Some interesting sayings ...
Don't pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he'll just kill you.
If you find yourself in a fair fight, your tactics are poor.
I carry a gun cause a cop is too heavy.
When seconds count, the cops are just minutes away.
An armed man will kill an unarmed man with monotonous
regularity.
The old sheriff was attending an awards dinner when a
lady commented on his wearing his sidearm. "Sheriff, I see
you have your pistol. Are you expecting trouble?" "No, ma'am. If I were expecting trouble, I'd be carrying my rifle."
Beware the man who only has one gun. He probably knows how to use it.
And, attributed to John Steinbeck:
"This is the law: There is no possible victory in defense,
The sword is more important than the shield,
And skill is more important than either,
The final weapon is the brain.
All else is supplemental."
haThe only one I would add is a take-off of the first:
ReplyDeleteNever pick a fight with an old man unless you know the old man.
Mike Jones
About the Steinbeck Quote, I just finished Erich Von Manstein's memoirs. In it, he claims that defense is the superior position. On the condition that it can withstand the assault of the offensive party.
ReplyDeleteGreat book BTW, I'll do a short review soon.
I dunno. All things being equal, attack is more likely to succeed, especially if it comes out of left field.
ReplyDeletePure defense requires that you be a whole lot better than your attacker. If I throw a hundred punches and you block ninety-nine of them, you still lose.
If you are O-sensei and you can toss me around all day until I get exhausted and quit, maybe.
If we are anywhere close in ability?
If you counter-attack after a punch or three, your defense shifts to offense.
Defense when you attack keeps you from getting clocked yourself, but if you go sword against sword and wind up a-uchi -- mutual slaying -- I don't see defense as a big winner. (Nor offense, for that.)
Two guys with guns, both crack shots, guy who shoots first, it's his to give away. First punch often decides the fight. You hit me, I hit the ground.
Not always, but that's where I'd put my money.
This is not to say that oh-shit moves don't have their places, but better that I see you coming, and head you off at the pass with an attack of my own if yours is incoming.
If I comprehend your attack and I can get to my spot before you get to yours, I see the advantage as mine.
Morally and legally, defense might be better. Strategically and tactically, you play catch-up, and somehow, you have to get ahead of the power curve. A block that is only a block might save your head. A block that is also a strike might put you in front.
Or: The best defense is a good offense. To coin a phrase ...
But that's the difference, in as far as I understand what Von Manstein said: defense is only superior IF it can withstand the offense.
ReplyDeleteAll the things you listed are cases in which it can't.
He quotes Von Clausewitz's On War and his theory of the asymmetrical relationship between attack and defense. It's a bit more complex than just saying defense is better than offense in all cases. Nor did he say defense should be passive.
I just found it striking when I read it that his position was the exact opposite of your last phrase here, which is something we hear all the time. Given the man's effectiveness on the Eastern front, I'd say it's worth considering.