darrianation

I have this little saying...the order of importance is this:

Mindset
Tactics
Skill
Gear

__________________
The law of tyranny:

1. Any power that can be abused will be abused
2. Abuse always expands to fill the limits of resistance to it.
3. If people don't resist the abuses of others, they will have no one to resist the abuses of themselves, and tyranny will prevail.


Welcome to the Socialist States of Amerika . Coming soon Jan 20th 2009!

DickHardman

SD is all about awareness.

darrianation

True but awarness begins with mindset (not arguing with you just clarifying that awarness is just one subset of mindset).

__________________
The law of tyranny:

1. Any power that can be abused will be abused
2. Abuse always expands to fill the limits of resistance to it.
3. If people don't resist the abuses of others, they will have no one to resist the abuses of themselves, and tyranny will prevail.


Welcome to the Socialist States of Amerika . Coming soon Jan 20th 2009!

Tant01

That would need to be adjusted slightly for me. No doubt mind set is priority one. Tactics, yes and those of your antagonist as well (falls under "mind set" perhaps?)

The last two I would reverse for us SPECIAL cases. If you have the gear and the mind set and a few decent tactics... You don't need much for skill. By now you've been around long enough that you can see shit coming a mile away. You're ready.

Don't think for one moment I'm discounting effective application of force. Skill comes with experience. We all have our specialty...

__________________

"In all countries where personal freedom is valued, however much each individual may rely on legal redress, the right of each to carry arms - and these the best and the sharpest - for his own protection in case of extremity, is a right of nature indelible and irrepressible, and the more it is sought to be repressed the more it will recur."

James Paterson

darrianation

Let me clarify-

Tanto, I realize my list is overly simplistic for the simple reason it is just an overview but you have to consider there are subgroups to each category.

The reason skill is ahead of gear is I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had students (or peers for that matter) show up to class with the latest in tactical fashion or the newest fad holster or tactical sling and have no idea how they work because they haven’t put the time into practicing with their new piece of equipment, nor have they considered how a different piece of equipment (especially if it is unfamiliar) or how equipment placement might effect their performance under pressure.

As an example the “draw stroke” is a skill, if your new holster which has a push button style release and your old one didn’t have it or on the new one the release is ½ inch lower or a ¼ inch to the right than what you are use to the student may fowl his draw because he hasn’t gotten enough practice with his new piece of equipment.

The point is you need to be proficient in the use of your gear which comes under skill. Under the “skill” category comes weapons handling, HTH, and managing your gear among other things.

__________________
The law of tyranny:

1. Any power that can be abused will be abused
2. Abuse always expands to fill the limits of resistance to it.
3. If people don't resist the abuses of others, they will have no one to resist the abuses of themselves, and tyranny will prevail.


Welcome to the Socialist States of Amerika . Coming soon Jan 20th 2009!

Tant01

We don't disagree buddy, I was just yanking ya. You know, on account of I don't consider myself all that "skilled".

And I don't really practice as much as I could...

Keeping my knives sharp but not using them (much) Whatever. Skill counts but for me it goes on the bottom. LOL

__________________

"In all countries where personal freedom is valued, however much each individual may rely on legal redress, the right of each to carry arms - and these the best and the sharpest - for his own protection in case of extremity, is a right of nature indelible and irrepressible, and the more it is sought to be repressed the more it will recur."

James Paterson

darrianation

Which comes first the chicken or the egg?

__________________
The law of tyranny:

1. Any power that can be abused will be abused
2. Abuse always expands to fill the limits of resistance to it.
3. If people don't resist the abuses of others, they will have no one to resist the abuses of themselves, and tyranny will prevail.


Welcome to the Socialist States of Amerika . Coming soon Jan 20th 2009!

szorn

I would say that personal safety is all about awareness and self-defense is all about mind-set and tactics. Self-defense is what we do when our personal safety fails and should be thought of last and least.