Do you like violence?

"In combat there are no winners. The victorious merely lose less than the vanquished." - Eric L. Haney author of Inside Delta Force

Have you ever wondered how two pugilists, be they boxers, kickboxers or mma-fighters can wage an unarmed war on each other, only to stand-up afterwards and hug it out as though the best of friends. I never understood it either. Then in March I started kickboxing and boxing to get into shape. About two weeks into it, the trainer had us do some submission wrestling to get warmed up. It was here that the words of the modern day philosopher Brock Lesnar rang in my ears: "I just like physically imposing my will on another human being." Very few things have been said that are so true. I would argue that most men enjoy this. At the very least we enjoy watching others engaged in this pursuit, pick sides and try to live vicariously through them. Even those who adamantly deny this guilty pleasure, often exhibit the same behaviour through some other outlet. Maybe as a micromanaging supervisor at work, or super strict parent, or a passive-aggressive spouse. There was even a time when men ultimately settled all disputes with their willingness to engage in some display of physical superiority, the ultimate being of course the pistol duel. So what happened? Truth is I don't know who got the ball rolling, but at some point society did everything it could to convince us that violence is not the solution. Really? I'm not so sure. Because it seems to me that the mutual suffering and loss is more bonding than any form of new age talk-it-out has ever been.

Don't believe me?

Who are our modern gladiators? Athletes, that's who. Is there anything more instantly bonding than rooting for the same sports teams? It is an instant-in for a potential friendship. The shared suffering makes the shared rejoicing so sweet. If you don't believe me try making friends with southern Europeans by talking soccer and simply praising their favorite team or national team and they'll all, but offer you their first born. It is the mutual suffering borne out in physical confrontation, even if only vicarious, upon which fandom is based. Knowing this, how much stronger do you think the bond becomes when the only two suffering are you and your opponent in the ring/cage. Both are scared, and hiding it. Neither wants to get hurt both want to win. the feelings are the same, in fact they are so simple and primal they probably couldn't be more similar. Now show me a 15 minute conversation between two vastly different people with so much shared thought and emotion. You can't because it doesn't exist.

So where are you going with this?

To a great half baked business idea that really needs to gain traction for the benefit of society, that's where. Octagon Dispute Resolution LLC. Do you have a dispute you need resolved? Take it into the cage and fight it out under the Uniform Rules of Mixed Martial Arts for two rounds of 5 minutes and all draws resolved in a third round of sudden victory. Okay so half baked might have been an understatement for most and I know this sounds ridiculous to some, but bear with me a second.

Skin in the Game?!?!?

Our beloved POTUS loves that phrase. And with good reason. Imagine if every decision you made that could result in a significant dispute, required that you be prepared to defend your position under the threat of bodily harm. For example some guy is wronged by a major corporation. The corporation did so knowingly if not willfully, but somehow the law is unclear or the case unwinnable. The plaintiff claims it isn't about receiving monetary damages. Or in other words the plaintiff wants his pound of flesh. He could demand the decision making party of the corporation get in the cage and go two rounds. If the defendant's representative refused, the lawsuit would be resolved in favor of the plaintiff. The defendants could also move for a physical resolution, and if the judge found the plaintiff was healthy enough and the case potentially frivolous enough, could order the plaintiff to put on some gloves and prove just how important the lawsuit was to them. Clearly I haven't worked out all of the details but I think you see where this is going. It is about honor. It is about meaning what you say, and standing by it, or not saying it at all. It is about being physicall prepared to stand by your words and actions. I am tired of those who i perceive to be too weak, or too coward, running their mouths decrying those that put up or shut up. They often have no skin in the game and no intent to even play the game. Yet it is often they who want to determine the rules by which it is played.

Trust me this would be awesome. Employment disputes resolved via ground and pound. Administrative disputes and permits decided by sprawl and brawl. Sure you can have the power to decide, but you better stand by your decision.

I am sure there are those who will say "of course you think that is cool. You are among those are on the naturally bigger and stronger side." I haven't worked out the details yet. And for the record, I have been submitted by guys who are probably 75lbs. lighter, and punched in the face by them too. For me it was horribly embarrassing, but it was also humbling, even more so than if we were equal size or if I was smaller. Expectations can be a bitch. So it goes in the fight game; you win some, you lose some. the important thing is knowing an appreciating what is at stake and knowing it what it means to have been in the fight at all. All of our wonderful metaphors about getting up when you get knocked down lose their meaning when you have never been literally knocked down.

Having something to lose and having lost in the past makes you more civil and more reasonable.

Fighting is just so...

If you said natural you are right. I have two boys and they need to fight. Sometimes there is just something between the two that seems to have no other resolution than to duke it out until the initiator is satisfactorily got his point across, or gave up trying. On the other hand if you are an evolution believer our close cousins the chimpanzees should most certainly provide you with enough insight as to our genetic predisposition for violence.

Suppression is just deferment

Having spent the 11 of the last 12 years in Europe I think it should be noted that suppression is nothing more than denial and delay. It will still come out one way or another. A recent ban of the broadcasting of MMA in Germany is perplexing to me. With the exception of two fights (that I know of) every UFC fight ends in a show of mutual respect. Ever watch a big soccer game in Europe especially a real rivalry? On the field elbows, kicks, shots to the groin, head butts, spitting etc. etc. In the stands watch the flares fly, the bottles, the thrown lighters, the stampedes, the riots, teams playing games in empty stadiums as punishment. The soccer players and fans in Europe still find ways of letting it out. It is just uncontrolled and ugly. It is absent the mutual respect between the opponents. Just like with my sons there are somethings that just can be settled with words. There is simply nothing more humbling then feeling another human being force their will upon you in the most simplest of ways despite your best efforts to stop it.

Fighting although it is so universal might also be the most universally misunderstood artforms and forms of communication in the world. I would encourage everyone to go to a gym and roll some jiu-jitsu or try some boxing. Nothing will tell you more about who you are, and more importantly who you are not.

Eric Haney is right... in Combat it there is no winner just one guy who lost less or lost slower.

Fighting is invigorating, empowering and yet uniquely humbling.