Is it Weird to Geek Out about Weapons?
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- Опубликовано: 16 сен 2024
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Sometimes sword nerds can be a little defensive about their hobby, and might be inclined to repond with something akin to "no, YOU're weird!", whenever "normies" regard their interest in weapons with some suspicion.
Personally I can understand why it can seem a little odd to folks outside of this particular community. In the vast majority of cases a fascination with the martial side of history is perfectly benign, and there is no need to begrudge anyone else what they enjoy. But can we really blame people for jumping to conclusions? Ignorant conclusions perhaps, but understandable. :)
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#skallagrim #sword #collector #geek #historicalweapons
Geeking out about interesting craftsmanship is never weird. And if it's weird, I don't wanna be un-weird.
I don't think it's any weirder than geeking out about any other interest
@@captin3149 this is a pretty common thing to geek out on
If it's so wrong I don't want to be right
never normie
Amen to that!
Dude, the destruction of cool old homes by turning them into boring modern homes kills my soul
Mine too, to kill the charm kills the art and the art is a mental soul. A futuristic home is as much eye candy as a Victorian or medieval home, modern homes are dreadfully uninspiring.
same
It should be a crime.
Same
Normal is a crime against the innocent people who are different especially when normal people who judge people falsely just because they collect weapons
Two additional things I would consider as a reason of fascination of weapon is
1. There is some strange satisfaction in destruction of something like during cut test
2. Many of us came to the historical weapon topic from fantasy and/or gaming and want to understand how things shown there work in real life.
Big ups to the second point, that's what got me into it.
The first point talks to deep intrinsic urges in everyone. We all pretend it's not there, but we all get a kick out of destruction. And the cathartic physical nature of hitting something with a hand held object greatly enhances this. Being aware of this, and the depth of it, makes us less likely to get it muddled up in normal interactions (IMHO).
Point number 2 is incredibly huge for me. As long as I can remember, I've always been into swords and whatnot--and the older I got, the more curious I became about how these things depicted in books, TV, movies, and games...well, ACTUALLY worked.
And now I can't get enough of this kind of geeky stuff!
The only weird thing is that point 2 wasn't mentioned
@@dogmaticpyrrhonist543 I agree with that but its not only that, we like destruction sometimes because is like doing little experiments, to just see what happends, burning something, cuting, putting acid on something, its just fun to see the results, I feel it speaks to our human curiosity, thats why hydraulic press channels were so popular, people just wanna see what happends if you compress a batery or something like that.
I completely agree with the "modenization" of cozy homes as being cringe.
Not just cringe. It should be illegal
Amen.
Same. As someone who did home improvement work, I was THRILLED when a home owner wanted a green door. Most people just want grey and white everything
it is evil, it's awful and I wish it would stop. Turning beautiful homes into basic bitch trash modern crap lol.
@@Totsy30 I grew up in apartments, all the same generic eggshell white. All with popcorn ceilings. All with brown carpet.
I told my wife when we were deciding on colors that there won't be any blank white spaces anywhere in any house we live in. If apartments won't allow repainting or at least temporarily covering, then I'm not interested.
Currently the bedroom walls are deep blue, the living room is royal purple, and the bathroom will be something light colored for better visibility, but *not white*. I will paint the walls pink and orange stripes before I paint it white.
And no brown carpet. We have a long haired collie mix so hair is everywhere, so that's an easy sell for hard floors. Area rugs for warm floor space, but anything other than flat brown.
The modern trend of blank "minimalist" white spaces makes me die inside.
With someone with a room full of antique weapons, fossils, minerals and crystals (genuine crystal grotto at this point) i have nonidea what toure talking about. Completely normal
lmao
@@Quadrilli0n Shiny shiny
I am the very model of a modern Major-Gineral, I've information vegetable, animal, and mineral, I know the kings of England, and I quote the fights historical From Marathon to Waterloo, in order categorical; I'm very well acquainted, too, with matters mathematical, I understand equations, both the simple and quadratical, About binomial theorem I'm teeming with a lot o' news, With many cheerful facts about the square of the hypotenuse.
House tour on your channel when?
I feel minerals and crystals are way more easy to understand for a "normie", I dont know if they are considered weird even.
Just keep in mind there are people as obsessive with sports and celebrities, and that's considered the normal thing. Yeah, because only one mold should be used for everyone rather than allow you to choose anything. Carol Lewis already talked about droppig the childish fear of not being "adult enough" and enjoy life.
Then with those things theres also apparently right and wrongs ways to be into them, sigh
and there are people out there who are so obsessed with other peoples junk, they want to be in control of it.- thats WEIRD
What's weird is that a fascination in weapons is considered weird only in certain contexts.
Like, no-one bats an eye at a child being into swords and guns (I suppose, depending on gender... It's one of those gender stereotypes. Boys get their Action Man/GI Joe/Army Men and toy swords just fine. But it's considered weird if a girl is into those toys... Though, hopefully parents of such girls play into their child's interest and not the interest of stereotypes)
No-one bats an eye at the most popular media genre of all time, action. Wherein so many TV shows, movies and video games are all about portrayal of violence.
No-one cares about sports involving weapons (Heck, just look at the recent Olympics where everyone adored that Turkish bloke in the shooting event), literal hunting or violent sports (Like boxing, MMA etc)
Yet it's somehow weird if someone has an interest in weapons as an adult who also actually acquires such weapons in order to either collect or do a form of martial arts with them (Ignoring for a moment how Eastern martial arts that sometimes utilize weapons or weapon-proxies are considered normal and fine).
just a few counter points.
