Power of delusion (to a point), still hit in the face

A martial artist, Yanagi Ryuken in Japan, demonstrates his “no-touch knockout” technique, and takes down a dozen or so men with easy-breezy style. Swish-sway BLAMMO! Swifsh-swish KAPOW! You get it in the first minute:

Very reminiscent of the centuries of clownery from magicians and faith healers such as Benny Hinn, who, I grant, does have truly miraculous hair:

Here Yanagi faces an opponent who does not believe in this technique. Yanagi gets hit in the face.

The Yanagi videos are mentioned in an interview with Sam Harris in The Atlantic titled “What Martial Arts Have to Do with Atheism”. I like Sam Harris, but can see how some people don’t. His approach on many matters is clear and deliberate. He does go slightly into woo-woo territory when talking about meditation, like striving for some magic/metaphysical crediblity after spending so much time dispelling superstitious realms of thought. Meditation probably has neurological benefits, yet he winds that woo-woo stuff in. I wince.

But back to Yanagi. Does he expect his opponent in the second video to fall under his sway? He seems stunned by the contact. Maybe he knows when he’s in pantomime combat with pretend telekinetic powers mode. Or maybe he doesn’t. I don’t care to research the back story. This is amusing as-is. As Lady Bracknell says in The Importance of Being Earnest: “Ignorance is like a delicate exotic fruit. Touch it, and the bloom is gone.”