Thread: PRINCIPLES OF PERSONAL DEFENSE

PRINCIPLES OF PERSONAL DEFENSE
by Jeff Cooper

Tactical Response Gear

Once upon a time I used to be regular reader/subscriber to Guns & Ammo Magazine. Every month when I pulled those pages out of the mail box, the first thing I did was to turn it over and open the back cover to see what the Gunner’s Guru was going to share with me. Jeff Cooper’s straight forward and eloquent writing style never ceased to educate and entertain. His passing was a tremendous loss to the firearms community, but his teachings and writings will never die nor loose their relevance, for they are truly timeless. No finer example exists then the immortal words he penned on the subject of fighting mindset in the pages of “Principles of Personal Defense”. I believe it is Cooper’s shortest book, but don’t let that fool you, it is a wealth of knowledge.

It had been nearly two decades, since I last read it. Some jerk barrowed my previous copy and never returned it. I recently replaced it and while I was reading it, I came to realize just how much impact it on my daily life; it was especially obvious on the subject of alertness. Just little things like how I never sit in the middle of the room in a public restaurant or pub, how I never put my back to the entrance without a mirror in front of me, how I never step blindly into or out of doors, how I take wide turns around corners, how I am always scanning my surroundings even when engaged in conversation. I’ve been asked, “What are you doing?” “Nothing, nothing at all”, I’ll reply with a slight smile. If you don’t know you just don’t know.

One of my very favorite quotes in the book is where Cooper is talking about anger and aggressiveness when faced with life treating situation, he states, “The foregoing is quite obviously not an approved outlook in current sociological circles. That is of no consequence. We are concerned here simply with survival. After we have arranged for our survival, we can discuss sociology.” It just doesn’t get any more straight up and truthful than that. If we don’t survive the current situation nothing else matters, nothing. The entire book is full of such truisms.

In the forward, Louis Awerbuck claims “Principles of Personal Defense” is like a twentieth-century Western Civilization equivalent of Musashi’s seventeenth-century “Book of Five Rings”, it should be read, studied, and then periodically reread and restudied.

Jeff Cooper’s “Principles of Personal Defense” are:
1. Alertness
2. Decisiveness
3. Aggressiveness
4. Speed
5. Coolness
6. Ruthlessness
7. Surprise

Learn them, study them, practice them, they just might save your ***.

Everyone concerned with self-defense should read this book. It is short and can be read in one sitting. Mindset folks, without it the gear makes little difference.

#5. I need to work on. My adrenalin seems to make me shake in situations.
Thank you.

Originally Posted by titsonritz

Once upon a time I used to be regular reader/subscriber to Guns & Ammo Magazine. Every month when I pulled those pages out of the mail box, the first thing I did was to turn it over and open the back cover to see what the Gunner’s Guru was going to share with me. Jeff Cooper’s straight forward and eloquent writing style never ceased to educate and entertain. His passing was a tremendous loss to the firearms community, but his teachings and writings will never die nor loose their relevance, for they are truly timeless. No finer example exists then the immortal words he penned on the subject of fighting mindset in the pages of “Principles of Personal Defense”. I believe it is Cooper’s shortest book, but don’t let that fool you, it is a wealth of knowledge.

It had been nearly two decades, since I last read it. Some jerk barrowed my previous copy and never returned it. I recently replaced it and while I was reading it, I came to realize just how much impact it on my daily life; it was especially obvious on the subject of alertness. Just little things like how I never sit in the middle of the room in a public restaurant or pub, how I never put my back to the entrance without a mirror in front of me, how I never step blindly into or out of doors, how I take wide turns around corners, how I am always scanning my surroundings even when engaged in conversation. I’ve been asked, “What are you doing?” “Nothing, nothing at all”, I’ll reply with a slight smile. If you don’t know you just don’t know.

One of my very favorite quotes in the book is where Cooper is talking about anger and aggressiveness when faced with life treating situation, he states, “The foregoing is quite obviously not an approved outlook in current sociological circles. That is of no consequence. We are concerned here simply with survival. After we have arranged for our survival, we can discuss sociology.” It just doesn’t get any more straight up and truthful than that. If we don’t survive the current situation nothing else matters, nothing. The entire book is full of such truisms.

In the forward, Louis Awerbuck claims “Principles of Personal Defense” is like a twentieth-century Western Civilization equivalent of Musashi’s seventeenth-century “Book of Five Rings”, it should be read, studied, and then periodically reread and restudied.

Jeff Cooper’s “Principles of Personal Defense” are:
1. Alertness
2. Decisiveness
3. Aggressiveness
4. Speed
5. Coolness
6. Ruthlessness
7. Surprise

Learn them, study them, practice them, they just might save your ***.

Well and intelligently written, thank you. I will be sure to buy this book.

Brown, thank you for the compliment.

You will have no regret. It will be time and money well spent.

A good threat subject to heed!

I met the good Colonel at our state firearms instructors seminar some years ago. Very opinionated, yet astute in how he went about his life.

He pulls no punches, and and isn't worried about offending anyone in this arena.

Thanks for the reminder, been awhile since I read my copy...tis time to crack the book.

Ed Jordan offered some helpful insights also.

OK, I haven't read it, but you just convinced me. Will be picking a copy up.

Got my copy after reading this post a few wks ago. Great book. Highly recommended.

Originally Posted by Browning55

Ed Jordan offered some helpful insights also.

Do yon mean Bill Jordan? US Marine during World War II and the Korean War, Border Patrolman, S&W Model 19 advocate, Jordan Trooper Grips, that guy?

Originally Posted by Cougfan2

OK, I haven't read it, but you just convinced me. Will be picking a copy up.

Originally Posted by oregonty

Got my copy after reading this post a few wks ago. Great book. Highly recommended.

I am glad to see folks checking it out.