Are You a Dog or a Sheep? (Long Post)

On Sheep, Wolves, and Sheepdogs - LTC (RET) Dave Grossman

The Sheepdog, Wolf, and Sheep analogy is old and is used to explain the behavior of human beings (see link above).  I am going to briefly summarize the analogy and add a few correlations between GPP (CrossFit), mind-set, and HEL training.  Just something to read and think about over the weekend.

The Sheep
The sheep are the masses.  They are different from the Wolf and the Dog in mind-set but are on the same side of the Shepard (Law) as the Dog.  In general, sheep are primarily concerned with themselves.  Not in a selfish way, just in a self-interested way.  Their priority is their immediate family and providing for such.  Their job is simple - eat, sleep, survive, and generally live within the flock.  They are prey by nature because their mind-set is that of 'learned helplessness', developed by the Shepard.

The Shepard
Often left out of these analogies, the Shepard is an important piece of the big picture.  The Shepard is the Law, which is manifested in the body of and given application through the Government.  Under a rational and benevolent Government, the sheep will flourish and the Dogs will be well fed, cared for, and loved - the presence of the Wolf is low.  Under an oppressive Government (Shepard), the sheep are confused and nervous because the Dogs are beaten, marginalized, or neglected - often the Wolves are able to penetrate the flock either because the Shepard is negligent (abusive to the Dogs) or corrupt (trains the Dogs to act as Wolves or ignore the Wolf presence). 

The Wolf
The Wolf is the criminal, which is a general term for those who live outside the Law (outside the eye and rule of the Shepard).  The mind-set of the Wolf and the Dog are similar - both are predators - but the Wolf aims at attacking the flock of sheep.  For the Wolf, chaos, confusion, and corruption are the goals in life - any of those things can cause a sheep to fall victim.  To the Sheep, the Wolf is a threat but they don't know why.  They only know that, instinctually, they are the prey and the Wolf is the predator.  To the Shepard, the Wolf is typically a nuisance.  Of course, it all depends on the type of Shepard (law/government).  Some will not touch the Wolf, they have the Dogs do it.  Others will shoot the Wolf on-site (problem is, some Dogs look like Wolves and some Wolves look like Dogs).  Still other Shepard invite the Wolf into the flock due to their ignorant policies or corrupt power grabs.

The Dog
The Dog is the protector of the flock.  There are two types of Dogs - those trained by the Shepard and those not trained by the Shepard.  The Dogs trained by the Shepard will resemble the Shepard's philosophy.  These are Military and Law Enforcement.  They can be corrupt in the case of corrupt government (reference several South American and African military and police forces) and will look more like Wolves in that case.  (Dogs and Wolves are both canines, after all.)  These Dogs protect the big flocks.  The Dogs that are not trained by the Shepard are those that were born Dogs but tried to fit in as Sheep.  Of course, due to being not a Sheep, they are quickly rejected and even sometimes taken as Wolves.  Most Sheep will fear a Dog in the same way they fear a Wolf!  Those Dogs who are not trained by the Shepard are sometimes not trusted by the Shepard either and can be looked at as a threat to the flock by the Shepard.  The Dog is a predator, like the Wolf, and within the flock their presence will look, smell, and feel like danger at first.  It is up to the Dog to protect the flock (whether they are given a 'collar' by the Shepard or not). 


What is required to note here is that:

1. The Shepard, while conscious though an acting Government body, is more or less simply The Law.  It has no concept of prey/predator or any other roles attributed to behavior.  The Law is static and can catch and punish a Dog or a Sheep for acting out of line just as easily (if not more easily) than the Wolf.  Also, the Shepard can be ANY Law that the Sheep agree to follow and the Dogs agree to protect.  Smaller communities fit this model just as easliy as larger communities, i.e. we can see this analogy fit across the spectrum of nations, cults, religions, and neighborhoods.  Anywhere there is a Law (Shepard), there will be those following (Sheep), those enforcing (Dogs), and those attempting to break the Law or get at the those who follow the Law (Wolf).

2. Both the Dog and Wolf have a predatory mind-set, they are hunters.  The Wolf hunts the Sheep (and Dogs that are not in a pack) and attempt to eliminate the Shepard so as to make the flock more easily accessible.  The Dog hunts the Wolf.  However, because the Dog doesn't stray from the pack to actually hunt the Wolf (with the exception of specially trained Dogs that the Shepard will send out, i.e. Special Forces), the DOG WILL ACT AS IF THEY ARE HUNTING THE SHEEP.  The Dog does this so that it can have a better idea and angle by which the Wolf will attack.  By hunting the flock, the Dog will know how the Wolf will hunt the flock.  THIS WILL MAKE THE FLOCK VERY NERVOUS.  Dogs, like Wolves, make Sheep nervous.

3. Just like there are different types of Dogs, there are different types of Sheep, Wolves, and Shepard's


So why post all of this?  What does it mean and how does it relate to HEL? 

