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A challenge to violence is definitely the preferred approach but it is not always going to happen. Sometimes you just get punched. I'd argue that skipping straight to violence is because a challenge to violence is not legal and would be giving away the opportunity.
I'm openly unsure how to square this honor cultures being absolutely shit places to live.
As a government policy? Absolutely not. As a social reality? Yes with caveats.
When is the last time you just got punched? Even in a barfight something like "you want a piece of me?" is usually de rigueur IME, and "stepping outside" is a real thing...
Notably this... actually is still pretty legal in most jurisdictions; "mutual combat" is also a real thing, and even in places where the courts would technically not accept it, a fight in which both participants were on board is highly likely to be ignored by authorities so long as it doesn't get too far out of hand.
I have deliberately never gotten into a bar fight as a post-college adult, violence and alcohol with strangers is a level of risk I am not interested it. So last time would be at a frat party in college when i was a bit more risk oriented. A lot more often in high school, where my verbally slow autistic self preferred to use violence.
Does Kirk strike you as the type to accept an offer of mutual combat? Or do you think he would call security and go back to "mouthing off"? I might be biased in thinking he is too much of a wordcell type to accept. I think mutual combat probably breaks down somewhere in the social dynamic between average joes and rich influencers.
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