Do Whatever 3 – Swords & Scars

Being involved in a martial art again has re-kindled some old thoughts and feelings, and I used this episode to really explore the fascination with combat. My longest-running athletic endeavor was fencing, and I find that I am still motivated by many of the same things that made me pick up a sword. Why do men (especially young men) seek out ways to harm each other in order to test themselves? Why is pretend sword-fighting still an Olympic sport when we can see people beaten and choked unconscious in a cage?

Notes:

Excerpt of a piece I wrote in 2008 about dueling in German Fraternities: http://www.mikebeech.com/swords-and-scars/

“By The Sword” by Richard Cohen: http://amzn.to/2ALEMRu

“A Tramp Abroad” by Mark Twain: http://amzn.to/2AppQWd