brainteaser. MA - how much is too much?

[nzric]

This is just meant to be a tricky hypothetical question – that’s it …

Ok – you wake up tomorrow morning and your brain is in overdrive. As you brush your teeth you realize you’ve got it – you have discovered the Ultimate Martial Art. It’s a style so devastating that they will defeat anybody from any style at all in the world (this is fiction guys – chill out!).

Not only that, it is so simple that after six months of training you could turn the average donut eating, beer swilling lardaxx into a lethal fighting machine, capable of taking on a grandmaster. Also, it is well suited to competition fights, giving you the chance to humiliate the other competitors and win all the medals you've dreamed about. This is the nuclear bomb of martial arts.

Cool huh.

Now this is the question. What do you do with it? You know that if any government/mafia family found out you knew this, they would hunt you down to steal the secret for themselves. But you also know that if you went public with your knowledge you would make millions.

The ma you thought up would change fighting forever, but you know that it is so dangerous that if it got into the wrong hands (military, crime or just the average street punk), you would be directly responsible for the death and maiming of many people.

You are the only person who has thought of it and it’s such an amazing, original idea that nobody else is going to invent it. Do you go public? Do you keep it a secret or only train select students (and trust that they’ll do the same)? Do you think that you really should keep this art alive, considering it’s potential?

What's your pov, and what does that say about your attitude toward ma in general?

[YODA]

Ok - Step AWAY from the Playstation.

[Shaolin Dragon]

As far as selling it, that's not what MA means to me.
Mafia/ govt. hunting you down - why worry about that when you are the ultimate MAist?

To me it would come down to a choice between keeping it secret (perhaps passing it on within my family and a select few) or giving it to the govt. and hoping they do the right thing with it.

[Andy Murray]

Dunno nzric,
but I do want to know what toothpaste you use all of a sudden! :D

[zun]

Hey Andy,

What's the small print on your speed camera sign?

[Disciple]

I would devise, at first, a small number of hand pick people that i could trust, then make them my apprentices, and form an elite squadron, The intial number of about 50

then after a couple years, have each memeber of the elite squard go out and teach 5 people for one year

Then, Go public. Not necessarily with teaching, but atleast with the fact that you have the knowledge.

[Yama Tombo]

If a person did come up with the Ultimate Martial Art, what do they have to fear? It's all the person's head and no one can read your mind. Then again depends on the person the person pending intentions.

This question seems like a satirical spin off to me....:Alien: :D

[Van_the_cookie_man]

thats easy.
Who'd want to share it? I'd keep it to myself of course :D!

[nzric]

Yama Tombo - does that mean you'd keep it to yourself? Isn't that being selfish? But then if you did teach it to someone else, could you accept the fact that they might use it against innocent people or teach it to an enemy?

[Terry Matthes]

Train it to whomever I deam worthy :D I love deciding

[Yama Tombo]

Yama Tombo

does that mean you'd keep it to yourself?
Yes.

Isn't that being selfish?
No, because if you know what you know now, then you know that you know... :D all the good and bad of the art. And not knowing a person's heart and keeping it from them is not selfish


But then if you did teach it to someone else, could you accept the fact that they might use it against innocent people or teach it to an enemy?

Money sounds good, to what extent do you teach for a price? Not everything.

[KenpoDavid]

Lets say you spent thsoe 6 months training yor best student. Can he beat you in a fight? After all, the art "will defeat anybody from any style at all in the world". Even you. yet you know the style too. Reminds me of the question, "if you had a solvent that could dissolve anything, what would you keep it in?"

[KenpoDavid]

Originally posted by Disciple
I would devise, at first, a small number of hand pick people that i could trust, then make them my apprentices, and form an elite squadron, The intial number of about 50


I wish I could find 50 people that I trusted like that...

[Reiki]

hmmm, choices, choices........

[nzric]

...6 months training yor best student. Can he beat you in a fight? After all, the art "will defeat anybody from any style at all in the world". ...

