http://sgtidojo.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/when-temporary-touches-eternal.html I think this is one of the best blog entries James has written. This is something I've felt for awhile and, in fact, was just talking about a related and analogous idea the other day at the pub with some fine budo friends: I've found that people who's life is in pursuit of budo rather than using budo to pursue life tend not to be very good at either. Discuss...
I'm not entirely sure I agree with the parallels he draws but hey ho... What seems to stick out somewhat to me is that it felt like he was trying to shoehorn the quotes to fit his ideas. They didn't just slip in without considerable explanation and "adjustment". After reading the last paragraph I started to see that the whole article was maybe a justification to post this last quote. Also this last quote kind of critices the black or white way of looking at things whereas the rest of the article is very black/white in it's opinions, everything is described as polar rather than a "varying degrees of" type way. And reading the last quote made me wonder if the whole article was actually a reply to criticism of himself personally. Maybe even MAP criticism. Discuss....
Anyone who cares a jot what the strange set of extremists that frequent this particular part of MAP say ,needs to get out and meet some real people.
Thanks for sharing this. It might be my simple mind; however when I read things like this initially I think where do people come up with this. I'm not saying it's not interesting. To me some of "romantic" vs "realism" analogy is a little much but IMO what he appears to really be talking about is idealism or a "budo idealism" if you will. There are some dangers in some of this and not to state the obvious; however some people may try to replace reality.
I like how it's always people who haven't been to war who tend to formulate these ideas. Ivory Tower FTW.
I can guarantee he doesn't read MAP (or any forum). Nor do I talk to him about MAP. Also, I don't see how that quote could apply to any topic on MAP. Particularly individuals. Anyone who's not Soke is reamed for being 'not Soke'. No one gives any justification, because that will just be shot down because the person giving the opinion is 'not Soke'. I also agree that people need to stop seeing internet forums as a representative sample of Bujinkan students. It's a very, very skewed distribution. It's like someone visiting the US for the first time, going straight into a burn ward, looking around and complaining that 'Americans are ugly'.