A lot of eyes a have been batted at the amount of violence depicted in movies and games. The topic would come up every time a new CoD or Tarantino film came out. Most people understand that they are capable of separating whats acceptable in fiction, but they tend not to trust other people are capable of doing the same.
Also, nobody really bats an eye at a kid who has an interest in swords, but give the kid a real sword and ALOT of people will have concerns
@@sharpestbulb The amount of violence is a concern. The act of liking violent media is not, in fact it's considered normal to like the many popular iterations of violent media.
Also, "Give a kid a real sword" is not really a point. Since we're not talking about giving a child a real sword. We're talking about adults getting real swords. Adults with a facination for weapons and the means to acquire them is considered "Weird" yet almost any other indulgence in violence is not (And in some cases, acquiring weapons is not considered weird. Like an American with a AR is simply agiven, but it's suddenly a problem when it's some guy with a sword who just wants to chop some water bottles who's now "Going to shoot up some schools" or some crap)
@@tarille1043 agreed about the disconnect for people where one weapon is completely unacceptable and the much more deadly and effective weapon is completely fine.
No, we weren't talking about giving a kid a real sword. But i raised the point of giving a kid a real sword because of the comparison between interests for children and interests for adults. People tend not to worry about the kids because they don't have access to stuff. (I mean, where is that 10 year old even going to get his hands on a T-Rex and a rocket launcher?)
@@sharpestbulb But the concern in regards to children with weapons, is them being a danger to THEMSELVES (Which is a common theme, it's why we have warnings on any bags about suffocation risks and medicine has child-proof caps and warnings about keeping out of reach of children) while the concern with adults is being a danger to OTHERS.
It's not so much about their access to things. (Since other concerning interests, like explosives and torture are still concerning even with a child not having access to such things).
The same interest as a child, that is not only seen as normal, but is often actively encouraged with many toys and cartoons featuring weapons (You also often see weapons covered at school in history classes, with things like the Roman Empire and the World Wars being commonly taught subjects), suddenly as an adult becomes "Weird".
Even if an adult doesn't have access to weapons (Such as if they live in a country that has heavy legislation against weapons, or simply hasn't the disposable income to spend the necessary money on acquiring reproductions), expressing an interest in weapons is still considered "Weird"
Which highlights the strange behaviour of society to consider a facination with weapons only weird in specific scenarios. With the baffling nature of it being more against the outdated, less effective pre-gunpowder weaponry than modern day killing machines that can be (And are) used to commit atrocities...
They actually do, ive saw many "anti-war" works emphasizing on how horrible it is for children to like war-related toys or games. It's just cringe.
People think it's weird until they want something related to it. Then you become the one they ask. It's like the people who ask if anyone has a knife to open something and then freak out if anyone actually has a pocket knife.
I think its less common to do that for that reason, more security hassle.
The "When are you going to delete a shool" people are the most annoying. My only response is: "of the two of us, you're th only one thinking of doing that and I would support keeping you specifically away from both arms and children".
How about asking them when will they pay for the metal detector?
I've been asked that by a former coworker. I replied: "You are the one who voiced that possibility. Says more about you than me."
@@maccurtis730 I'm more of a fan of quietly allowing teachers and other trusted faculty the option of carrying concealed arms in the classroom. Just require a very specific training course offered free of charge by the school.
@@Gr3nadgr3gory There are plenty of teachers I'd trust to teach, but... Wouldn't trust to have a gun in the classroom at all times.
@dawn4383 Then I wouldn't trust them to teach.
"There was a time boy, when I searched for steel. Steel meant more to me than gold or jewels....."
Yeah, I'm still in that time.
"Thaa Riddle aff Steeel!"
@@samuelferrell9257 yeeeeesssss, you know what it is. Don't you boy?
“When I became a man I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up.”
-C.S. Lewis
"Of course I'm being childish! What's the point of being an adult if you can't be childish once in ma while!"
The 4th Doctor
Doctor Who.
Hey! Freud wasn't wrong about EVERYTHING. As a psychologist myself, I do have to give him credit where credit is due. His treatments and ideas for treating stuttering were surprisingly insightful and essentially began the "somewhat evidence-based" study and treatment of stuttering. Also, something really big that he's credited with and deserves solid praise for is the introduction and conceptualization of "Talk-therapy" as a means of treating mental disorders. Before Freud, the idea that you could sit down with a person and really try to understand them and guide them towards better mental health wasn't really a thing. Some of Freuds initial case studies seem surprisingly modern (Like using talk-therapy to treat a widow's depression after her husband died) So while Freudian (and by extension Jungian) Psychotherapy is completely untestable and pretty clearly tells us more about Freud's own pathologies than the general human condition, he did pretty solidly set psychology upon its path as a modern medical practice. Another thing he introduced or popularized was the idea of "stages of development". So while his "oral, anal, genital" stage stuff is fabricated and untestable, it popularized the idea which directly influenced the study of children's development and models that we still use today. Also Anna Freud made some solid advancements in the psychological understanding of adolescence and is pretty well respected as the first person to take a psychological look at the transition from childhood to adolescence to adulthood.
Well, you are slightly wrong in 2 points. Freudian ideas were 100 years ahead of it's time. Most of them were confirmed with neuroscience. It tooke quite a lot of research to get to that point. Read Mark Somls' latest book, it's quite a thing.
