Book Review | When Violence Is The Answer
When Violence Is The Answer by Tim Larkin
I’ll start by saying that I think everyone should read this book—especially women.
If I could buy a copy for each of my loved ones, I would. Also, this book is probably not what you think.
First, it’s not a gun book. It doesn’t focus on any single tool or method for self-defense.
Second, it’s more about mindset than practical application. Much of the content is focused on the mindset around violence. Larkin teaches that violence is a tool, and it can be good or bad, depending on the person using it. Setting emotion aside, violence can allow someone to live to see another day.
He talks a lot about social aggression and asocial violence. Larkin explains the differences between the two, how to spot which you’re dealing with and what to do when you’ve been confronted with either.
“Violence is rarely the answer, but when it is, it’s the only answer.”
Tim Larkin, is a former Navy SEAL candidate who has spent the last 20 years training elite military special forces, law enforcement, and civilians in self-defense. He’s not your typical instructor, though. He focuses on surviving life or death situations and the mindset around violence. Tim’s full of knowledge and has a reliable approach to teaching.
My Key Takeaways:
Avoid social aggression situations and fighting at all costs. Even those who are highly trained to fight have less than a 50% chance of survival because you absolutely never know what the other person will do or if you’re dealing with asocial violence.
If you have to fight, you have to use violence. The only way out is through. Your goal should be to put someone down, not merely hurt them.
These situations are almost entirely mental. Asocial people have already set their minds around using violence, and they will find a way to take you down no matter what. You need to think the same and see yourself as the aggressor. That may be your only chance at survival.
Overall, this book is written clearly and concisely.
It’s balanced in its approach while being extremely thorough.
I appreciate that it’s written for the masses so that everyone can benefit. You don’t need to have any prior self-defense training to understand it. You need to have a willingness to want to live another day, should you find yourself in a rare situation.
It left me with a lot to think about and a strong desire to take some in-person training.
If you’ve read this book already, I’d love to hear your thoughts.
XO,
