Michael Hopf wrote, “Hard times create strong men, strong men create good times, good times create weak men, and weak men create hard times.” I would contend with that.

First, good times don’t always create weak men. By historical standards, times in Australia now are quite good. That doesn’t mean that Australian people are weak. I take classes in jujitsu, and most people there are strong enough.

Secondly, I do not see how weak men create hard times. I would say that malevolent men create hard times. Some malevolent people are strong and some malevolent people are weak, and I do not see a link, positive or negative, between the two.

Genghis Khan was a strong man, but he did not create good times. Bill Clinton was not as strong, but life under Bill Clinton was good. Probably the worst form of government is a military dictatorship. Military dictatorships have a horrible record of just about everything. And these people are not weak.

I would say that benevolent people, strong or weak, create good times, and malevolent people, strong or weak, create bad ones. A hero is a strong man who stands up for people weaker than him. A tyrant is a strong man who abuses them. There have been plenty of both in history. In both cases we see strength; but one form creates good times and the other form creates bad ones..

Is it valid to support training in strength? Of course it is. I am much stronger now than I was when I was a teenager, and I like myself a lot more. This can be done regardless of whether the times are good or bad. Martial arts training helps people to be strong even if they don’t have to go to war. And I sincerely recommend martial arts training to anyone who doesn’t want to be weak.

So I do not see how weak people are more likely to create hard times than strong ones. There will be both good and bad people who are strong and both good and bad people who are weak. The best outcome, once again, is the hero: A strong man who stands up for people who are weaker than him. And it is these people that truly create good times.