Fight club draws techies for bloody underground beatdowns

Fight club draws techies for bloody underground beatdowns

MENLO PARK, Calif. (AP) — They may sport love handles and Ivy League degrees, but every two weeks some Silicon Valley techies turn into vicious street brawlers in a real-life, underground fight club.

Kicking, punching and swinging every household object imaginable — from frying pans and tennis rackets to pillowcases stuffed with soda cans — they beat each other mercilessly in a garage in this bedroom community south of San Francisco.

Then, bloodied and bruised, they limp back to their desks in the morning.

"When you get beat down enough, it becomes a very un-macho thing," said Shiyin Siou, 34, a Santa Clara software engineer and three-year veteran of the clandestine fights. "But I don't need this to prove I'm macho — I'm macho enough as it is."

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Men involved in fight clubs often carry bottled-up violent impulses learned in childhood from video games, cartoons and movies, said Michael Messner, a University of Southern California sociology and gender studies professor.

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2006-05-29-fight-club_x.htm?POE=TECISVA

I would rather have a sex club than a fight club myself. My place, 8pm tonight, mmmm k? ;)

'Scuse me while I go shove a fork in my face....

What a fucking ridiculous dick-swinging contest. I read this and laugh my ass off at these schmucks. Immaturity at it's ugliest. These are supposed to be evolved humans? Write a book or a song or film a movie if you're pissed off. What's the fascination with wanting to be gangsters, fighters and killers anyway? I'd rather study them to understand and educate my kid how NOT to be.

The most popular hobby, however, is "forgetting what happened last week".

was a frickin psycho.

And the psycho's followers destroyed the country.

OTOH,

maybe they do get that. They just see it as a good thing.

. . . do you think that any of the male fans of the movie that start and participate in these beat-the-fuck-outta-each-other cockfight clubs actually GIVE a shit what the moral of that movie was?

NO. Besides that, fighting is fighting.

It's probably the same percentage of Rage Against the Machine's meathead fans that gave a shit about, or for that matter, knew what their lyrics tried to say.

don't automatically assume that those that participate in an activity are less than you. I enjoy a good mosh pit, and I sure as fuck give a shit about and know what Rage Against the Machines lyrics tried to say.

You sound like you want to fight right NOW!! RRAAAAR TESTOSTERONE EXTREME FUCK YEAH!!!!!

Boring. That mentality is why wars get started.

:eyes:

And you are actually fighting right now as well.

Sorry, not playing your game.

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The point of the bombings was not to hurt people or instill terror, in fact they made sure no one was hurt.

Oh and I'm sorry that I misused a word and have only posted 62 times, I guess that makes me less than you.

to get out some of that whining out in a fight club? Might help you a bit.

And Yahoo would be a bad thing :)?

I don't know, speaking as someone who's been in a fight before, I just find the whole thing stupid. I don't go to bars anymore because of it. I stay away from twitchy liquored up people because my luck with the law is, well, BAD to put it flatly.

you people know you're not supposed to talk about...never mind.

The message, although violent and necessarily so, demonstrated how modern man, through repression of emotion, often act out in impulsive violent ways. The movie showed the self-alienation of the main character, the Brad-Edward character was a metaphor for the modern man who is numb, nuetered and often self hating. Violence was the only way in which they could feel.

It is a great movie and a must see for men who can see through the graphic violence and into it's heart.

But what defenders of the movie don't seem to get is that THAT is a movie and THIS is reality, and reality doesn't give you or anyone else a fucking license to start a fight, create an army of lunatic schizo-sheep and take your frustrations to a destructive conclusion.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have reality to get back to, where I have a child to set a good example to. Have fun nursing those wounds and let me know how that works out for you . . .

but freedom does give you a license to start a fight with another willing participant.

First of all callm the hell down. I could almost hear you ranting on the other end of you computer. I, personally, don't participate in fight clubs, but have been a martial artist for over 20 years. My last street fight was in college. I do however engage in competitive fighting with gear on. What makes what I do different from what these guys do? Not much I tell ya. I guess I draw the line at hitting one another which heavy objects, but that is me.

I have two sons, both of whom I am going to teach how to fight. I will also teach them how to love, cook, give massage, sew, be self sufficient as well as interdependent.

