Matt Thornton on martial arts, self-defense, building a healthier relationship to violence

Matt Thornton received his blue belt from the legendary Rickson Gracie in 1993 and was the first person in the state of Oregon to receive a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He also gave John Kavanagh, father of MMA in Ireland and trainer to UFC legend Conor McGregor, his black belt. Matt’s school, Straight Blast Gym (SBG), became Oregon’s first MMA-style gym. His book, "The Gift of Violence: Practical Knowledge for Surviving and Thriving in a Dangerous World," comes out on April 11th and is fascinating. We talk about good and bad martial arts, self-defense, violence, men with character disorders, and how we might develop a a healthier, more understanding of and approach to violence.