We should teach self-defense in schools instead of math
Summary
A black belt karate instructor argues math should be replaced with self-defense classes in schools. Calculators and AI have made math obsolete, she tells Kareem, but self-defense? That's essential for everything from walking home at night to dealing with HR. Her definition goes way beyond punches and kicks. It includes boundary setting, consent, knowing how to say no, and deescalating conflict. She even gets Kareem to let her demonstrate, claiming afterward "I punched the Subway Takes guy." Her three tips: take a beginner class in kickboxing or jiu-jitsu, expand your understanding beyond just physical defense, and remember that intervening when you witness violence is community self-defense. It's a radical reimagining of what protecting yourself actually means.
Full Transcript
We should teach self-defense in schools instead of math. 100% agree. I think we would—I think that that's good.
Math is useful. It is useful, but it's not as useful as self-defense.
Not with calculators and AIs now. It's like you just type it in. Like, calculators ruin math.
Totally. And I just feel like self-defense. Like, if you're struggling, for example, walking home at night, self-defense. If ICE is arresting your people, self-defense. If you're dealing with something with HR, self-defense. If someone—
Self-defense in HR? In HR.
But in HR, like—
People don't understand what self-defense is.
This is self-defense. That's part of self-defense. That's part of it for sure. But it's also like boundary setting. It's consent. It's knowing how to say no. It's knowing, like, how to communicate when there's conflict, how to deescalate conflict.
I always assumed self-defense was physical. Part of it's physical. I mean, getting like punching and kicking and beating someone up, we teach that 100%.
And do you do all those things? Yes, I have a black belt in karate and I am a self-defense instructor. Punch me.
That is not self-defense. I cannot punch you.
I punched the Subway Takes guy.
What are the three tips? Three self-defense tips that everyone should know.
The first thing is that you should take a self-defense class. Everybody should take at least like a beginner class. Whether it's just like going to like a kickboxing class or going to a jiu-jitsu class, learning how to throw a punch, learning how to deescalate is really important. The second thing is, like, expanding our understanding of self-defense. It's like it's not just physical, it's also emotional, it's also verbal. Being able to say no, being able to say stop, being able to just be aware of your surroundings are all self-defense techniques. Um, and then the third thing is just being able to, like, also understand that self-defense is also about community safety. Like, if you see someone who's experiencing violence, then you should be able to intervene and people should be prepared to intervene.
Stop.
Exactly.
Go away. No.