Our mission is to train for chaos.  Chaos is sometimes misunderstood or marginalized as a word so let me make it clear - Chaos is when the SHIT HITS THE FAN.  Chaos is when you (either a Dog or a Sheep) are confronted with a Wolf.  Not a figurative Wolf, like a 24-hour deadline your boss gave you on a 48-hour project.  I'm talking about a real Wolf.  Going into a public restroom to take a piss and having a couple Wolves accost you for your money, belongings, body, or life.  Standing at a bus stop at night and a Wolf walks up, brandishes a weapon, and demands your watch and wallet.  Waiting to pay for gas and a Wolf runs in with a mask on, pushes a gun into the face of the Sheep across the counter demanding the register money, then points the barrel in your face.  That is Chaos.

CrossFit (which from this point forward I am going to call General Physical Preparedness or  GPP) is where HEL started.  GPP is used by Sheep, Dogs, and Wolves to be fitter.  GPP is a MEANS, not a ends.  There is no ENDS in fitness, you must be training for SOMETHING other than to be fit.  The Sheep train to have a better quality of life - play with kids, hike up mountains, avoid high blood pressure, etc.  The Dogs train to protect the Sheep, to fight the Wolves, and, in general, because as predators they have a natural inclination to be fit.  The Wolves use GPP too.  They train to be better criminals.  What, you don't think they CrossFit in prison?

(Side note here: since 2008 a small group of HEL members have been training PDR and force-on-force combatives.  In early 2009, I began talking to individuals who had experience with violent, sudden, ambush-style attacks which quickly lead me to discuss fighting with corrections officers - most of whom had multiple experiences with just these kinds of fights.  What I found was not only are these criminals doing CrossFit in their cells and in the yard but they are also training covertly in Krav Maga, kickboxing, BJJ, and other MMA!  Of course, the corrections officers put a stop to all of that when they see it but you can imagine what kind of TIME these criminals have to really get good at HURTING YOU.)

At HEL, we began with GPP because it makes you stronger.  It doesn't matter if you are a Dog, Sheep, or Wolf - GPP will make you stronger, faster, more able.  That is the Black Box (thank you Greg Glassman).  Now, HEL has two distance training divisions.


GPP Division
This is the CrossFit gym that you are all a part of.  GPP satisfies our mission of protection training as a secondary effect.  By being a stronger, faster Sheep, you lessen your chances of being the victim of a Wolf.  Wolves, both in our analogy and in the wild, will hunt the slow, sick, weak, or old.  In short, they will go for the easy target.  GPP develops a stronger, faster Sheep and therefore, a safer Sheep.  Note here that GPP does little if anything to develop a predatory mind-set or the physical skills required by the Dog.


FM/P Division
This part of HEL is still in the pilot program but is essentially our PDR Team.  Fear Management/Protection is the realm of the Dog.  This training is for Dogs who have or have not had any formal Shepard (government) training.  Along with GPP, FM/P training teaches the Dog to develop the mind-set associated with predatory animals.  Force-on-force is only a small part of FM/P training.  Stress inoculation, aggression focusing, and environmental awareness are all a part of this training.  Like the true Sheepdog who is always on-guard, the Dogs of our species must be taught to think and act like Wolves so that they will be multiple step ahead of the Wolf when Chaos ensues. 


There is so much more but for now I will stop and let all of this set in over the weekend.  This post will be moved to a link on the sidebar and added to in a couple weeks.  More information on the new FM/P Division is coming and will start after February 12th.

To the Sheep: Enjoy the weekend - you're GPP training ought to give you the opportunity to experience things the weaker Sheep can not.

To the Dogs: Enjoy the weekend - keep your skills sharp, your ears and eyes open, and your back to the flock.  The Wolves are out there.

Either way -  if you're on my Team you're a bad-ass muther fucker!  Bulletproof and hard to die!

Train for chaos - see you in the Lab!

"We are not weak if we make a proper use of those means which the God of Nature has placed in our power... the battle, sir, is not to the strong alone it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave." - Patrick Henry

Comments

[Kevin]

I wrote the blog post above several days ago and set it to post today. In response to the comments yesterday and having lost a Team member, I think another paragraph or two expounding on the Sheep, Sheepdog, Wolf analogy is important. Especially to address a couple key points.

First, LtCol (RET) Grossman does a great job at doing this in his essay and I only touch on it. Hopefully you had a chance to read his essay - much better and more detailed than my post. In his essay mentions that the Sheep are nervous and fearful of the Dog - almost as much as they are of the Wolf. This is because both the Dog and Wolf are canines! To the Sheep the Dog and the Wolf smell, walk, sound, and look the same! The Shepard may be able to tell the difference (remember the Shepard is the Law and the Law is about Intent...there is a BIG difference between the Dog and the Wolf). But the Sheep can not and are thus just as scared in the presence of the Dog as they are with the Wolf.

