He's talking about a something that is not that common in modern life but is still an attribute to be investigated in some styles. There are corollaries in modern life .. from my own personal experience whereby I've had to deal with someone tripping on ice and it wasn't easy or pleasant ... A person doesn't have to have experienced life and death combat to think about it or talk about it ... especially in a martial arts context, but those who have experienced it are unlikely to talk about in in any great detail.
And yet despite your best efforts you and those you love will die eventually. Fear is a natural response of the mind and has it's purpose. It helps to accept it ... but not to pander to it .
Death on his own is not an issue for me; someone else arranging the meeting is- so it is my responsibility to ensure I don't skip the queue
Death comes in many guises ... someone who has some fatal mutation of avian flu who then sneezes a fine aerosol spray; which you then breathe in because you're in a queue behind them has possibly become the instrument in your impending doom. Yest the person upwind was spared! Breathing is dangerous my friend. Statistically living is the most dangerous thing you can do ... the numbers show that every person who lived has eventually died ... violently (why is a clot in the lung not violent?). My point is that MA as it's commonly viewed isn't going to be a factor in most cases. But ... it's fun, and it keeps us moderately healthy!
So where does "amok" come into play against the germs then? Will you beat your face with a tissue to prevent the infection? Death in the context if the thread is clearly imminent so the disease analogy is flawed accordingly
Just following the flow and playing with the ideas presented to this point of the conversation :hat: . Literal meaning in a modern context of the 'word' amuk is to go beserk. So .. you could go beserk with a box of tissues on the person who you see as the cause of your imminent demise ... that would satisfy the meaning of amuk .. except in this case you're the one who's going beserk. Context ebbs and flows according to our own concepts and coloured by our experiences ... and prejudices.
Mate! It's just got to be Kleenex! Historical precedence ... an all that ... lol And it came to pass that Saint Victor was taken from this place to another place, where he was lain to rest himself amongst sheets of muslin and velvet. And there stroked was he by maidens of the Orient. For sixteen days and nights stroked they him, yea verily and caressed him. His hair, ruffled they. And their fingers rubbethed they in oil of olives, and runneth them across all parts of his body for as much as to soothe him. And the soles of his feet licked they. And the upper parts of his thigh did they anoint with the balm of forbidden trees. And with the teeth of their mouths, nibbled they the pointed bits at the top of his ears. Yea verily, and did their tongues thereof make themselves acquainted with his most secret places. For fifteen days and nights did Victor withstand these maidens, until he cried out, saying: "This...is fantastic! Oh...this is *terrific!!*" And the Lord did here the cry of Victor. And verily came He down and slew the maidens. And caused their cottonwool bugs to blow away, and their Kleenex to be laid waste utterly. And Victor, in his anguish, cried out that the Lord was a rotten *******. So the Lord sent an angel to comfort Victor for the weekend. And entered they together the jaccuzzi. Here endeth the lesson. Life's just not that serious friend ... Cheers, matey