Curious, how many fights have you ever been in?

And as I stated in an earlier post I haven't been in any real physical fights, just stupid stuff as a kid.

to Hugh about the ranting not you. I happened to agree with your point of view

Also that you know what you're doing. This bullshit isn't and many of these people don't know what they're doing. All I got to say to them guys is good luck explaining to the hospital/insurance people/loved ones if they get a serious injury from the coke-can pillowcase/household utensil blows.

I've been in three. Two of which were one-sided in my favor. This is why I stay away from the whole thing because I find that side of me and life shameful.

only one of which I started, for the wrong reasons. I have hurt people and have felt horrible about it. I understand where you are coming from. But I would be lying if there is not something primal and both terrifying and exhilarating about being in a fight. I think that is what men, who are in battle, have described feeling the most alive, cause they don't if that will end in any second, so they appreciate what little them may have.

I think men need to deal with this side of themselves in a adaptive way instead of a maladaptive way. Fight clubs may be the ritual violence that these men need to feel powerful in a world of cubicles and 9 to 5 lives. When I look at "civilized" countries where you can destroy a village, a city a country with the push of a button, we divorce ourselves from the terror, thrill and adrenaline rush of 1:1 combat.

We live in these little isolated cocoons of techno-civilization with little threat to our lives. We then become complacent and take this all for granted. If some guy needs a black eye to feel alive, well who am I to say he shouldn't

I fell down some stairs.

Reality says all life is a struggle. Best get used to it and teach your children.

"In Italy for 30 years under the Borgias they had warfare, terror, murder, and bloodshed, but they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and the Renaissance. In Switzerland they had brotherly love - they had 500 years of democracy and peace, and what did that produce? The cuckoo clock."

Loved that movie.

That's why he beats that pretty boy's face in. He turns away from the woman at first, and then at the end when they blow up all the buildings, which are phallic symbols, he holds the girl's hand. That means he's heterosexual now. Maybe the Brad Pitt guy was his gay self or something, and all the other men followed him like sheep out of lust. The fighting was fake sex I think, cause as radical as they were they couldn't bring themselves to go brokeback with it. Strange. I'm glad movies like that CAN get made althought that one turned my stomach. I felt like they all just needed to fuck each other and get it over with.

I hope the Beav and Wally grow up non-violent. :evilgrin:

Come down here to Dallas and march through the streets.

Better: Carry signs saying "Gays for Peace" and "Impeach Bush".

I think this would be great. How often can I punch someone and not get arrested for assault. But I enjoy a good fight so I guess I'm wierd. I also think there are a few things that men are missing with our technological pampered world we have now that would do a lot of good for our mental health and this could be one example.

Sorry guys. I'm not a troll or a freeper. I'm serious.

Just my opinion. I'm sure I'd be way outnumbered if you took a poll on this.

Through the computer screen of course.

If guys want to voluntarily beat the crap out of each other, I see no problem with that.

let me say that fighting does nothing for mental health. It is the unstable lunatics who do it. And don't kid yourself about this. They could all go to a boxing gym and let into each other if it were for sport or excercise. This is about tapping the inner animal. The inner animal is not mentally healthy. Just my opinion, of course.

I forgot to mention that: the reason I hate fighting is because I had to spend the first 18 years or so of my life defending myself against a psychotic person.

but these folks with the frying pans and pillowcases filled with sodas pretending to be the old ECW is just laughable...granted, more power to them if that's how they want to spend their free time

on the one hand, I think fighting is immature, ridiculous, and should be the last resort reserved for actually defending yourself and/or loved ones.

On the other hand, I enjoy a variety of martial arts and think it is not a bad thing to understand not only how to fight but how to avoid getting hurt if you ever have to fight. My favorite teacher told us that if everyone studied the martial arts the way they should, no one would ever have to use them beyond just having fun.

It's a strange issue, and possibly akin to the gun debate. I don't have a problem with guns existing or being legal at all, even though I disagree with the way they are used. If these folks want to fight and it everyone involved consents, then what is the harm, other than to themselves?

I would consider doing this to be honest, although I think the use of weapons mentioned is pretty lame and a good way to take things too far. Again, I am not a violent person at all - I prefer to get out aggression and anger in more productive ways, but if some people want to beat the crap out of each other, then I guess let them.

