Have some Somalis seen too many “Pirates of the Caribbean” movies?

Do you suspect that some Somalis have simply watched too many “Pirates of the Caribbean” movies? Are they choosing piracy because it promises glamor and lots of laughs as well as material treasures? Before you dismiss my question as utter nonsense, consider this. Art imitates life, but life also imitates art.

The “Karate Kid” movies ushered in a golden era of pewee training in boxing. In fact, a successful company was created that opened martial arts studios, for young children through teenagers, all over the country.

Their name: Karate Kids!

The lines between fantasy and reality are blurred whenever the media supercharges an issue or a race. This is not always constructive, although the side effects can be lucrative.

In the 1980s there was an ultra-popular TV show called “LA Law.” Soon after, law school enrollments surged across the country, especially among older students whose ages mirrored those of the protagonists.

Many martial arts businesses thrive on the propagation of a media-driven mythology about their intentions. Students are persuaded to register to develop courage, self-confidence, discipline, and even study habits, similar to what happened with Daniel-san in the first Karate Kid story.

By improving such traits, martial arts centers claim that members will improve in many areas of life, at work and outside of it.

Maybe, but these goals are SECONDARY gains.

The primary gain to be derived from martial training has always been self-defense and the ability to survive in life-threatening situations.

(Thriving amidst chaos is also on the menu for advanced practitioners and martial arts philosophers, but this is the icing on the cake.)

My concern is that students who find their inspiration in the media receive a mixed message about violence. They are trained in it, repeatedly, on dojo mats, but are warned never to use it.

That’s a recipe for hesitation and for serious injury, and maybe even death, as long as a genuine threat is presented.

I have been made aware of this from some of the internet posts I read from black belts around the world. To me, his pontifications on the search for peace read like arias from Disney movies.

Somewhere in their consciousness is the idea that we choose our fights. I am sorry I disagree.

Many of life’s biggest battles are chosen by us; we are swept away by them, suddenly and turbulently, and we have to face them.

If we are ambivalent about our abilities or the “right to fight,” our training may do more harm than good.

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