NATURAL BORN KILLERS
Society is made up of a broad mix of people and roughly 1% of the population are said to be psychopathic maniacs. These are people who thrive on violence, that take pleasure in inflicting psychological/physical pain on others, have low fear threshold and lack empathy.
On the other side of the spectrum, we also have people in society who deal with dangerous situations and jobs - the military and others exposed to great risk of injury or death. They display some of the characteristics of a psychopath but they channel their energies into roles the majority would not be equipped to take on.
There are also a great number of people who thrive on danger, aggression and violence. Boxers, martial artists and other trained fighters, who entertain us with their battles or protect and defend us from danger. These people all have a killer mindset - for that is what motivates them to fight in the first place. However, there are marked differences between those with a killer mindset and outright killers. When we compare a fighter, killer and a murderer, we can see where the same killer instinct has very different underlying motivations. Because controlled combat for entertainment, has an established set of rules to follow and even fighters in war, trained for the purpose of killing, have a code of rules to abide by, whereas a murderer's only rule is possibly not to get caught.
Psychopaths are not the only ones to watch out for. No matter how passive we believe we are, or revulsed by violence inflicted on others, we all have this killer lurking somewhere inside us. Because, if provoked, we are all capable of carrying out supremely heinous deeds. But conversely, we are also capable of being courageous heroes too. Sometimes it's just a very fine line that separates the two.
On the other side of the spectrum, we also have people in society who deal with dangerous situations and jobs - the military and others exposed to great risk of injury or death. They display some of the characteristics of a psychopath but they channel their energies into roles the majority would not be equipped to take on.
There are also a great number of people who thrive on danger, aggression and violence. Boxers, martial artists and other trained fighters, who entertain us with their battles or protect and defend us from danger. These people all have a killer mindset - for that is what motivates them to fight in the first place. However, there are marked differences between those with a killer mindset and outright killers. When we compare a fighter, killer and a murderer, we can see where the same killer instinct has very different underlying motivations. Because controlled combat for entertainment, has an established set of rules to follow and even fighters in war, trained for the purpose of killing, have a code of rules to abide by, whereas a murderer's only rule is possibly not to get caught.
Psychopaths are not the only ones to watch out for. No matter how passive we believe we are, or revulsed by violence inflicted on others, we all have this killer lurking somewhere inside us. Because, if provoked, we are all capable of carrying out supremely heinous deeds. But conversely, we are also capable of being courageous heroes too. Sometimes it's just a very fine line that separates the two.
Killer Training
I've been back in the gym regularly over the last few weeks. There's been a weights routine, some stretching and general cardio - but the main focus on Monday-Friday mornings, has been my MMA training.
Mixed Martial Arts is a style of fighting that encompasses different styles of full-contact, hand-to-hand combat. It's another one of our entertainment outlets for showcasing the modern-day warrior. We watch these highly trained individuals battle it out in wire cages, to witness that base killer instinct at work. The difference between the classic warrior contests of antiquity of course, is that these modern bouts are fought until one person is either knocked unconscious or surrenders to the other opponent. There's also a referee to intervene before anyone gets seriously hurt. This hasn't always been the case, as Roman history will clearly prove and we can see from other competitive forms of human 'rutting', which have gone on since the beginning of time.
We are hard-wired to fight for survival and we are all fascinated by the macabre actions of killers and death. We can't help but to look at the pictures or read the real-life horror stories in the media. It's not just a morbid fascination with the news either - many of the most popular TV series in our homes, like Game of Thrones, Dexter or Hannibal, focus on the worst traits about human nature. We encounter forms of entertainment that's not so far removed from the games of death played out in virtual arenas akin to the real ones our ancestors observed in the Colosseum and other venues for gore & death. Yes, technologically, we've evolved to beam these scenes into our homes, but the truth is, we are no more civilised today than we were 2000+ years ago.
We are hard-wired to fight for survival and we are all fascinated by the macabre actions of killers and death. We can't help but to look at the pictures or read the real-life horror stories in the media. It's not just a morbid fascination with the news either - many of the most popular TV series in our homes, like Game of Thrones, Dexter or Hannibal, focus on the worst traits about human nature. We encounter forms of entertainment that's not so far removed from the games of death played out in virtual arenas akin to the real ones our ancestors observed in the Colosseum and other venues for gore & death. Yes, technologically, we've evolved to beam these scenes into our homes, but the truth is, we are no more civilised today than we were 2000+ years ago.
Fighters inflict pain to wear their opponent down for a victory. Killers also want to win but they will pursue it to survive at any cost, whereas murderers will take another's life without greatly risking their lives in order to fulfil their own desires. There are killers all around us and if the situation ever arises, you are a very capable killing machine two. A lot of people feel uncomfortable, but knowing this fact about ourselves, helps to keep our inner beast in check. Embracing the inner warrior gives us strength and confidence - and instills respect in other men and women.
The Inner Chimp
Negative energy can be easily built up as we become increasingly stressed. Through frustration and emotional turmoil, we begin perceiving others as a threat. Our inner chimp or primitive fight & flight mechanism becomes activated and we tend to act more irrationally towards others. This beast can be difficult to pacify - especially when allowed to react in situations that lead to violence. So, safely releasing this inner beast through an intense fighting training session, can help to expel some of the pent up aggressive energy.
This technique for clearing pent-up frustration and aggression is clearly working for me. I not only feel better physically but also, channelling any negative energy through fighting training, helps create within me, a much more relaxed and happy mindset. Everybody benefits when we are in this state. Calm, collected and modest traits can be observed in other trained fighters too.
Being Prepared
Sure, we don't ever want to be caught out by a cold faced killer, but how will we ever know when we're in the presence of a psychopath anyway? By having a certain demeanour, that says 'don't try anything with me' - a type of fighter awareness and readiness for action that exudes from the battle-trained, physically hardened and mentally toughened individual, we can be sure to give off a warning to those that mean us harm, or intend to take advantage of any perceived weakness - be that in a situation related to personal relationships or business. So adapt and embrace that killer instinct, channel the energy into creating a warrior that is respected, powerful but also humble, modest and quietly confident about tackling any situation that comes our way.
The Inner Chimp
Negative energy can be easily built up as we become increasingly stressed. Through frustration and emotional turmoil, we begin perceiving others as a threat. Our inner chimp or primitive fight & flight mechanism becomes activated and we tend to act more irrationally towards others. This beast can be difficult to pacify - especially when allowed to react in situations that lead to violence. So, safely releasing this inner beast through an intense fighting training session, can help to expel some of the pent up aggressive energy.
This technique for clearing pent-up frustration and aggression is clearly working for me. I not only feel better physically but also, channelling any negative energy through fighting training, helps create within me, a much more relaxed and happy mindset. Everybody benefits when we are in this state. Calm, collected and modest traits can be observed in other trained fighters too.
Being Prepared
Sure, we don't ever want to be caught out by a cold faced killer, but how will we ever know when we're in the presence of a psychopath anyway? By having a certain demeanour, that says 'don't try anything with me' - a type of fighter awareness and readiness for action that exudes from the battle-trained, physically hardened and mentally toughened individual, we can be sure to give off a warning to those that mean us harm, or intend to take advantage of any perceived weakness - be that in a situation related to personal relationships or business. So adapt and embrace that killer instinct, channel the energy into creating a warrior that is respected, powerful but also humble, modest and quietly confident about tackling any situation that comes our way.
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