Another thing is you regard CBT as being modern, while it is very simple at it's core. It does not reflect any progress in actual science, just uses some scientific words for manipulation sake.
I mean ther is a reason why he is ever only taken serious in history and the idea guy, he was proven wrong even if he was the idea guy bringing things up.
Which is medical progress to be fair, try a thing, not great but, get better by others , but still.
Its why he is only taken serious as part of history and he did push forward, but he was a hella mess and corrected and did do weird irresponsible stuff, like getting a friend from one addiction to another.
its weird in the same way any niche hobby is, meaning that it really isn't that strange unless we're pretending the average person has no interest in anything that isn't strictly utilitarian. a person with zero interests would be way weirder than even the most obsessed sword enthusiast. really, why do anything other than fulfill basic survival needs?
it also loses "mainstream" points for not having a visible benefit to society and everyday life. like, id say having an interest in opening up and studying bodies and researching deadly diseases is weirder than liking cool weapons, but doctors and scientists and people studying to go into said professions don't get the same scrutiny because those benefit everyone
This is part of the subtlety bell curves, especially with something as organic and complex as humans. There is also an average range of variance from the mean itself; almost no one is perfectly average across _all_ dimensions, but most vary mildly to moderately from the mean in up to a few dimensions.
Funeral customs are pretty interesting too in detail, and culturally, if probably a bit more niche due, it a bit morbid.
Fast cars are far more expensive while just as, if not more, deadly than weapons... And far more people geek out about those.
Reminds me of those morons speeding around going 200+ on highways blacked-out at night with 360 cameras that end up taking out whole families because of a lane change.
well, you're not wrong
A car is way more deadly than a sword, but you can't just ignore the fact that a cars sole purpose isn't as a weapon.
@@memitim171 Why is your focus only on the "sole purpose" of something? Countless weapons work as tools and vice versa for many different things. Look at all of the weapons that were originally based off farmers' tools. Not to mention all the dangerous wildlife that's been around for all of humanity that is always grateful to find a human with no weapons.
@CoolSwordGuy that's like saying cars are based on tanks
I dotn find it weird to be fascinated with tools that, like it or not, shaped history in one form or another. Humanity has NEVER mixed creativity with practicality as much as they did with weapons.
And yup, its just an extension of the almost instinctive fascination humans have with weapons, something we probably inherited from an era where a more effective weapon meant higher odds of survival, something that isnt even truely false today as situations that demand self-defense show
Same as ways of violence really, dunno martial arts that do, or fail to have productive ways for that outlets. Yes even the more really as workouts and health exercices
Geeking out about weapons (both melee and projectile) is my favorite hobby. People should be educated on how to protect themselves if they are ever forced to
Better to be weird than to be boring
let that freak flag fly
I would guess the most fundamental reason is that wielding a weapon awards a sense of agency and security. The fact that sword fighting is obsolete is largely countered by them being deeply ingrained in our culture and history. There's just a lot of inertia involved there when we consider how many games still feature sword fighting, for example.
There's also the physical training and techniques that offer similar benefits to exercise and sports, like you mentioned. And there's the craft involved in the making of the weapons, which we can admire and aspire to just like any other form of engineering. These reasons are less universal draws though, would be my hypothesis.
Interest in weapons and other things like armor, clothes, and equipment might also be a way to immerse yourself into an adventure story when you watch a movie or read a book. Almost all stories about adventure involving some sort of arms. When you imagine a hobbit, you also imagine a short shining sword in his hand.
When you imagine a detective, you imagine his worn 38 special snubnose revolver.
When you imagine a wizard, you also imagine his deadly spells.
I'm an artist and my mother was always concerned when I was younger that I drew a lot of guns and swords. But I grew up doing martial arts and liked fantasy movies, anime, action movies and video games. I also liked designing my own characters, and designing each character's weapon went along with the genres I liked. I was just drawing cool stuff
my mother would occassionally get on my case and wish i would draw more flowers and stuff like that, like i did when i was a young lad, instead of guns and robots and naked ladies. sometmes, i realise i agree a little, and wish i did more photo and nature studies. but you know, you hit a certain time of life and certain things become important...
@@korblborp naked ladies with flower guns?
I think the instant assumption that "geeking out about weapons = wanting to kill" is a little similar to saying like "if you study karate or something = you have urges to beat people up"
I agree, I can see the Fox News story in my head... "Violent video games make people violent in real life" and other nonsense like that
@@skully8692 i feel that if anything, these things help people by giving them some sort of outlet so that they DONT develop the real urge to hurt or destroy
Im not a fuckin scientist though so i could be wrong (but i think i might be right)
@@Rex-golf_player810 I agree. A large portion of people who engage in stuff like video games say that escapism is at least partially the reason for their interests. People need time to decompress, which is the whole reason we have hobbies in my opinion
Beyond the surface level appeal anyway
@@skully8692 it's not like the conservatives are the only ones doing it
Man I love thinking about stuff and saying:"But why?".
But why is thinking about stuff fun for you?
Let’s say I have more than one pew pew device. In the grand scheme of things I rarely actually use them. For me it’s all the things you mentioned. The history. The design. The engineering. The community. And the ability to defend life if needed.
Indeed, and I find the last the most natural reason of all. The world has never been safe. And when the chips are down you're the only one who you can rely on to protect you.
