Zanshin - The Predators Mind.

The flailing action of people in a physical altercation directly mirrors their mental/emotional state of being at that time.
Reflecting the undercurrent that resides just beneath the thin veneer of civilized thought and behavior that is put on display in every aspect of life, save a few.

On one hand we are told to behave in a certain way, on the other we cannot deny what is deep within and this comes out through certain triggers, not without resistance from the illusion of civilized control.
Some may be genetic, others are socially ingrained, what really matters is knowing both sides of the coin and accepting them for what they are, letting them be in their place and really coming to terms with our real selves.

The unsavory characters we see on TV, whether they be villains in a movie, characters on a TV show, characters in a book, or even certain people we find distasteful on our favorite sporting programs, these reflect something within that we seem to have a hard time with.
Some people not so much, though the majority, I would gather, have not paid much mind to this at all; most unfortunately in the Dojo.
People talk about the Warrior's Path and seldom even pay lip service to this, maybe because it is too frightening, too discomforting, it makes them squirm just thinking about what may lay beneath.

We bow out of respect before facing an opponent in the ring, we bow out of respect before we participate in a nightly drill in class, before we begin Kata performance, ect.
This is fine, being respectful is fine, but the fact remains, what about the flip side? What about that ugly nasty bugger lurking around, begging to get out, especially in this instance because this is its' territory?
I once knew a guy when I was about 13 years old, he was a practitioner of Taiji Quan, he was very dedicated and believed very strongly in his art, so much, in fact, that it bordered on the 'mystical.'
He could do stuff that I simply could not explain, but it was all within the realm of reason, it was all very calculated, very practical (Hard to explain even now).
The other thing about this guy is that he was also an Ex-Convict, he was a drug addict, and he loved to fight, he had been fighting his whole life and had even killed a man.

Now this person is a reformed ex-addict, a drug and alcohol counsellor somewhere in Southern California, with custody of his children, a good home, a good life, though he does not have long now to live.
The man had faced the other side, he had lived it, and while it had not left him unscathed, he did come out a little wiser, a little older, feeling an urge to put his experience to some use in helping others.
(He still looks like a shorter meaner version of Tank Abbot).

What do you see when you picture yourself facing the beast? Do you see a well-groomed Budoka throwing neatly packaged and recognizable techniques?
If the illusion is more appealing, that is fine, and one does not have to wonder just what that does to declaw the cat.
Spaying and Neutering your mindset does nothing to tame Violence itself. It may be fun to play at it in a nice controlled environment with an even floor, no sharp edges, among friends.
The occasional accident may creep up, then everything stops to make sure the person is okay, that is just safety, and the awareness must be there.