Second, given the comments yesterday I am going to add a piece to this analogy. The teeth of both the Dog and the Wolf. The TEETH is the GUN. You see, the teeth represent the physical ability and a possibly mental capacity for violence. Both the Dog and the Wold have teeth but it is how they use the teeth that separates them. Have you seen the teeth of a Sheep? Flat, short, not very threatening at all, and offer to protection from predators.

But not all Dogs use their teeth - most will stop at the level of posturing (lots of snarling, foaming a the mouth, and aggressive barking) but will never actually bite. The dogs that do use their teeth do so under EXTREME stress and violence and a fear for their life or the lives of one of the flock. A multiple Wolf attack or a weakened Dog may resort to using his weapons, i.e. his teeth. Most Dogs, however, use their keen sense of smell, hearing, and a little bit of sight to 'sense' the Wolf before it attacks.

Nevertheless, the Sheep is frightened by the long, sharp fangs of the Dog and even though the Wolf poses a real threat (whereas the Dog is a harmless and protective member of the flock), it is the Dog that the Sheep fears most because the Dog is WITHIN the flock - not a predator upon it. The Sheep smells the Dog (canine), sees the Dog walk (canine), sees the Dogs teeth (canine AND weapon), and with all of these things becomes afraid of the Dog and wants to expel the Dog from the flock.

This doesn't work, obviously, so instead they 'BAHHHH' to the Shepard (government) and they say, "Mr. Shepard, there are Dogs in our flock! Look at their teeth! Our teeth are short and dull, the Dogs have teeth that could hurt us! You have to remove their teeth!" But who will protect you, Mr. Sheep, when the Wolf comes? "You will Mr. Shepard, with your single rifle, slow reaction time, and 160 degree range of sight!" So the Shepard, full of ego, begins to remove the teeth from each and every dog, making them unable to protect the flock. What happens next? WOLVES ATTACK!

(Side Note: This actually happened in England RECENTLY! I shoot USPSA with a REALLY GREAT shooter from England. She moved here after the gun ban that occurred in that country. First, she said they passed the law (no privately owned guns). Second, they had all guns registered. Third (and this actually happened), government officials went door to door collecting all of the firearms! Fourth - all hell broke loose. England's violent crime rate went through the room! She subsequently moved the US and got her guns back, England repealed the ban and the crime rate fell, and everything seems to be back to normal except for one thing - NO ONE REMEMBERS IN HAPPENED AT ALL AND PEOPLE STILL CALL FOR GUN CONTROL! In the history of the recent world two other national leaders have called for the collection of all of their countries guns in addition to England. Those two leaders: Stalin in Russia and Hitler in Germany. Think about it!)

I am adding this to comments because guns make people crazy. I know this. We lost a Team member yesterday because I promote a trained and well-armed populace (and I DO promote it). And Dave is right - it's not about me being 'wrong' or him being 'right'. There is no right and wrong. There is only prey and predator, victim and attacker. I think it's 'wrong' to allow someone to take my possessions, my body, or my life for ANY reason and I am willing to defend these things to the death. I find it 'wrong' to be the prey, be a victim. But that's only because I am a Dog - with big fucking teeth! The Sheep will find it 'wrong' to carry or even own a gun. But that's because they have short, flat teeth!! It's not about what is right and wrong - these words are relative. The mind-set is different so the capacity to judge is different. A debate with Dave (like a debate with all Sheep) is pointless and a waste of time - not because either of us is right or wrong but because we simply have different instincts. Human beings are one of the few species that can choose to be predator or prey, Dog or Sheep. And, unfortunately, the Dogs will never understand the Sheep and the Sheep will never understand the Dogs insomuch as it applied to combat, survival, and protection. In most other aspect, the Dog and the Sheep are more closely related than the Dog and the Wolf.

And Dave - Teeth don't kill Sheep, Wolves kill Sheep. ;-)

[handypants]

'shepherd'

[Cheap Supra Skytop II For Sale]

The sheep are the masses. They are different from the Wolf and the Dog in mind-set but are on the same side of the Shepard (Law) as the Dog. In general, sheep are primarily concerned with themselves. Not in a selfish way, just in a self-interested way. Their priority is their immediate family and providing for such. Their job is simple - eat, sleep, survive, and generally live within the flock. They are prey by nature because their mind-set is that of 'learned helplessness', developed by the Shepard.

[Cheap Supra Skytop For Sale]

They are different from the Wolf and the Dog in mind-set but are on the same side of the Shepard (Law) as the Dog. In general, sheep are primarily concerned with themselves. Not in a selfish way, just in a self-interested way. Their priority is their immediate family and providing for such. Their job is simple - eat, sleep, survive, and generally live within the flock. They are prey by nature because their mind-set is that of 'learned helplessness', developed by the Shepard.

[Grearialllync]

Bielizna damska