Very charming your exploration of the psyche of a collector of swords. I think the human condition is all about living the fantasy, any fantasy, in your mind and perhaps enjoying that while being very aware of the distinction between fantasy and the actual full consummation of the object of fantasy. Like: " yes, in my hands this swords can split skulls very deftly but the fun is all in actually NOT doing that."
What was that line from the original Star Trek? (A Taste Of Armageddon) "All right. It's instinctive. But the instinct can be fought. We're human beings with the blood of a million savage years on our hands, but we can stop it. We can admit that we're killers, but we're not going to kill today. That's all it takes. Knowing that we won't kill today."
As a deeply closeted swordsman, I feel attacked.
*closes closet
One man's closet is another man's stationary tower shield
Jokes on you, i store my swords in a closet.
@@janhornak5739 jokes on you, that’s why I’m there?
@@galaxyknuckles9000 Oh no, go away! XD
Actually I agree with the Victorian home thing. ANYONE defacing and destroying historical homes like that and slapping on the post-modern, god-awful soulless bland aesthetic of grey and white should be charged with a felony.
1. Speaking as a mental health therapist, I thank you for pointing out that Freud didn't know diddly-squat.
2. If I did HEMA or test cutting, I think I would appreciate the technical skill in biomechanics and physics, along with the other aspects you mentioned. I love that aspect of sumo wrestling and (formerly) MMA. Trying to get my body to coordinate well enough to make a really clean cut on a tatami mat would be an enjoyable challenge.
Everything is subjective, except the house thing. If you do that to old homes you deserve an eternally warm pillow and forever itchy nose
'Trauma Bonding' with weapons as a way to cope with violence isn't uncommon.
Literally sitting in front of box with moving pictures or getting drunk blind or paying absurd amounts of money to have "tuned car" or paying ridiculous amount of money to travel somewhere and then lay down on a beach or inhaling smoke from a cigarette... All that is considered normal. Why? Because some doofus said so and enough other doofuses decided to agree with him. Now how is playing video games or being interrested in swords or collecting LEGO or doing LARP differes from that?
I personally don't care what anybody considers "normal". I do what I like and that's it. If somebody takes issue with that, it is their problem, I don't care. Since I am literally not harming anybody, I do not owe anybody an explanation. If somebody is genuinely interrested, I love to present them my hobbies tho.
A lot of the things considered "normal" are the result of copious amounts of advertising (and/or propaganda) Likewise the prejudice against martial arts/weapons collecting/firearms etc. are the result of copious amounts of advertising (and/or propaganda) So you do well to not care what "normal" is because normal is an illusion. Have fun.
@@Wastelandman7000 Normal actually can be defined when I think about it. For instance violating a child is not normal. There must be a limit. Also collecting weapons and testing them on dummies is normal. Collecting weapons and hurting people is not. That's one of the differences that you can apply in finding what is normal and what is not.
Gonna be honest, i watch test-cutting videos for the same reason i watch prop-making, time-lapse, and restoration videos. It's just applying STEM in a way my neurons find fascinating and engaging.
I'm totally onboard with the rant about modernizing Victorian homes. It should be a crime.
I also totally agree that we should be able to use words on social media. Having to avoid certain words is asinine.
I thought the same. I love blades, from a naginata to a karambit (originally made, not that amazon crap). The ones I have on display are so dull they work better as a hammer for safety reasons. I love the little details, why swords are differently shaped, different length, the culture when it was made, etc. I only have 6 blades sharpened enough to shave myself: Katana, Wakizashi, Tantö, Karambit (self defense, we're not allowed to carry weapons where I live but criminals don't really care about that), a 3 generations Swiss Army Knife and a utility knife.
I'm a martial artist and I think I've been practicing long enough to know conflict, verbal or physical, doesn't resolve problems, only delay them.
I own more weapon and armour reference books than the local library. I make post-apocalyptic weapons and armour as a hobby.
What are your favorite weapons not including firearms explosives and high tech melee weapons
@@pattonramming1988 Ranged, crossbow. Polearm, halberd. For use with a shield, spear. One-handed, mace, with axe a close second. Plus a knife.
*Homer voice* NEEEERRRRRRRD
I'm very impressed. It takes a lot of self-awareness and bravery to confront one's own impulses and be self critical. Honestly dissecting your own motivations in order to hold yourself to a high standard is an excellent exercise. Nicely done.
I'm in theater, which gives me some extra excuse for having a sword collection lol. I love having a weapon from a time/place I am playing a character in, to engage with the character even more (I do a lot of historical outdoor theater sword and board stuff).
These "incoherent" ramblings get better the more often skall chages topic and i´m forced to rewind, cause i didn´t get the turn he took! I love it. I mean if every video were like that, nah. But sprinkled in between the more organized ones? Hell yeah!
One theory about the call of the void is that its the brains response to release from tension/pressure (?) from a potential dangerous situation aka standing at the edge of a cliff.
Always love the walk and talk vids, even if they’re present for only a portion. Insightful commentary regardless is why I keep watching!
1:20 it's not weird, it's just bad
Skallagrin: It is shiny and it speaks to you, like the Thorium rings, like a steam punk clock ... I think it is really the shiny stuff.
I would like to have a musket, with carved wood, brass here, brass there, etc. A modern rifle would say nothing to me.
fortunately, places like veteran arms and the rifle shoppe exist!
