proper attitude for self defense - non-violence

I may have posted something very similar to this previously, but just finished updating it for the new Aikido school website I've been working on...

The following is a combination of my own observations and good sense commentary I’ve picked up from my reading of Aikido masters over the years.

The proper self defense attitude, or mental state, is one in which we are not offensively looking for enemies, nor dealing with any attacker any more than is necessary to harmlessly resolve the immediate conflict situation. This requires an open-mindedness that allows people to have different perspectives and ways of living, the willingness to avoid imposing your own values and views on others.

We must view attackers not as enemies, but as fellow human beings and teachers. The more angrily and aggressively they attack, the more grateful we should be for the opportunity to practice our Aikido (non-verbal, nonviolent conflict resolution) well, using our attacker’s “gift of energy.” Each time we are attacked, we are given the opportunity to learn something new and valuable, timing, perspective, ways of resolving and dissipating the aggressive energy.
“An Attacker must win, while a defender must only survive”

What? Don’t we want anyone foolish enough to attack us to end up bloodied and in the hospital, with a clear understanding of how foolish they were in attacking us? Absolutely not! While that may prove our martial, macho prowess, it is not a good example of how humans should treat each other, much less how martial artists seeking to master ourselves with Aikido should treat others, especially attackers.

What the above quote means is that if someone attacks another (attempts to victimize), then he must overcome that victim, or he has lost. But if one is attacked, then all that is necessary is to survive the attack, not “win.” So, beating your attacker to a bloody pulp isn’t necessary, nor is it really winning. The key is to harmlessly dissipate aggressive energy (that’s Aikido) — that’s the real winner...that’s not being a victim.

Non-violence is a choice, but only when one has the capacity and abilities (any martial art or weapon) required for violence, but chooses non-violent means instead. Without the capacity and abilities, it’s not a choice, but a fear mandated imperative, hoping not to be victimized too badly.

So, please choose non-violence, but make it the real thing, a real choice.

All credibility, all good conscience, all evidence of truth come only from the senses.
--Friedrich Nietzsche

All in all, punishment hardens and renders people more insensible; it concentrates; it increases the feeling of estrangement; it strengthens the power of resistance.
--Friedrich Nietzsche