Originally posted by vietnam vetInstead of responding with a reinterpretation of the old "who are you to question the Almighty? Shut up and train!" line, why don't you engage me on the level of the ideas?
I bow to your great Martial wisdom Oh great blakbuzzrd. I have passed your wisdom on to my poor fellow practioners in the Arts. Perhaps you would care to join us in Las Vegas, Nv., this month to continue to educate us. Our Association will be gathering here and we would love to have you instruct us. Grandmaster Ted Sotelo, Grand Master Adrieano Emper ...[text shortened]... with us, as unworthy as we are. Please reply ASAP and I will allow you time during our seminar.
You see, I don't set myself up as an authority on martial arts; I do have certain convictions, however, about the reprehensible pseudo-philosophical stupidity that pervades and even sustains martial arts today.
I think the notion of the "do" (e.g., karate-do, aikido, kendo) is silly, and based on a false premise of what effects training in a technique can have on one's whole being.
That doesn't mean that the "jutsu" emphasis is any better, as for better or for worse, MA techniques in are mostly about one-on-one unarmed dueling.
Want to better your character? Get therapy.
Want to protect yourself? Carry a cell phone, be smart about where you go, and practice sprinting.
Want to wear kung fu pajamas and get some joint-destroying exercise? Study martial arts.