Ther eare really epic even weird military weapons , like sword missles, but a musket has charm
Excellent video, Skall! One solution for the normies to know we are not crazy, is to sign-up for one of our HEMA classes! 😊 “us” as in HEMA in general, we have clubs everywhere! Just be careful, you too might become a sword geek! 🤭
Exposure therapy. :)
@@Skallagrimhey skall, video idea I think I’d be cool to review Skyrim realistic combat mods
Excellent breakdown 👍
Some of the most peaceful people I know are fellow members of my dojo. There is just something uniquely exciting and fun about sparring with other people, with and without weapons (and it’s a hell of a workout). You either get that, or you don’t. And either is fine.
Glad you brought up archery. Just got into traditional longbows and the reception I get compared to talking about sport shooting with firearms is completely different.
I was born just after WW2, and I remember as a child when The Australian Army Cadets ( a national school-based youth development program "that proudly shares the character and values of the Australian Army.") used to openly carry their .303 SMLE's on busses and trams, and no-one gave a damn ! How times have changed ! I was fascinated by the big kids and their rifles, and when I found an antique (and non-functional ) pistol in my grandfather's shed, I was hooked ! The persons I consider weird are those that play video games that feature people getting killed in a gruesome mass of blood-spatter !
Everyone's got their own 'Tism.
My dad gushes over the F-14.
I gush over the AKS-74u.
I really have a hard time with this, and always have. I foolishly let it keep me from actually getting good at swordsmanship, because I’m too self-conscious to use my own back yard as a practice space, as I share it with two other apartments. I completely agree with the mantra of “as long as I’m not hurting anyone, fuck what they think”, but agreeing with that logically and actually having the guts to live it are separate things.
Geeking out is actually a good way to think further and out of the box to see things in a different focus, and of course it is also entertaining and fun
I have over 70 axes after about 5 years of collecting I love the different shapes designs and uses throughout history and now I'm getting into swords for the same reason
Not weird at all
To me, having this moment of hearing you about my favourite topic in ways I can't probably talk about with nobody else, is a moment I enjoy and even look forward to every week. It's not the only thing, but it sure helps me keep going. Thank you.
1:30 As someone with that condition, I absolutely understand what you mean, and I hope you know I’m fully in agreement. My parents don’t love my collection of blades and such, but I might just send them this video! 🤘🏻
I love creating and crafting things. And some time back in the past i decided to do some amateur bladesmithing. And i very rarely run in to people that say things like: "Well now you make a sword or bow or whatever..For what purpose ? what are you gona do with it now ?" And my answer usualy is: Why a painter paint pictures ?. Why a sculptor make a statues ? Why boxer is boxing ? Becose it is an art... and art is the best way how to run from a lot of nonsense happening right now in the reality. "Satisfaction from destruction is temporary. But pride of creation is forever." So why to not create something that is meant to be capable of causing some destruction (or to end people) ? Becose it is simply my way how to have some fun.
Doing that to an old home (okay wallpaper is awful and has to go BUT OTHER THAN THAT) should absolutely be a crime. I'll sign a petition!
What I think is equally great is that a person can have more than one thing that they can geek out about. We all have multiple interests that we get excited about and have a desire to share with others. Makes each of us more and more unique and lets us see new and different view points. I like to thank Skallagrim for making this and for putting himself out there for all these years.
Better to be a warrior in a garden. Than a gardener in a war. By the way, you need to make a video on the ahlspeiss. 2 ft of steel spike on a 3 foot club. I think it's the perfect hobbit/gnome/dwarf weapon. Just slides up under the helm or into the thigh joint. Also wonder if those small stature warrior might not use a shield bearer. A partner that held the shield while the armed one pops out like a lethal jack in the box. A very ancient method but seems a perfect technique for them.
I'm also a fan of saying, "any student of war who advocates war is not a very good student." The more I learn about combat and warfare, and even the deprivations of history in general, the stronger is my conviction that we must not repeat the ways of the past.
Even with soldiers, good soldiers will do what they have to do but try to avoid if they dont. (even with a lot human error still happening in tense situation, good military does try to disincentivice shooting random people,
also why the us military hates mercendaries because they fuck up the most there. Oh god. blackwater :(
Why am I interested in this topic?... hmm good question, I suppose my special interests just span over and cover this up too, its all connected, im also into related history, myths, language, physics, action choreography, storytelling, anatomy...
1:25 Now that's funny cause it also goes hand in hand with geeking out about weird things they love hehe
(I am among the group however I dont have that particular trait that much)
Are you me?
@@TomoeMichieru I guess well never know.... "spooky sounds"
I love your thought provoking videos, and especially when you go for a wilderness hike as well.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, my friend!
00:00 Answering the title: *No*
03:42 O feel called out and I am not ashamed!
Honestly, you can ask the same question and answer it the same way about any sports (martial arts in particular)
Thank you very much Skallagrim - this is important for people who might struggle to explain this niche interest; I used to be a 'historical interpreter' and I did 'Reenactment' and hope to get back in to it once I'm better adapted to my disability.
I'll keep this for future reference!
I think I can explain my interest pretty simply, but explaining why I find part of my explanation “fine” might take more work.
