Would you feel it's right to tell someone that think's they're a street fighter?

Depends on the person. People who talk like that most of the time are the kind that don't listen anyway, so I don't bother. Some people simply learn the hard way and you can not safe the world. They are also into it for the bragging purposes and to make themselves feel better or more important and if you did say something you would take that away from them. It will cause friction, no doubt and nothing you would say would be accepted. If they really wanted to know they'd be in a martial arts school or asked for your advice.

If there is a chance that they may accept what I say then I will say something. Mostly I will ask a loaded question such as if they thought that there are different intensities in fights or maybe how they would deal with someone who really came after their life and not just their ego. Just something for them to think about. If they are open to the subject then I will tell them what I think if not I leave them be in their ignorance.

Personally I do not hang out with people who get into fights a lot let alone brag about it. To me it means they are immature and potentially trouble for me too. It's too easy to get drawn into bad things and too hard to get out of them with a clean nose so it is better to avoid things like that altogether. There are plenty of other people who do not fight and do not have an ego problem that requires them to get into an altercation and then brag about it. People who have to brag about their fights have other problems too.

Like another said, you can't reason with someone who's delusional. They don't want to accept the truth bc the truth contradicts their beliefs. They can't handle the truth.

Best you can do is have a mature conversation or ignore it.

There are plenty "I'm a streetfighter foo" people running around claiming to be tough and that they are exceptional "natural born" fighters.

Truth is they are delusional, never have had a day of actual training, and if they went up against a real martial artist and not a product of a mc dojo, they would get their @$$ laid out. How can someone with not a day of training, watched too much fighting sports, etc, beat someone with 3 to 15 yrs of martial arts training? Sure, it's possible, fights change in the blink of an eye, but the possibility is low.

All you can do is try to have a mature conversation. Try to get them to see what you know and if they have an open mind help them to make wise decisions. If they don't there's nothing you can do.

Just look at this forum. Many of us try and help people learn. We try and tell them there's no best Martial Art but rather its about what you learn, how you're taught, and how you train then apply it.

Likewise, the advice we give is to avoid fights whenever possible and if not possible to end things as quickly as you can. It's not because we're better than anyone, but rather because we understand people can get hurt or killed from a lucky shot, legal hassles can be serious, and in most cases unless your life is on the line, someone you love is at risk, or some other similar thing it's just not worth it.

A line I really liked that I read once was(and I’m paraphrasing because I don’t recall the exact line), “Don’t bother speaking to those who would not listen to you.” You can say what you see as the truth, but if the other person isn’t really listening with an open mind then you are just wasting your time. What’s worse is that the next time they hear a similar message they’ll be even less receptive to it. If you feel it as your compassionate duty, rather than just being annoyed, to change this person, then find a way to really open their mind before trying to show them their faults.

I find people like what you mention overly aggressive a lot of times as well as shallow and one dimensional. I have had more than my fair share of scrapes but that was in part because of a few places I worked while going to college. I really hate to think what my life would be like today if I was still at that place in time in my life as 30-35 years ago. Some people never grow out of that stage in their life or progress much beyond that stage where your friend is at until they get much older. Some don't even make it out of it and instead end up dead or in and out of trouble and jail and have a lot of other drama and trouble in their lives as well.

All you can do is try to talk to them a little and maybe influence them some to change their ways or maybe stop and think a little about things and where their life is headed. Sometimes you can affect a change in them and sometimes not and they just have to come around to this in their own time and way. At the same time you also want to be careful not to be drawn in by them and their behavior and become involved or maybe even victimized by them in some way. They sometimes hurt or even turn on their own friends who remain to close to them and who allow themselves to be caught up in things.

That's the difference between your generation and mine. Many guys in their early 20s 'today' are overgrown adolescents. They are going to be living with their parents well into their 30s because they are hooked on video games and other childish pursuits that distract them from earning a decent living, getting married, and having children. I think you should do as much as possible to lead a truly 'adult life' of your own and avoid 'man-children' with a 'teenage tough guy' mindset. Guys like this fool aren't going anywhere in life, and all they can do is try to bring you down to their level.

If he was really so tough he's be in the military, but he's not. He's a wanna' be bad-a$$ with a chip on his shoulder who wants to talk a good game and can't really back it up.

That depends on your personal perspectives. Everyone has their standard for morales. Though Confucianism teaching tells you to 'stay away,' every time you see people brawling, go immediately without question, don't join the fray. There's some truth to it in that you never will know the long term consequences of what implicates you.

Though I don't really fully agree with it. I'd say it depends on the situation. Sometimes walking away and let him do it may be better in the long run, sometimes it may be worse. Nothing's absolute.

In many places, few martial artists have extensive experience in this...From school yards brawls to war, we are not living in the 40's, so the average individual in many places, have not even being in any army or have defended himself/herself 10-15 times...

So in that sense, what someone can tell? He/she has not being there enough...Taken to consideration the lack of this experience, is better in my opinion for instructors to just teach the style that are certified to teach and stay there...

We can not realistically have instructors speaking extensively about fighting and self-defense with out even having average experiences on them and expect that they will all give good and effective information on them.

In addition most of people do not view or train in martial arts just for fighting or self-defense.:)

I hope this answers your question, this is an honest approach on the matter:)

You can never change the mind of a delusional person. Why waste your time?