glad2bhere
20th February 2001, 13:54
Dear Mr. Power, McCartney, Skoss et al:
I am writing to express my deep and sincere disappointment at your deportment in this public venue. I was given to believe that the individuals participating in this Net and particularly in the Koryu and Sword portions of this Net represented exemplary practitioners of their art. As I have suspected for a while and have had confirmed to me through these repeated strings apparently you folks have learned just enough from your exposure to these traditions to "talk the talk" without "walking the walk."
a.) I am still attempting to identify where in all of this "discussion" is the much-touted quality of "consensus-building" so often ascribed to Japanese culture specifically and oriental culture in general.
b.) I am also still working to find those leadership qualities which would assist in helping individuals to "retrreat with grace" from aggressive positions, and to be relieved of the pressure to remain on the defensive beyond a reasonable point.
c.) It would also be helpful for me to know at what point this Net stopped being a venue for the intelligent exchange of information and became the exclusive fiefdom for an elite group of experts.
d.) In the hope of protecting myself in the future it would be necessary to know in advance on what subjects you folks intend to use your prodigous knowledge of your respective arts to berate, abuse, embarrass and otherwise bully individuals of your choice.
e.) It would be a service to me to know under what conditions discussion must immediately become competitive, antagonistic, mean-spirited and crude so that I can respectfully withdraw.
f.) Finally it would help me to know how I can help you experts to see that you are only hurting yourself and your respective arts by allowing discussions to come to the place that an individual withdraws their contributions. I suppose some would rate your "victory" as intellect over liberalism. For myself I place it no higher than "pyrrhic". Having indulged yourself to come out of the less-desireable parts of human nature, you are now free to pat each other on the back for protecting that narrow aspect of your art you have decided constitutes "truth".
As a Korean practitioner I can't know the exact Japanese term for it, but I didn't need to take a MA to learn that one treats a guest with indulgence, decorum and grace. Whatever you may know about culture and MA, your behavior suggests it has not translated into simple common sense and good manners. It may well be a service on my part to advise others considering participation to know what I have experienced here so that they might make a considered decision as to whether they would particiapte or not.
Regards,
Bruce W Sims
www.midwesthapkido.com
I am writing to express my deep and sincere disappointment at your deportment in this public venue. I was given to believe that the individuals participating in this Net and particularly in the Koryu and Sword portions of this Net represented exemplary practitioners of their art. As I have suspected for a while and have had confirmed to me through these repeated strings apparently you folks have learned just enough from your exposure to these traditions to "talk the talk" without "walking the walk."
a.) I am still attempting to identify where in all of this "discussion" is the much-touted quality of "consensus-building" so often ascribed to Japanese culture specifically and oriental culture in general.
b.) I am also still working to find those leadership qualities which would assist in helping individuals to "retrreat with grace" from aggressive positions, and to be relieved of the pressure to remain on the defensive beyond a reasonable point.
c.) It would also be helpful for me to know at what point this Net stopped being a venue for the intelligent exchange of information and became the exclusive fiefdom for an elite group of experts.
d.) In the hope of protecting myself in the future it would be necessary to know in advance on what subjects you folks intend to use your prodigous knowledge of your respective arts to berate, abuse, embarrass and otherwise bully individuals of your choice.
e.) It would be a service to me to know under what conditions discussion must immediately become competitive, antagonistic, mean-spirited and crude so that I can respectfully withdraw.
f.) Finally it would help me to know how I can help you experts to see that you are only hurting yourself and your respective arts by allowing discussions to come to the place that an individual withdraws their contributions. I suppose some would rate your "victory" as intellect over liberalism. For myself I place it no higher than "pyrrhic". Having indulged yourself to come out of the less-desireable parts of human nature, you are now free to pat each other on the back for protecting that narrow aspect of your art you have decided constitutes "truth".
As a Korean practitioner I can't know the exact Japanese term for it, but I didn't need to take a MA to learn that one treats a guest with indulgence, decorum and grace. Whatever you may know about culture and MA, your behavior suggests it has not translated into simple common sense and good manners. It may well be a service on my part to advise others considering participation to know what I have experienced here so that they might make a considered decision as to whether they would particiapte or not.
Regards,
Bruce W Sims
www.midwesthapkido.com