The uncontroversial part. It’s an interesting intellectual exercise. It’s an unsolved problem, that feels intuitively like I might be smart enough to solve it (even though it’s probably unsolvable, and for sure not solvable by me). Very smart people throughout human and pre-human existence have thought about the questions that theories of weapons ask. “What would the ultimate troop formation be (for a given tech level)?” “What backup weapon would be the most effective in battle (with the fewest tradeoffs for the context)?” “What is the best way to train for war? What if you are a warrior full time? What if you are a farmer, and there’s a chance you’ll be conscripted?” At any given time, for any given context, if you had three people discussing this, you’d have at least 20 answers. But there are ways to test people’s guesses. Often this has involved trying them out with the fate of a nation on the line. Sometimes this means sparring with a friend. The fact that these questions were often the most important questions that any mind could think about means that there is no low hanging fruit. The ability to reject bad ideas and accept novel good ideas is what sets many historic figures apart. This also means that if I come up with a possible new answer, it will feel truly special. So it’s a topic rich with interesting, deep, interconnected parts, that feels really interesting to think about. Even the possibility of coming up with new answer, or just being able to recognize the brilliance of someone else’s answer, sparks my imagination with fantasies of power.
And that’s the second part, that is more controversial. It’s a fun power fantasy. The idea of being skilled in martial arts, weapon based or empty handed, is your basic power fantasy, and a power fantasy can be a good thing. I feel like my power fantasies are healthy. They’re always about either simply being impressive, or being able to save someone from an unjust attack. They’re never about the power I would have over someone else, they’re about the empowerment I would feel. Sometimes that simple power fantasy is what I need to be motivated. I find exercise boring. But imagining myself (and I’m a 44 year old man) as a monk or warrior in a fricken’ training montage will sometimes get me through a workout. And I don’t care if it’s silly, or stupid, or juvenile. I’ll take whatever motivation I can get. And training specifically with weapons indulges that fantasy all the more, making it that much more motivating. Most people in the world are powerless about a lot of things in our lives. Sometimes it’s easier to imagine being powerful in a way that you don’t actually expect to be tested in. And that’s okay. Sometimes remembering what it feels like to not be helpless - even in a fantasy - can empower us to take action somewhere in our lives we wouldn’t have otherwise.
So I think those are my main reasons for my interest in weapons. The last reason would apply to any interest, but for sure applies here. The more I learn about weapons, martial arts, history, engineering, and everything else related to this topic, the more fun I have talking about it with others. I grew up very socially awkward, but this was a topic kids I knew loved to debate and discuss. It was fun, and even if I didn’t want to debate, I could discuss taste and personal preference. So thanks, Skall, for helping me have even more fun when discussing these topics.
Not "Yes, but..."
"Yes, and..."
Cultural connection. Heritage if you will. I love this chanel. I'm a black American that practices capoeira. Through that art , I'm able to further connect with my Heritage and my ancestors. I could easily see this being the case for you my friend. I watch your channel because you exude the spirit of someone that understands Heritage and history is important as well as the connection to those . I'm actually not sure what your background is but I'm sure it's not Southeast Asian LOL. That's just my best amateur anthropological guess . I believe everything is connected, and when you study the history of anything you begin to study the history of a people, the world, and eventually connecting to your own ancestors. To study capoeira is to also know something about the Japanese because they had a great influence on the art do to Japanese immigration to Brazil in the early 1900s.We're all connected .
I like all sorts of weapons and martial arts, I like the creativity and physical aspect to it. I like to participate in fighting and training with these things. I personally try to avoid conflict or upsetting people in person, I don't like confrontation or angering someone and try to find the most peaceful solutions first. I still believe in self defense or defending another, even through lethal force if needs be, but I hope I never have to be in that situation. Just because I find a fascination in things considered violent, doesn't mean I want to seriously harm or "delete" someone else even if that seems contradictory to my interests (like fighting martial arts.)
All of the swords in my collection (a dozen or so) are there for one of two reasons: they are artistically beautiful, with elegant carvings, etchings, or designs... or they are made with such a great level of skill, care, and craftsmanship that the work itself is aesthetically artistic, even if the design is rather plain.
My very first blade was a wakizashi with a dark-stained wooden tsuka carved with dragons and trimmed with blackened iron -- the blade itself is aluminum, with something that looks like Klingon carved down the length, but I didn't care about that... my eyes were caught by the wood carving, because it was VERY nicely done! The seller was "restoring" old swords by removing their old battered blades and replacing them with those horrible aluminum sci-fi blades... I have no idea where the tsuka was from or how old it is, but it is a work of art imho.
And my collection has drawn some criticism from people I know over the years... one guy who constantly mocked me as "sword boy" wound up getting caught up in a prostitution sting at a bondage club (he was sooo not amused when I called him "sub boy" either hahaha!)... another who said collecting swords was weird was super into Pokemon, including a bedroom stuffed floor to ceiling with Pokemon plushies and boxes of Pokemon clothing -- his wife was not amused by this... so I've found that I'm not too concerned with the opinions of others, especially when they have their own "eccentricities" ^_^
I word my fascination as bing interested in Martial Arts in all its aspects. (Weapons, Strategy, and even Engineering) I do find interrests in the hydrodynamacy of different sip hulls or the low drag and manuverability of different planes. I also find the skills of Muay Thai pitted against Karate (o the like) as being intirgued by their different training style, striking and/or grappling.
Randomly stumbled upon your videos. Incredibly well spoken quality content! I hope to find something to be as passionate about as you are in historical swords!
I have a dungeons&dragons tattoo.
That's weird, and awesome.
