Warrior Spirit

With the rise of cage fighting into the public consciousness there has come a fashion that emphasizes an aggressive school of thought. With all the promotion of no-holds-barred fighting has come a plethora of tatoos and tatoo-style t-shirts (getting ‘inked’ seems almost compulsory for the modern cage-fighter). I have no problems with decorating ones body but in this arena it appears to be presented as an example of how tough the fighter is. Associations with gang affliations and prison culture abound, seemingly adding more menace to the fighters image. Then there’s the base and primal showmanship that seems coupled with the angry appearance.

Ken Shamrock – The angriest looking man I’ve seen since I last knocked over a pint.

At the most popular level, Dana White’s Ultimate Fighting Competition (UFC) has promoted many a cage fighter with seemingly the same flare as his fake fighting of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). Chuck Lidell’s backwards lean & roar after a win is particularly notable in it’s caveman-esqueness. Before this gets away from me, let me get to my point; the Warrior Spirit. “Be a warrior” and similar soundbites are all over testosterone fueled promotions and magazines but is “No pain, no gain” really the way of the warrior?

At bear minimum warriors –by definition- take part in war, they fight, but not always out of choice. Just because they might be good at it doesn’t mean they take pleasure in bloodying or killing someone. Think of the Mexican youths who enlists in the Amercian military as a path to ease citizenship. On the frontlines of the battlefields of Iraq or Afghanistan, do you think they are all thinking “yay, I just killed someone, now to get a knife and a snake permanently scribed on my arm!” – I doubt it. The heavy conflict of war affects a person. That’s one of the reasons traditional martial arts have tied in a mental focus & spiritual development aspect to their martial outlook, as a coping mechanism.

Are these cage-fighters any stronger for their aggressive image? I share the quite common opinon that strength is fighting back when you are completely drained & have nothing left, ultimately a mental component. Strength is something we aspire to acquire, aggression not always so. Aggression is driving violently forward irrespective of why. Sometimes we need to find some fire for our bellies, sometimes there is a need to fight, but isn’t a warrior one who is strong enough to seek resolution first? As an experienced warrior has seen bloodshed (and perhaps death) I would think he would not wish that on anyone.

Isn’t a warrior spirit, not then one that seeks peace more than any other?