Guardians: A Discussion for Realists

Nakis wrote: In the Israel and Palestine conflict, there's a video of a soldier about to throw a grenade at a bus with people (non-combatants) who stopped when they realized they were on camera. Even the simple act of observation can take Schrodinger's crimes and change the outcome. And yet, in both cases if the recorder was to interfere, their recording equipment would have been destroyed and the evidence and awareness impacts lost.

I had something like that happen quite recently. Actually, a few times. Someone tried to swing at me in the parking lot of my work, so I reminded him how many angles I had on the situation, all recorded. Really took the fight outta him. Also had a flatmate threatening me with a door between us, but when he realized there was cameras on him at all time, he would simply yell at me and insult me. Thankfully, the camera stopped him from doing anything physical.

Its sad we have gotten to this age where cameras are responsible for stopping potential crimes, war or otherwise, but I for one am glad for it. The fact anyone can record evidence now is both terrifying, but does make daily living feel a bit more secure.

And this doesn't have to involve crimes, either.

Simply look at how we approach this with people being homophobic, racist, or sexist. Merely knowing that one could be recorded and held accountable protects the people in the vicinity.

So, let me repeat that, Guardianship is not about simply punching conflict, it's about de-escalating or finding ways to handle the conflict in a way that stops it or brings justice. You can't justice someone getting froggy with you in a parking lot. Odds are, if they wanted to be froggy they're more prepared than you. You can know that there are security cameras and the person getting antsy for a fight will likely be identified.

A guardian uses their environment well to stop a fight, preferably without violence.

I do martial arts and I think that it's a good idea for anyone and everyone to also do martial arts. There have been several instances that, living in the city I live in, I've had to use martial arts to defend myself. For example, I once stepped out of a bar to ingest some nicotine when some drunk guy jumped at me and sucker punched me. I had to throw him on the ground and put him in an elbow lock to get him to calm down and realize I wasn't the person he was intending on attacking, and once he did he ran off, so I probably stopped a person from being assaulted that day. If I hadn't done that, I would've been in danger and others would have been in danger.

If you have to use physical force to defend yourself or others, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Allowing yourself to be beaten bloody simply because there are security cameras and the attacker will probably get caught isn't a reasonable course of action. Now, once violence has diffused or if violence has not yet occurred, it's a fine thing to bring up to prevent injury.

For example, once I was attacked while in school by a big guy who grabbed me and put me up against the wall because he thought I was following him. I punched him in the throat and he backed off. Then I told him that he'd just committed a felony on the school's security cameras and that I could turn him in. He suddenly became very apologetic; he was a student as well and obviously didn't want to get in legal trouble. I told him I wasn't following him and that I wouldn't turn him in if he bought be a beer. He bought me a beer. So I got something out of it that I wouldn't have if I didn't immediately use a lull in the action to my advantage. The guy was at least 100 pounds heavier than me, so it could've gone much worse.

If you're physically fit, you can do a lot more stuff to help others than you otherwise would be able to do. Save a drowning kid? Can't happen if you're not a fast swimmer and strong enough to get the kid out of the water. Worst case scenario, if you're a bad swimmer and weak, there could be a drowning kid and a drowning you, too! Being physically fit and capable is definitely a benefit to yourself and others in general, and can help in a myriad of situations.

So, something as an aside, my comments are focusing on the mentality over physicality because not everyone has the time/ability/body for certain things and because focusing on the mentality will naturally bring people who are so inclined to do martial arts and the like to continue to do so. I want to make it clear I am not disregarding them, I'm just focusing on the mentality over anything else. I was in the United States Marine Corps and there is an over-abundance of warrior mentality driving a lot of why people did things which corrupts what you do and why you do it eventually.

The three are one!
Hehe, being one of those things which I think are integral to the path, and so probably represent different measures of temporal frames which determine different saturations of focus; and as an action, as a generating impetus ie guardian is to generating action (and therefore a more defined result), sentinel is to generating awareness, and consular is to generating interaction (and therefore a less defined result).

What does that mean.... different natures of focus, things like different restraints and priorities shaping applications of one resources in accumulation, analysis and determinations. Sorta like its not a question of how sharp a blade is, but whether its the right shape to be employed effectively.

How can that manifest in application.... maybe guardians are direct, sentinels indirect, and consulars symbolic

Adder wrote: The three are one!

Arisaig in OP wrote: We all have a little of each of the Three Paths within us.

I also did request staying on the topic of Guardians. Consulars and Sentinels will be discussed at a later time.