Yes, and that would make it even more dangerous because you know if you taught it to someone else (e.g. the wrong person) the style would grow and evolve over time.

[nzric]

Can I just say if anyone takes this idea and turns it into a big hollwood movie, can you put my name in the credits.

Also, say hi to Jackie Chan for me. Thanx

[killbill]

the phrase "ultimate martial art" is an oxymoron

[nzric]

Of course - that's why it's just a philosophical exercise killbill. Everyone knows why there wouldn't be an U MA, but I brought it up to get people thinking about what kind of attitude different people have towards MA in general.

It's an interesting question to ask whether a MA could be too dangerous to teach/propagate, one way or another.

[Zabuza]

screw teaching family, that means think of yourself and if like TKD only taught it to family, youd never learn it so its gay and who cares:) oops same thing in real life its gay and who cares, haha that should make some people say something, but if I knew it, id teach people that were interested and show them whos boss if they misuse it.

[5150]

Well nzric this sounds kinda familiar…. Hhmmmm Oh I know... the start of Tai Chi? (except the “all of a sudden”). And I think I would teach it to a few trusted individuals, but would definitely not go public if it was as grand as you say.

[Slayer]

PSYCHO

Did you eat paint chips when you were a kid???

[Saz]

That was uncalled for Slayer... There's no need to resort to insulting people out of the blue :(

[nzric]

Who's psycho Slayer? Do you have the intellect to answer the question? This is a 'philosophy' section thread, it's supposed to raise questions.

Think about it - it's a weird thread but your answer will say a lot about what your personality is.

I'm waiting... :)

[Zamfoo]

wait a tick isn't this the plot of a jackie chan movie??? Like Snake and Crane Shaolin or something. He has the perfect style and is looking for who to give it to.

[surgingshark]

Dude...don't give it to anyone. If it's so devastating, then just make a costume and mask, then save innocent civilians at night. Hell, leave a little card with your logo on it or something ^_^

[Ara]

lol, too true.

Get yourself a decent coloured costume, sit on the tallest building, in the rain of course, and listen out for the cries of help from the innocent. Then jump off, fall gracefully to the ground and make a pleasant *SPLAT* sound :D

If a martial art like that was in existance, and it was you who created it, then it is up to you and your responsiblity really to make sure it is used for the better good, and not to rob little ol' ladies (or banks for that matter) of their small change :)

[Sehr]

Only use your art when in mortal danger if you feel others can not use it responsibly do not use it.

[Razor_EX]

I'd teach a select few and only teach one the final secrets to it and that one person would either be family or someonI can trust to use it properly, or I'd use it in tournamets and just say I studied all kinds of different MAs...

[Poop-Loops]

I'd probably kill myself, since I don't think I can even be trusted with that kind of power.

PL

[shotokanwarrior]

give it to the government? NO WAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!governments are too weak and corrupt to be entrusted with the ultimate martial art.
Shotokan Warrior

[MichaelV]

It's a catch 22.

If you teach it to others, then sooner or later someone will use it for evil. Talk all you want about only teaching it to family, trusted friends, whatever. Sooner or later some jackass will use it to kill/rape/rob innocent people.

If you keep it to yourself then it will die with you and you will have deprived the world of a very powerful tool.

The answer I like the best so far is to make yourself a superhero. Besides being useful, it'd be fun. Plus, the ladies love men who are secure enough to wear tights.

Actually, I'd probably use it to rob banks and stuff, but hey, that's just me.

[Thokk]

Clearly, the only thing to do in this case is to train an army, destroy all that stands in your path, and rule the world...

Seriously tho, I would find students that I think I could trust and train it to them and my family. You could always incorperate a passive or peaceful philosophy into the style. I would teach it because its the best way to protect those I love. And if my students surpass me after 6 months thats fantastic because that is a testament to my ability as an instructer and helps me set new goals.

[Jude3085]

I would find some people I can trust and only teach them some of the art. Then keep the rest a secret so I am still the best. And they wouldn't be able to beat me. muahhahaha