I have to agree. It's the Rambo: First Blood Part II answer: "I've always believed that the mind is the most powerful weapon of all." It turns a vague question into a party-game. I am reminded of the Trivial Pursuit question: What did every human since the beginning of time die of? Answer: Lack of oxygen to the brain. To all those who answered knowledge/brain/intuition/etc., I ask: Surely you wouldn't go in there without an adequate supply of oxygen???
Indeed, it's a change of subject and a form of one-upmanship. This is already not an especially deep subject for a thread, but the first few people listing a weapon on the first page gave brief explanations for their choice, whereas "Knowledge." is something of a thread-stopper. This leaves aside the question of whether it would be possible to go somewhere without your knowledge/brain/etc.
I didn't think tellner was inciting an argument or showing trollish behaviour. I thought his point was dead-on, and as this thread is a frequent "let's try to get some posts going here" thread starter, it comes up often enough to be worth addressing. It's about topicality (we are in a Weapons section, after all, and I understadn MT to mean "physical weapons" in its use of the term here). Would this thread be interesting to read if it was full of answers like "brain/mind/etc."? isn't it potentially more interesting when people are discussing the merits of different tools? Would anyone like to read a discussion of whether your brain is more important than your cardiovascular system in a violent encounter?
For those who chose personal abilities and training over weapons, I refer you to the Wikipedia entry on the Boxer Rebellion. But if you'd still prefer to be unarmed, please explain and support that position--don't drop in a one-word, holier-than-thou non-answer.
And yet, the USMC issues its members rifles at great cost to the United States taxpayer.
Mind you, those listing tanks etc. are also not playing fair. But I suppose it's a matter of whether one wants a martial arts discussion or a "name a larger weapons systems" thread. Anyone care to jump straight to Imperial Death Star and win?
Jeff,
TEllner's original post was trollish. He was insulting and looking to cause conflict because it touched him personally. He does not wish to admit it, nor explain why it is ugly or dirty to think about or know about the reality of the situation.
His second post was a much better attempt at trying to explain his frustration over the knowledge answer.
But you see Jeff, I have seen a pattern from TEllner and that it is ok for him to call people out. It is ok for him to insult people. But when I do it or others do it is wrong. So my point is that he is trying to have it both ways and not respond intelligently to my questions to him here and other locations, but chooses to ignore them.
How is that any different in the end then the thread stopper answer of knowledge? To be it is not. You see, I have not posted for a long time because of TEllner and the fact that this board seems to like him and wishes to promote his attitude. I removed him from my ignore list trying to be the better man. Trying to see if I made a mistake. And right out of the gate I see this duplicitous action again.
He is allowed to insult people and kill treads his way, but for others it is not allowed. When I tried to report in the past I get a message back saying I am being reprimanded for a post I made to use the ignore button. Then I get some staff member sending me a message trying to find out obtusely if I am really upset. I am not. I am disappointed. I find that I ask myself, "Why should I share my knowledge with people who wish to promote an insulting arrogant person?" I am not looking for an all the time PC feel good discussion here. I enjoy a good argument with well detailed positions and points.
As to why or how knowledge could be the correct answer:
1) I choose not to drink and thereby limiting my brain activity.
2) I choose not to do drugs including smoking cigarettes as this may cause an agitated state or altered state of mind.
3) I choose to look for exits when I enter a place.
4) I choose to look for people in the crowd that walk and carry themselves in a manner I come to recognize.
Now, if TEllner and others wished to ask for people to expand why they stated KNOWLEDGE then that would be in the premise of the "Friendly Discussion of Martial Arts" that this board was based upon.
Instead, he calls ********! Well I am calling ******** on him.
I am still waiting for a reply form him.
Yet, Jeff as I stated in another post here, I agree that those that have no clue of violence and no clue of conflict or how they will react need to understand that this is an issue. But I always think back to this guy I know at work. His last fight was when he was pushed down at the age of 4 or 5 in kindergarten. Since then he has avoided all forms of conflict. He grew up in a well off home. He went to nice schools. He went to a good college. He uses his knowledge, to drive safe roads to not go to places where he might feel like he is in danger or having fear. His knowledge of martial arts is limited to knowing that they exist. His knowledge of weapons is that of he knows they exist. Yet, he walks into a situation with the knowledge he has. But he actively chooses the path he is on to protect himself.
So, I repeat, that asking for a better explanation is a good point.
That asking for clarification is good.
That asking for details on what they mean is good.
But, to first cry ******** and then to base his whole second post on assumptions that are not posted or stated by anyone until he posts them.
This is like testing them on a theorem that is covered in a previous class and assuming that everyone can show the work even though they might have a shorter solution with a new method in place. But is one does not explicitly ask or state what is to be assumed then it is unfair to for them to presume and assume that others are thinking what they are thinking.
So, until someone explains to me how his actions were not trollish, and while I see some of your points that he had valid points to make, he did not express them properly. He insulted people as he has in the past and expects everyone to treat him with kid gloves.
To me that is BS!
My apologies to the board and staff, but the issue here is not of what was intended, but the impact of his actions. The Supreme Court ruled for sexual harassment that the IMPACT was what mattered. I am just trying to make a point that TEllner's actions were not proper, nor what he wants to be treated like, or how his friends who have sent me messages in the past telling me I had better leave him alone. To me this makes me wonder what is up with this person and his friends.