What should a man understand about himself before he’s trusted with force? A reflection on dance, discipline, and the moral weight of choosing to enforce.

There’s this old line, usually attributed to an Irish proverb, that says,

"You don’t give a man a weapon until you’ve taught him how to dance.”

On the surface, those two ideas don’t even belong in the same sentence. Dance feels like art, play, and movement. A weapon feels like control and consequence. One asks you to soften. The other gives you the power to end something. That contrast is the point.