Natural Surival Tactics

mercop · September 8th, 2009, 02:58 PM

Many people that have met me in person or have been reading my thoughts over the years have heard me refer to “fast roping off the space shuttle whacking tangos with (insert silly item marketed to the masses)”. Most readers agree that the reason they educate themselves here on MCS, attend classes, and carry tools is to increase their survival. Isn’t that what it is about? Being the gray man?

Going all the way back to the first days of MCS and the CAT (Counter Attack Theory), look for what promotes survival in nature. The first thing animals count on to survive is blending in, whether it be by using their natural camouflage or moving with a pack so as to not stick out. Here are some the most common things that people do that draw attention to themselves-

Wearing clothes that stand out in the environment.

Having self-defense tools like guns and knives exposed.

Carrying purpose driven self-defense tools that do not have an obvious legitimate purpose.

When an animal’s camouflage or use of the pack fails him the next survival measure is movement. Either to outrun their attacker to get to a position of physical safety (a physical location the attacker cannot access). To the animal this is going up a tree or into a small hole that the pursuer could not fit. For us, this may be a secured room or vehicle. The second option is back into the environment of the pack where the attacker has to give his back to the pack that now know his intent. This is a huge stumbling point for humans because they are ego-invested. In training we see over and over again that people ignore opportunities to get away. Your mindset should be to fight to get away, not fighting to win. Unless you are duty bound such as law enforcement or military, define for yourself what “winning” means.

If blending in and movement fails, you are left with only one option, and that is to fight. It will not be a pretty fight. You have been backed into a corner, your blood pressure is up, and you are experiencing vasoconstriction causing your blood to pool into your core leaving your fingertips numb. You will need open hand skills to fend off your attacker in order to gain time and distance. This is where animals use their claws. Sometimes it is enough to make the predator think twice, sometimes not. You have no idea what position you will be forced into and have to fight from. In your training, do you consider every conceivable possible position and fight from them or are you taking the easy way out? Every time you are attacked it will not be with you standing upright with weapons exposed. Can you access your weapons? Do you have open hand skills to fall back on? In the middle of the fight, at contact distance, do you think you will default to trying to draw your own counter weapon when your attacker is attacking you with a knife or trying to deploy a gun? Do you have the skills to suppress or redirect the attack allowing you to access your weapons? Lots to ponder.

Final thoughts, the key to survival is to first attempt to blend in no matter what, then if you are identified as a target to avoid the attack using movement, and if all else fails you need to be prepared to fight using a well rounded skill set based on fundamental principles, not those that fixate on tools first.

Bark'n · September 8th, 2009, 03:14 PM

Brilliant comparison to the animal world!

Spot On!

BikerRN · September 8th, 2009, 04:10 PM

The more I read of your's, the more I like.

Not that my opinion matters. I just thought I'd let you know.

Biker

shooterX · September 8th, 2009, 04:27 PM

Very insightful, thanks for the thought provoking post.

Janq · September 8th, 2009, 04:31 PM

For the people who by 'nature' are not the type who have patience or mentality to read much more than soundbites.

I strongly suggest rather than skip all of Mercop's statements you simply read the following four sentences as parsed from the whole.

These are facts as backed up by _REAL WORLD_ results, and not just because Mercop stated as much or that I happen to in this instance very much as in 100% agree.

If you do not read or take away nothing else from his posting do read and KNOW this...

Quote:

[Escape/Evasion] is a huge stumbling point for humans because they are ego-invested.

In training we see over and over again that people ignore opportunities to get away.
Your mindset should be to fight to get away, not fighting to win.

Unless you are duty bound such as law enforcement or military, define for yourself what “winning” means.

- Mercop

This exact subject and position has come up here at this site as related to positions and arguments toward post event analysis of real world occurrences where literally people have stated in posts that they would risk their own life, that of their family in the immediate and/or well being into the future, and/or the lives of third person innocents so as to only for their own singular benefit possibly gain some degree of ego stroking comeuppance against those who might trespass against them, or third party others.
It's ridiculous, sad, and in several cases disturbing.

Having teeth and claws is not an excuse nor even allowance to use them, even if conditionally to do so might be 'lawful' or 'justifiable'.

- Janq

RMS · September 8th, 2009, 06:59 PM

Thanks for the info. Look forward to reading more.

mercop · September 8th, 2009, 07:15 PM

Glad you guys find my ramblings useful. - George

Bark'n · September 8th, 2009, 07:17 PM

CJ810 · September 8th, 2009, 07:19 PM

That was very interesting; thanks.

DM2 · September 8th, 2009, 08:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mercop

Here are some the most common things that people do that draw attention to themselves-

Carrying purpose driven self-defense tools that do not have an obvious legitimate purpose.

