Man has always had a hard-wired fascination with weapons. Even as little boys, we will find a stick and go whacking away at whatever tree or plant is nearby, then progress to our friends to see who wins or who has the bigger stick. No one has to teach us this, but for many it is not only discouraged but politely beaten out of us in the name of "being nice" and "using your words".
That impulse isn’t evil—but it must be disciplined.
Not every conflict requires force. In most cases, wisdom, negotiation, and restraint are the higher path. But the capacity to defend yourself and those you love should not be erased.
As Dr. Jordan Peterson has said, “A harmless man is not a good man. A good man is a very, very dangerous man who has that under voluntary control.” Strength becomes virtue when it is governed.
Hozier echoes a similar truth: “Don’t you ever tame your demons… but always keep them on a leash.”
Capability without control is chaos.
Control without capability is fragility.
If you choose to carry or train with weapons, you must do so seriously. Train for effectiveness—and train for restraint. The legal and moral consequences of force are real. Justice is not always simple, and ignorance is not a defense.
You hope never to use violence. But if you must act, do so in a way that remains disciplined, calculated, and defensible—not wrathful or reckless.
J.R.R. Tolkien wrote through Faramir:
“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.”