The Enemy is Never Wrong: Martial Art, Activism, and the Fight for a Functional Future

by Frank Forencich

You probably remember how it went when you were a If your family was typical, your mother said “Don’t fight,” but your father said “Don’t lose.” And that was the end of it. With all due respect to Mom and Dad, this advice is little help in a hypercomplex world that’s teetering on the edge of social and ecological collapse. Conflict is now inevitable, but rarely do we teach it in any intentional way. A sense of martial artistry is essential to our survival. Gripped by confusion, fear and outrage, we feel the need to act, but we don’t even know the what to fight, who to fight, when to fight, how to fight, or why to fight. Awkward and impulsive, we’re ineffective and a threat to ourselves and others. This is a book about radical realism and adaptability. It’s about understanding the world, thinking clearly, navigating complexity, and exercising skill in the face of escalating stress and ambiguity. If you’re an aspiring activist with an interest in making a difference, this book is for you.

214 pages, Paperback

Published November 17, 2022

Reviews

[T Love · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s Not What You Think – It Is a MUST READ

This is a very enjoyable book. To set the tone of the book, and the author did this SO well, please, start at the very beginning. Read every page, up to and including the preface, before you move into the chapters of the book. I found every part of this book to be powerful and insightful. The author offers a fresh outlook on how we, all of us, can be activists through the way we live our life daily. The range of perspectives cited made me smile while the questions we must ask ourselves, and he does go into great detail, seem many, yet somehow, they are few. To even try to articulate how this book can shift your life from, this is his acronym, WASF – We Are So Fractured (my word he used a different word) to We Are So Focused, is impossible for me. You need to feel the words as you read them, and I believe you will. That’s where the magic happens. You just get it because it’s so simply put, and it is simple, and it is very easy to both understand and implement. You’re not even implementing anything, it just happens, and it’s good. Buy the book, allow yourself the gift of feeling really good not just while you read, but also later, as you live each day. This is a quick read at only 200 pages of large type so fewer words to the page. Excellent. Highly Recommended.

[Amelia DuBose · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is very well researched and written, Mr. Forencich knows his audience and writes for them. He is passionate about making the world a better place, and it shows. This book has given me so many tips and tricks on how to organize my actions and how to survive in an ever-changing world the human animal is not accustomed to. After finishing the book, I wanted to take to the streets right then and there, and afterwards, go on a walk in the forest.

The world is a giant mess right now, and it’s hard to keep hopes up when large companies are growing in greed, wealth, and continue to ignore our pleas. This book acknowledges that a feeling of hopelessness is normal and encourages the reader to continue fighting for their future and the future of others.

I will most definitely revisit this book for reminders in activism and in life. I absolutely recommend it for anyone who feels lost in this crazy world and wants to do something to make it better.

[Eve · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book for those that need basic life skills while dealing with the chaos of the modern world!!