Damn, my whole class if not the entire fucking school knows me as a samurai weirdo, because I used to swing sticks behind the school, in it's backyard and everyone was fine with it, they even mocked me and turned me into a walking joke until they wanted to have child's fun (we're highschool teenagers btw) and challenged me. We fought me alone against 8 guys or something and I messed them up. The whole highschool now knows me via Instagram, because I post my shitty katana choreos and follow a bunch of people from the school, who followed me back, and because I have a kimono and other cosplay crap, and my swords are metal (the longer one is even sharp, but I don't use it for test cutting tho) now everyone just accepts me and just respects me. It doesn't come to say that they're afraid of me or something, they just came to know me and made peace with it.
Based? Also really people cosplay all the time and it shouldnt be seen as weird to, have something not that different :( . People should be able to be open weird without being judged for it, and i mean people are weird, most dont show it i think?
I watched this twice and it still hits!
Great topic, I have sometimes questioned my own joy for knives and so have others. I own very few however (in my opinion), my Cold Steel Recon Tanto is my hardest working, mini machete, batoning firewood, cuting venison steak, etc. Where as my Cold Steel Tai Pan is well...really only usefully for ending things. Boy do I love its beauty, I can not watch the movie V without taking it out and admiring its sharp and pointy magnificence. PS this even applies to my kitchen knives, nothing like klean slicing a tomato. Sharpening skills really are important, we take for granted how cheap and easy it is to get a sharp knife now. Not so cheap or easy in our not so distant past, considering the length of our existence. I ramble on....
You look so much healthier and you move way faster in the woods than the last time I saw one of your walking vids probably last year or so. Good for you dude!! ❤
Even your beard looks bushier lol
I need to step it up and commit more to improvement Ive been slacking.
As a firearm collector, I rarely talk about my hobby around most people.
Where I see unique and historic items, they see scary murder tools.
Same here.
for martial arts and craftmanship purpose mostly , my father made me watch some bruce lee movies and that was the starting point for my interest in "weapons" and martial arts then in adolescence came the interest for medieval times and armors then i falled in love with the Samurai way and the aesthetic , ever heard the saying "It is better to be a warrior in a garden than a gardener in a war" ? i guess it just feeds who i am spiritually
Recklessly dangerous intrusive thoughts are a really annoying part of my life. And probably the main reason I'm afraid of heights.
The "you do you as long as you aren't harming others" is how I was raised, and the fact it goes both ways ensures being well-mannered and respectful while keeping an open mind. It's always awesome seeing someone else living by that!
I'm just saying, if I have to live in a world where competitive eating is televised, and no one bats an eye to dump 1k dollars or more on a 20oz leather pouch (or a stilletto heel that permanently crushes their toe bones) I don't have to justify shit to anyone. I just don't.
This content deserves an award!
Test cutting and hema also teach control and self control build confidence etc. Knowing you can pick up a sword and defend yourself or pick up a strong stick and use it as a sword increases confidence that if you have to you can defend yourself this confidence shows in how you carry yourself how you speak especially when in a tense situation. The other party or parties involved will subconsciously pick up on this and will most likely back down.
My biggest nit pick with hema is historic martial arts was not just armed combat it was also knowing how to fight with out weapons hema does not teach this. A good instructor for Japanese martial arts that are mostly focused on swords will also teach un armed combat. I am extremely good with a katana but im not walking around with a katana on my side though where i live legally i could but i also know how to do various throws countless strikes with hands and feet etc. Even had to use a couple different throws because some one would not back down and tried to hit me from behind. I threw the one individual glanced at him to make sure he was not seriously hurt and just walked away. Looked back he was on his feet and walking away. Most adversarial encounter i have had a look or a few words was plenty.
The self control aspect also has effects on most other aspects of your life at work at play or just relaxing you have less stress you worry less and are more able to accept things you have no ability to change with grace. A bad day at work is less stressful and soon forgotten. It has health effects as well. So getting good at test cutting is not only a good way to blow off steam starting out but well you eventually get to a place where you just do not need to blow off steam.
Animals play fight cats dogs goats what ever. It is not just "combat training" with them ither it helps them avoid stress and burn off extra energy
As a Florida man I always use machetes for commercial fishing on small boats we’re me and the captain know each other well, use em for hunting and lawn work etc, I got into short swords knowing I can use them with all the above as well as practice the cut as well, so far I’ve found the kukri is the best utility blade for bull shark, deer, etc
FYI bronze is superior for ocean or on the water professions
I spent nearly three decades in law enforcement. When people found out I had a safe full of guns, they were unfazed. I guess that was expected. But, when they saw my sword collection, they'd find that strange, go figure. Obsession over anything is unhealthy. An interest in any given subject isn't.
Imagine breaking into the home of an ex-cop with a gun and sword collection. Jeee-zus.
"Weird, for a lack of a better word, is good. Weird works."
I like the term 'inhume.' (Thanks, Sir Terry!)
I wholeheartedly agree that modernizing old homes should be illegal. Architecture is just art that we live in, and it deserves to be treated with the same respect other artforms are given
people like shiny things, we have a fascination with them and we like looking at them. i find the same goes for sharp things, fine things and well crafted things. honestly allot of times sword tick all those boxes for us and i think that's a big part of why we like swords so much. theres other factors two for example, many people simply find swinging something of good heft satisfying, can't really explain why but to some of us it's just fun. additionally engaging in a little harmless aggression at the end of the day is a good way to blow off stress and calm down, it's good excercise two!
