Originally Posted by
gendzwil
I'd go one further and say they're mostly pretty bemused by all the Japanophiles and consider that we've got a perfectly good culture here, why do we want to absorb theirs?
Greetings everyone,
Neil Gendzwil (bless his kokoro) has raised a very good point here, and one which it might be nice to get some further discussion going on.
Many times, people who get involved with "things Japanese" as a lifelong committment (not just Bujutsu/Budo, but other traditional Japanese cultural arts as well) face the temptation/desire to 'go native', as it were, and re-invent their entire life around the Japanese model. One possible direction this discussion could go in is the one mentioned by Neil above: "we've got a pretty good culture here, why do we want to absorb theirs?"
Going a bit deeper, this question presents itself: "Why do I find the Japanese culture/lifestle so appealing (more so than my own cutural environment) that I am ready to throw myself, body and soul, into a major re-working of my personal lifestyle? In other words, am I so dissatisfied with my own culture/country that such a lifestyle shift is necessary for my own peace of mind?"
It will be most interesting to see what thoughts and opinions surface on this topic!
Michael Gennan Alexanian
General Manager & Head Instructor
United States Tamiya Ryu Iaijutsu
Michigan Honbu Dojo
"Do not regret being ignored; regret being ignorant."
Ryuko