philosophy – The Pensive Warrior

Hammers and Nails: The Right Tool for the Job

We’ve all heard the notion, “to a hammer, everything looks like a nail.” This is true when we have some charity and don’t scrutinize the statement. For those who don’t understand what this means, it is an idiom espousing the idea that if you are only familiar with one tool, then you will find excusesContinue reading “Hammers and Nails: The Right Tool for the Job”

The Importance of Weapons and the Overestimation of Bare Hands

Throughout my nearly three decades of life as a martial artist, I have routinely encountered a superiority complex among people who either have little to no combat experience (simulated or otherwise) or have not had recent experience for too long. Honestly, this is a problem I also had during my adolescence. The main issue IContinue reading “The Importance of Weapons and the Overestimation of Bare Hands”

Strength Through Grace

This is an ABAB poem inspired by the book of 1 Peter, chapter 5. The chapter calls us to have humility and grace, as pride leads to destruction. Those who are prideful lead careless and self-defeating lives. Humbling ourselves allows us to see the threats assailed against us clearly and allows us to deal withContinue reading “Strength Through Grace”

The Value of a Nation

As I saw so many posts remembering the loss and the sacrifice that characterize our collective memories of the September 11 terrorist attacks, I was prompted to ponder the national response and massive relief effort which took place in the wake of the attacks. For those unfamiliar with the context, on September 11, 2001, aContinue reading “The Value of a Nation”

The Monomyth and “Hero’s Journey”

The Monomyth is a 17-step guide for creating a story, separated into three acts. It was first defined as such by Joseph Campbell, and later refined into the 12-step Hero’s Journey by Christopher Vogler. However, this formula was not something created by Joseph Campbell or any other individual. Rather, it would be more accurate toContinue reading “The Monomyth and “Hero’s Journey””