As Matt Easton said, context 👍
To add something from my own.
I am deeply interested in all forms of combat across all timeperiod, from scales ranging from personal to global.
Yet i dont get dopamine rush seeing things explode, sliced, penetrated by projectiles, bludgeoned etc.
My fascination lies with the implications, the "when and where to use it" application, the way forward and how certain things would change how warfare is conducted and how battlefields are molded.
"Are you obsessed with violence.."
Me an MMA nerd "yes"
For me personally the mechanics of a firearm is what fascinates me. I love to know how all types of gins work in a mechanical way.
As a mechanical engineer, I agree. To me, firearms are an extreme case of enginering, almost comparable space exploration, due to the violent (no pun intended) forces involved and hostile environments (ok, some pun inteded) they are used in.
Re 2:30 I saw a headline about a guy who killed a person on the NY subway. It said he "Fatally subdued" them.
Euphemisms about violence aren't good, they're insidious.
This is such a good video Skall... The visuals, the presentation of the main topic at hand, the reflections... I have literally never thought about why would anyone not think it's weird to practice something that would work to unlive someone. 😅 Weird... All my life practicing that and I never thought about it that way, it really is weird.
Anyways I wish I could hang out in the woods with you some day and geek out a bit about martial arts and swords. Isn't it also weird that me, living across the sea, in Spain, can feel the same way about such a niche topic as a canadian man?
Human beings are fascinating, for real.
PS: looking good man! ;)
"The call of the Void" is a self-destructive intrusive thought. And boy do I love it. I doubt we would have developed sky-diving or bungee jumping without it.
"You see that mountain? You can jump off it."
My youngest kid recently asked me why I needed more than one sword. Then he corrected himself and asked why I needed even one sword.
Always liked edged tools and weapons. And I am a self admitted geek about it.
I’m tired of the “need” question. Humans actually “need” very few things. That doesn’t mean that having something that isn’t a “need” is illegitimate.
7:20 Sigmund ended rightly.
Haha, sadly, Skall is wrong here. But "mainstream" understanding of Freud is wrong in everything, yes.
Hardly, Skall embarrassed himself with that bathroom stall explanation of Freud.
I don't really get why people think this is weird at all. Dangerous things are fascinating. How weird is it to play shooter games, watch violent action movies, engage in boxing or other unarmed martial arts? Is archery or modern fencing considered weird? Almost every hero character in a movie wields a sword (or a lightsaber). Literally every little boy I grew up with had plastic swords and engaged in playfighting. You could argue that collecting weapons or doing HEMA is simply the adult version of that.
I'd add that expressions of power are fascinating too. _Any_ kind of power, I think.
Gold-plated sports car is by no means an actually useful item to own, but it's fascinating as an expression of (purchasing) power. Cuts to tatami or zombie heads are maybe a good sport, but I'm quite sure most of the fascination comes from the display of (cutting) power.
And before anyone says purchasing and cutting are two completely different types of power, I say: yes, but both can hurt others, which is why they could be used to boss people around - or fend them off if they try the same. And that's, to my mind, why they are so fascinating.
Embrace the fact that we're all different.
Every human is unique.....
That's the only thing we have in common.
I always admired their elegance and it is a way to connect myself with history, to understand something more about how people were back then. Suppose reeactment would be possible but we have very few groups around here that do that and they are mostly concentrated on WW2.
But why it is weird to most people well there is also the aspect that we don't encounter death so much in our day to day as people in the past. It's not a bad thing, obviously, but it comes with hightened aversion to anything that causes harm, so for most people who aren't fascinated with the weapons for a different reason can only think of the dangerous properties of such.
Also there is the thing that in my country you can carry around any cold weapon as much as you want. It is not exactly polite to show knifes in public spaces, but vast majority of people at least carry around some sort of multitool with knife in it. So sword isn't as much of a leap. Mostly people will just give you weird looks because you can't hide sword as well as knife. But hey we can also concealed carry a gun if you have the permit to own one, so different place different customs kinda thing.
'It's weird to collect swords' says the person that collects Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse items. No not me, but when someone says what you are interested is weird, ask them what things gives them joy each day that they are 'obsessed' over and maybe the light comes on that we all can really nerd out on anything. Even non-professional gardeners. :) The weird person is the one that has no interest in anything other than work, eating, sleeping.
“War must be, while we defend our lives against a destroyer who would devour all; but I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend.” - Faramir of Gondor
8:03 that moment when you just finished writing a short story about this phenomenon...
It's a really trippy thing, especially if you hear/feel it all the time due to mental health issues. It's more than just an intrusive thought, but it's also not like you're suffering from schizophrenia. Whether you perceive it as a passing thought or your own thoughts telling you to do something, the Call of the Void is a weird concept and it baffles me that we've evolved to experience it.
Nerding out about weapons is totally fine. It's a cool intersection between history, engineering, and - let's be honest here - items that in practice fall into the same category as fidget spinners.
Becoming... "suspiciously enthusiastic" and fantasying about how you would use them on somebody else is when you have a problem. (Yes, the vast majority of GunTubers, you SHOULD feel called out by this comment.)
I'm into airsoft, but what I find puts people at ease is showing them my kit inspired by the A-Team. It's not suddenly not "oh just weapons," it's now a part of a larger hobby (cosplay).
Yes they are fun fidget spinners