Our word this week is Duty and many would consider that and responsible to go hand in hand, often times correctly so. Duty is the stuff that needs to get done, either chosen or not. Sometimes they are as lofty as standing up for what is right or as simple as making sure you go to work every day.
“Whatever is my right as a man is also the right of another; and it becomes my duty to guarantee as well as to possess.” – Thomas Paine, The Rights of Man
This quote illustrates the idea that though as human beings we have many rights, we can not forget that so do others. This alone has been the cause of many conflicts in history and as much as I would like to delve deeper into the ideas of what that entails, I will try to keep things more relatable here.
As martial artists, we are given a duty, usually taught to us by a code or creed or promise we make in every class, almost all of which revolves around the same thing, no matter what school you attend. Do not use your skills for evil. While the definition of evil varies to many, let’s try to look at it from Paine’s point of view. Do not use your skills to deny the rights of another. We know how to hurt people, sometimes permanently. This is a strong power and when used for good, such as protecting yourself or others, it can be a powerful good thing, it can also be turned into a weapon and used against others. Duty is using our skills to defend those who would have their right to live peacefully taken from them, whether it be ourselves, our families or even a stranger you see being harmed. The responsible part comes with using only what is necessary and avoid becoming what some call ‘drunk with power.’
What are your duties as a martial artist? Using your skills for the right reason. Practice to make those skills better. Help those also learning those skills to become better. Teach them the value of knowing peace by being strong inside and out. Until next time,
Train hard,