I agree with you. I'm not talking walking around being a bully or a psychopath, that's not honorable, but this is something people volunteer for so I guess the libertarian in me don't see a problem here.

Also I think this is not too far different from skydiving or bungee jumping or maybe even riding a rollercoaster, it's just another adrenaline rush.

I've been in a lot of fights and lost my fair share, but I am being totally frank and honest when I say I enjoyed it.

His name is Robert Paulsen. His name is Robert Paulsen. His name is Robert Paulsen. His name is Robert Paulsen. His name is Robert Paulsen.

Killer Kobol

the living shit out of each other, all I have to say, go have fun with that. To me it reads of all sorts of other pent up frustrations.

I am a self proclaimed lover. I choose not to fight because fighting solves nothing. And loving is a hell of a lot more fun.

If you feel the need to vent over how unfair modern life is and you don't feel as if you can properly vent your caveman-like needs, well, there are other things to do other that hanging around other self-loathing individuals whose only way to vent their anger issues is to pummel other humans.

Perhaps, like what I do, is do part time construction. It satisfies the need to beat something by driving nails into wood and at the same time, gets my "pent up anger" vented, but also helps people, habitat for humanity, you know.

If you still need that adrenaline rush, I find a good hard game of basketball or paintball a good way to exhaust myself into a pile of sweaty humanity.

Or as like someone said earlier, boxing. That is more of a skill and involves technique. I don't believe that someone who wishes to use a frying pan on someones noggin will get the same "vent" out of that. But then again, if you feel that overwhelming urge to clock someone in the skull with a frying pan, I would say, you have other issues to contend with.

Frankly, the popping up of these various "fight clubs" to me is another scary sign that the "civilization" that we have built is failing.

The only difference between us and the cavemen are the caves.

Just found that funny.

The civilization that we've built was founded on violence. There wouldn't be an America without it.

And is that wood from the process of deforestation? If it is, you're hurting other species without their consent. If the wood is specially grown, you're helping the process of artificial growth on a finite planet.

So we're all screwed no matter what.

But in the mean time, we can choose how we spend that time in the middle. I choose passive happy fulfilling things. The person in the article chooses violent things. Violence does not add to the whole, it subtracts.

And to your comment about the wood. My last line says it all: the only difference between us and the cavemen, is the caves.

We haven't evolved at all.

As long as people refuse to listen, there will always be wars.

They're adults and they want to fight. Let them. They're not picking fights with strangers (and if they do, they should be punished). As long as their fighting with each other, it's not a big deal. I looked at the picture on the site of the stick fighting. That's nothing new. The Dog Brothers have been doing that with eschrima for years. The only difference is they're probably more skilled fighters and they call it "Gathering of the Pack." They get to blow off steam, which is healthy. If they started doing a full-contact martial art where people beat the shit out of each other, it wouldn't be an article. It must be a slow news week.

Rather have them inside fighting each other for fun, than outside, fighting me against my will.

Catharsis can be golden.

these vanity fights, while so many can't afford said insurance at all, but hell, if they want to beat each other up, who cares? Pas moi.

and a great workout.

tae kwon do, boxing, wrestling, etc. there are rules and referees to prohibit injury. In the fight clubs, apparently, there are no such rules.

In Eastern Martial Arts, often pacifism is meditated upon and sought after. There is a high element of self control. In these fighting clubs, no self control is involved.

I imagine a group of over fed, couch potato, star-wars kid types flailing round with bags of door knobs, missing most of the time.

Then one gets clocked in the head and falls like a ton of bricks.

Unlike the movies actual fights really don't last all that long. It doesn't take much to break a nose, compress a cheek bone, fracture an orbit or crack a jaw. So if these guys badges of courage involve a wired up face to prove who they are and what they are, fine. Have at it.

But because of morons like this, collectively, my health insurance will go up. All because these bored, over amped, metro-sexual, armchair couch warriors, testosterone raging idiots want to beat the shit out of each other.

Here's something for them to think about, if they really want to vent, to really prove that they are men, they should drop their health insurance and then beat the living shit out of each one with their pillow case filled with their dense object of choice.

I don't want my insurance to go up because of idiots like this.