Mercop...can you give me an example of something that fits this criteria. I followed your post, and I thought the comparison to animals is excellent. I'm just not sure I'm clear on this one point. In particular...why a self defense tool would not have "an obvious legitimate purpose".

September 8th, 2009, 02:58 PM	#1
mercop Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: PA Posts: 605	Natural Surival Tactics Many people that have met me in person or have been reading my thoughts over the years have heard me refer to “fast roping off the space shuttle whacking tangos with (insert silly item marketed to the masses)”. Most readers agree that the reason they educate themselves here on MCS, attend classes, and carry tools is to increase their survival. Isn’t that what it is about? Being the gray man? Going all the way back to the first days of MCS and the CAT (Counter Attack Theory), look for what promotes survival in nature. The first thing animals count on to survive is blending in, whether it be by using their natural camouflage or moving with a pack so as to not stick out. Here are some the most common things that people do that draw attention to themselves- Wearing clothes that stand out in the environment. Having self-defense tools like guns and knives exposed. Carrying purpose driven self-defense tools that do not have an obvious legitimate purpose. When an animal’s camouflage or use of the pack fails him the next survival measure is movement. Either to outrun their attacker to get to a position of physical safety (a physical location the attacker cannot access). To the animal this is going up a tree or into a small hole that the pursuer could not fit. For us, this may be a secured room or vehicle. The second option is back into the environment of the pack where the attacker has to give his back to the pack that now know his intent. This is a huge stumbling point for humans because they are ego-invested. In training we see over and over again that people ignore opportunities to get away. Your mindset should be to fight to get away, not fighting to win. Unless you are duty bound such as law enforcement or military, define for yourself what “winning” means. If blending in and movement fails, you are left with only one option, and that is to fight. It will not be a pretty fight. You have been backed into a corner, your blood pressure is up, and you are experiencing vasoconstriction causing your blood to pool into your core leaving your fingertips numb. You will need open hand skills to fend off your attacker in order to gain time and distance. This is where animals use their claws. Sometimes it is enough to make the predator think twice, sometimes not. You have no idea what position you will be forced into and have to fight from. In your training, do you consider every conceivable possible position and fight from them or are you taking the easy way out? Every time you are attacked it will not be with you standing upright with weapons exposed. Can you access your weapons? Do you have open hand skills to fall back on? In the middle of the fight, at contact distance, do you think you will default to trying to draw your own counter weapon when your attacker is attacking you with a knife or trying to deploy a gun? Do you have the skills to suppress or redirect the attack allowing you to access your weapons? Lots to ponder. Final thoughts, the key to survival is to first attempt to blend in no matter what, then if you are identified as a target to avoid the attack using movement, and if all else fails you need to be prepared to fight using a well rounded skill set based on fundamental principles, not those that fixate on tools first. __________________ 2010 MCS Calander http://docs.google.com/View?id=dgb7wjh3_299f8tncbcz

September 8th, 2009, 03:14 PM	#2
Bark'n VIP Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: West Central Missouri Posts: 4,297	Brilliant comparison to the animal world! Spot On! __________________ -Bark'n Semper Fi "The gun is the great equalizer... For it is the gun, that allows the meek to repel the monsters; Whom are bigger, stronger and without conscience, will prey on those of us who without one, would surely perish."

September 8th, 2009, 04:10 PM	#3
BikerRN VIP Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: State of Discombobulation Posts: 3,768	The more I read of your's, the more I like. Not that my opinion matters. I just thought I'd let you know. Biker __________________ If I knew I was going to get in to a gunfight I most ceratinly wouln't bring a handgun or two, and I don't know any smart person that does.

September 8th, 2009, 07:15 PM	#7
mercop Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: PA Posts: 605	Glad you guys find my ramblings useful. - George __________________ 2010 MCS Calander http://docs.google.com/View?id=dgb7wjh3_299f8tncbcz

September 8th, 2009, 07:17 PM	#8
Bark'n VIP Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: West Central Missouri Posts: 4,297	__________________ -Bark'n Semper Fi "The gun is the great equalizer... For it is the gun, that allows the meek to repel the monsters; Whom are bigger, stronger and without conscience, will prey on those of us who without one, would surely perish."

September 8th, 2009, 04:27 PM	#4
shooterX Distinguished Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: South Carolina Posts: 1,558	Very insightful, thanks for the thought provoking post.

September 8th, 2009, 06:59 PM	#6
RMS Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: West KY Posts: 345	Thanks for the info. Look forward to reading more.

September 8th, 2009, 07:19 PM	#9
CJ810 Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Texas Posts: 200	That was very interesting; thanks.

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