Have a look at the shocking video above.

The point I want to make here is that all the martial arts training in the world doesn't make a difference when you get attacked from behind by an attacker you didn't see coming.

In our modern world, violence we are likely to experience (outside of military service or terrorist attacks) takes two typical forms:  monkey Dance and Predatory assault.  In the Monkey Dance, violence is secondary to the emotional need to show dominance, status, offense, and the like.  It is a social behavior where the violence can usually be avoided by apologizing, conceding defeat or giving in to the social demands (saying "uncle" or whatever).  In the monkey dance, the other party is not really out to harm you; they are out to prove a point.  Sneak attacks are socially reprehensible, and the monkey dance includes unspoken rules about "fighting fair" for both sides.  lions establishing dominance in the pack is a version of the monkey dance, and lions generally are not killed or seriously inured by it.  one gives up and the "fight" is over.  Violence is not the main objective.

Predatory assault is what you see above.  It is generally an attack using surprise, superior numbers, and possibly weapons.  Lions hunting zebras is not a social exercise  and the objective for the lion is to kill and eat the zebra.  Violence is the main objective.

In the video above, the attacker doesn't seem to be after her money, her body, or anything else except violence for violence's sake.  Still, after a hit like that he could probably do whatever he wanted.  I hope this video leads to his capture and imprisonment.

This has also caused me to rethink whether or not I would wear headphones/earbuds while walking.
Hearing approaching footsteps is better than not hearing them, right?