[LordTio3]

Benvolio:
Romeo, away be gone!
The citizens are up, and Tybalt slain.
Stand not amazed: the prince will doom thee death,
If thou art taken: hence, be gone, away!
...
Why dost thou stay?

He stays because he's never seen such death or used his tool to it's intended aim. Thus, he stands amazed at what he's done.
___________________________________________________________

Here we are currently regarding Desensitization and it's downfall for training; but in quite another light, I can see desensitization as being a great asset to tactical training.

In the Superbowl, if you're down 5 points and you've only got time for a Hail-Mary pass, who are you going to throw it to? Your hot-shot rookie who's already made 7 catches? Or your seasoned veteran who can outrun his double coverage? You've got to go with experience. Because you know that he's been there before with the pressure on enough to not get caught up in what's at stake, who's watching him, how many people are in the stands, or what winning the game might mean for his career. No. All your veteran is thinking about is his route, and when to turn and look for the ball. It's the same in self defense. Someone who's been a stranger to violence has a much higher likelihood of having their mind staggered by fear, options, defense laws, whether or not to draw/shoot, among the internal echo of "OHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGOD". Conversely, someone who is desensitized to such a situation will be thinking of nothing more than what he/she's got to do, and how to get it done most efficiently.

"Blessed is he who, when faced with danger, thinks only of the front sight." ~Colonel Cooper RIP

When you are in a situation in which you've got to draw your firearm and fire (being robbed at knife/gunpoint, being randomly attacked, being assaulted, defense of another, etc...) standing amazed at either what you've done, or at the situation unfolding is something you can ill afford. I think a desensitization of situational violence/combat/weapons(friend or foe)/and training in FoF serve instead as a great aid in keeping focused and allowing you to engage your threat without distraction.

This thread bears what I call the "Cry Wolf" syndrome. If your dog's bark is your first line of defense (Alert) and he tends to bark at everything, then you're simply going to stop paying attention to his alert. Thus, when there is a real threat, you will have ignored your first defense.

Personally, as my dog barks at quite a few things, I've made it habit to go and check every time he lets loose. I'll go to him, make him sit, then step in front of him and check things out. Then I'll praise him. This happens probably 10 times a day. Honestly, I'm desensitized to it. Not to his bark, but to my reaction to it. It's habit. He goes nuts, I go check it out. And he stops. He knows his job, and he does it well. And when he sees me check something out and then go about my business, he honestly stops noticing it eventually.

I'll stop my multi-frontal rant here by just stating that I believe that Desensitization to situational violence, the tools used therein, and the physical and mental results of such violence can be and are an invaluable defense tool in one's training arsenal.

But that it simply my opinion. Anyone else?

~LT