PDA

View Full Version : Who do you hang out with? Does it label you?



Tripitaka of AA
16th August 2003, 12:02
I saw Phil Elmore's thread, asking for contributions to his E-Publication "The Martialist".

I like Phil's posts on E-Budo. Amusing stories, nice contributions to debate, etc.

Then I read the thread titled "Spyderco Ronin", which is a review of a "knife". I was reminded of the differences between Phil's view of life on the street and my own. His advocacy of weapon-carrying is at odds with my own beliefs and we've discussed it in the past (not a lot, just enough for me to realise that we have different views).

Now I'm sure that Phil's publication would be happy to feature articles that offer alternative voices from his own, that's what he askeds for, after all.

My concern is that so much harm is done these days "by association". I read the papers, and everybody covered by a story is described in terms of who they have been with, where they have been and what other people might have said to them. It really gets up my nose, that this "no smoke without fire" attitude is used to smear anyone and everyone. Yet I am as guilty as the next person, of believing in rumours and unsubstatiated claims, when it comes to reading about people I don't know. As an old cynic, I find it increasingly difficult to trust anyone completely, so I doubt the media Icons during their rise, and doubt their crimes during the media-led witch-hunts that inevitably follow.

If I was lucky enough to have an article published by Phil. Someone would use it to show that I support and agree 100% with everything Phil has ever said, written or spoken about.

Call me a coward. many people do. I don't wish to disparage Phil or his work, but I wouldn't want people to see my work in a publication that goes against my principles.


Hhmmmm, I wonder if this should have been as an Email to Phil.

A. M. Jauregui
16th August 2003, 13:23
Your concerns are well founded for a cliche such as “Birds of a feather flock together“ or an old Spanish saying such as “Show me your friends and I will show you who you are” (massive paraphrase) are generally right on the money.

Profiling and labeling are seen in all walks of life from background investigations to everyday socializing. While not necessarily correct morally, it simply is the way the world works. By this I mean, conceptions are impossible, or as near to being impossible, not to form about others that one interacts with. That person is smart, that person is a jerk, etcetera...

More specifically there is a real possibility that one could be blackballed for contributing to The Martialist (http://www.themartialist.com/). The likelihood of a possibility that leads to backlash is extremely low (imho).

As most people know signing one’s name is not a trivial matter. And associations are marking.

Soulend
16th August 2003, 14:05
This is also why when one picks up a magazine devoted to nearly any endeavor the 'Letters' section is usually a bunch of missives that are nothing more than "preaching to the choir", or when an alternate viewpoint is printed it usually consists of little more than 'You guys are a bunch of idiots!'.

If you disagree and wouldn't want to send an article, I'm sure that would be fine. I doubt any of Phil's articles will be appearing in the BSKF newletter anytime soon either. Or if you choose to submit an opposing viewpoint, I'm pretty sure Phil would consider it. If you were somehow blackballed or labelled for submitting an article based on your beliefs, then who would these 'blackballers' be, I wonder, and why should one care what they think anyway?

I sent him something which may or may not be worthy of inclusion (I'm most assuredly not author material), but if far as I'm concerned if someone doesn't like what I have to say in it too bad for them. I really don't give a damn.:)

Shitoryu Dude
16th August 2003, 16:05
I have yet to see Phil advocate anything illegal or immoral. Different viewpoint, yes, but hardly anything over the top. He does in fact represent a sizeable section of men who believe that they had best be prepared for unexpected crap heading their way.

While I am sure that some of them are suffering from paranoid delusions, no group is free from those who are just a bit too much out there.

I'd be far more judging if he had nice articles on making your own pipe bombs, booby traps, tripwired shotguns, and how to dispose of unwanted bodies.

:beer:

adroitjimon
16th August 2003, 16:30
I am a reformed self appointed despot and since my reformation
I have gathered a rather small collection of freinds and I think
they are labled as being my freinds.

Now I don't know if they consider it to be a bad thing but all of
us have our particular usefulnesses and all have the ability to
be exploited by those we hold in esteem.

Now if you are of the mind to exploit others because you lack
the recourcefulness of an original imagination then those that
associate with you are no more than images in porn magazines.

So, if you allow yourself to be exploited you shouldn't feel the
obligation to speak out saying "Oh my I have been exploited
why are all of these people looking at me so strangely?"
when you subject yourself to these exploitations you lable
yourself "Hey every one I am easily exploited come and take
advantage of me I don't care to defend myself because I
am an overwhelming imbecile"...

Some times I think of reappointing myself as a world dictator
but since I have developed a concience the ordeal seems a bit
contradictory and the contradictions dont add up any more.

Simple ,pure ,easy going,these are the lables I have attached
to myself...And with doing so these lables have attached
themselves to those that have become attached to me...

I am the ROLE MODEL for there is none that can model a ROLE
for me but myself...Thank you for your time.

sincerely,