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Oct
23
Why do we Love Samurai?
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What is it about warriors and fighting that we love so much? Why do we love samurai societies, gladiators, and kung fu monks? I don’t know about you guys, but I’ve always loved this stuff, but why? Why do we do jiu-jitsu? What is it that attracts us, makes us love and live it?
I’m sure some psychologist somewhere has the answer. It probably has something to do with the subconscious and the human need to war. I want to know why the hell I love this stuff. Why is the idea of punching another man in the face so appealing to me sometimes?
Why did I love kung-fu movies and professional wrestling as a kid? Someone please explain it to me. I know everyone who reads this blog loves the samurai, loves gladiators and Shaolin monks—but why? Why do we all share the same interests? What is it about being human that draws us to these things? Someone please enlighten me.
In my opinion, you got it right. Men, in particular, are biologically geared for war. It is an adaptive trait in a way. Since the majority of us aren’t in actual combat situations very often, we sublimate by competing. Football, basketball, croquet, and MMA are our outlets.
As far as samurai, ninjas, shaolin monks, and gladiators… I’m not sure. To me, they have a mystical quality. They don’t exist anymore, but are renowned for their fighting expertise and celebrated via media and popular culture for this reason. There is this idea out there that some super lethal fighting secrets have existed, and the kung fu monks are the only ones that know them.
Jeff, I knew you would help me understand, thanks. I’m going to go watch Gladiator now–I love that movie.
According to McClelland’s Theory of Needs, each of us is motivated by either one or a combination of two or more of the following: power, achievement, and affiliation. Simply put, fighting gives us all three. m We have power over others, we are affiliated with a group of other warriors, and together we can achieve great things. As far as a biological explanation, it has been shown that both men and women have strong aggressive tendencies. From an evolutionary psychological perspective this would be very advantageous for obvious reasons. This is of course just one explanation of many.
Ahhhh…enlightenment. Thanks for the post Grayson
The attraction for me, personally, is the total dedication to the art of the pen & sword. How simple a life would be if I only had to dedicate myself to the perfection of combat & the educated mind. There is something to be said for a mindset that truly believed the only thing one needed to be happy was yourself & service to your Daimyo & society.
Ask yourself, do I have a code to live by & do I adhere to it 100% ? Does your code stress honor & right action ? If you fail to act in such a way, would you have the courage to commit ritual suicide to regain that honor. Bushido, The Way of the Samurai, are all disciplines that help me become a better man. They help me shed my fear of death & help to control my ego. They have saved my life at least 6 times & I pass my knowledge down to the students I serve.
To be a complete man, I believe, one must be part Warrior & part Philosopher. While I train for war, I desire peace, but I will stand up to injustice or just your run of the mill bully. A man must have a code to live by, especially in moments when he is weak & finds it difficult to live up to that code. He must have something to climb back up to & regain honor & balance.
Plus, everyone knows the chicks dig fighters….