Making Sense...?
There is a recent thread on "How Real is Violence?". I think the recent tragedy gives us all a very special and unfortunate vision of violence in our society and how very real it can be. If anyone has any insight into such things, please share.
Sense? Sense How can we make sense Of some things? Sandy Hook, Cologne, Virginia Tech, Dunblane, Columbine, and Bath School and Red Lake High School A fraternity of tragedy The list can go on And on A testament to what? How evil we are? How helpless we are? How stupid we are? Logic and reason fail Faith takes a severe beating We look to others Authorities, experts People of education And influence But nothing satisfies No answer is good enough How can such things happen? How can people treat Other people like that Especially children? Mental illness and evil Have always been with us But some things... Some things just Strike to the heart :circle: |
Re: Making Sense...?
Jim, I don't write as eloquently as you...
I can't explain violence... I can't explain why the markings on the Mayan calendar remind me of the markings on an Oreo cookie. |
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Tragedys happens everywhere and they happened long before now. Today media not only brings these tragedys to the population but they cram it down everyone's throat before during and after the event.
We aren't going to make sense of these events because they are senseless acts. Sure, in the instances where they can talk to the individual or when the individual leaves a note explaining their actions we can know why they did what they did but to unerstand them is not possible, IMO. |
Re: Making Sense...?
If I understand correctly O'Sensei's invention (if that is the right word) of Aikido involved more than just the promotion of various martial techniques, but also a philosophical mindset that reached out to hopefully change the world via love, peace, harmony through budo (roughly).
How would such a mindset reconcile with what happened in Conn? That is, if Aikido was more a part of more people's lives, whether or not they actually practiced on the mat, would this have had any kind of effect on the outcome in Conn? What kind of practice or process could people have used under such an attack? Or, if someone has a gun, then Aikido is just worthless?? |
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I think that the unfortunate thing is that whilst these very public events are tragic the every day reality of homicide continues almost unnoticed. Was quite shocked to read this in the huffington post, by way of our local print media. U.S. Shooting Deaths Since Sandy Hook Top 100
Treading carefully....From what I know of self defence stats it seems most homicides are between those known to each other. The availability of self defence tools in these situations then becomes somewhat counterproductive. It doesn't stop evil or intent to commit acts - but maybe there are strategies to limit the scope by limiting the tools. |
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Change takes place when it is noticed that a change is needed. Society can see that a change is needed. Sadly, society doesn't recognize what needes to change.
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Thanks for everyone's response. Guess I was asking too much, expecting too much, that some kind of answer may be readily available.
Jim.......Perhaps 2013 will be better......... |
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Unfortunately you can't stop crazy. You can treat it, you can reduce it's impact by limiting access to means, if the right person is in the right place you can shut it down, but you cannot expect to fully protect or prevent it. For most of us making sense of crazy is a self indulgent rabbit hole it distracts you from doing more useful things, because crazy is crazy and the motivations are...crazy.
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Immediately after the "Montreal Massacre" (6 Dec 1989) a politician said something true. Then Minister of Justice for Canada was asked if he was going to tighten up gun laws in Canada while on news camera... The cops were still picking up brass at the university... His response included "You can't legislate sanity."
He was replaced within two days by a new minister who did enact new firearms law. You can't legislate sanity. Interesting article in the December 2012 issue of the Atlantic "The Case for More Guns" by Jeffrey Goldberg. |
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As a professor of forensic psychology, please remember that you cannot "make sense" of what another person thinks, feels, or does utilizing your own frame of reference. You must utilize theirs.
This is an explanation, never an excuse. Be grateful that some things don't make sense. |
Re: Making Sense...?
I remember many years ago when I was in basic training, I was awaked around 2am by a scuffle going on at another bunk across from me (we shared 8 men rooms, then). Four guys were subduing and carrying away one of the trainees, one guy per limb. Never saw the guy again. He had a reputation as being somewhat "crazy". He told me once that the reason he joined the army was to learn how to kill so that he could then be an assassin for the mob. He used to stroke his weapon (M-14, then) and talk to it.
I doubt that any criminal organization would actually hire this guy, but my point is that sometimes it does not take conflicting religions or philosophies to make someone do something like Sandy Hook, just someone who is "crazy", which I am defining as someone who would do something like this. As others have mentioned, you cannot legislate against crazy. Perhaps invest, as a society, in better mental health practices, would help........but, there will always be that outlier that we can't control or predict, then what? So, a gun in every classroom? As a teacher friend of mine once said, and I paraphrase: "Believe it or not, teachers did not go into the teaching profession to carry weapons". Individually we can take some measure of control and do something, even if it it just an extra dollop of awareness. As a society, what? There does not seem any likelihood of a consensus here. Still, is there any practical measures that can be taken? Sorry, just my frustration and total confusion about this....... Jim........ |
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I still think that "you cannot legislate against crazy" is a cope out. You can't legislate against sexual urges either, bur rape is generally severely punished. When this is not done, things tend to break down - see recent events in India. It is irrational to be the only unarmed person in an armed society. The brave way out is a total legislation against the infantile and unhealthy obsession with firearms - the alternative is for everyone to be armed.
But who would want visit such a place? |
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But, how to you legislate against "infantile and unhealthy obsession"? Perhaps the problem isn't just what one holds in their hands, but its what they hold in their hearts and minds? Any thoughts anyone? |
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The difficulty is to have the will to do it. |
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Thanks....Jim |
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Since Aikido is a paradigm shift about accepting the conflict in the world, but not returning or responding in kind, it does illustrate that we need to work on the resolution of our own ego pain. |
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As for working on the angst of the world, or at least a nation, that may be too big a bite to take.(?) Has anyone heard anything of applying aikido philosophy/practice to architecture? In response to David S's post, as someone who was born and raised in Britain (till 11), I can understand your perplexion with America's obsession with guns, and, as someone also raised and living in the States, I can understand some people here's odsession with guns, too. If you take out the people who want guns for personal self-defense and/or hunting, and also take out the criminal class, you are left with those who want assault weapons with large clips. The short of it is that these people just do not trust the government and want the gun option if the government turns "bad". Just part of the (some) American psyche. Still, we are stuck with this current reality. So, what are our options? |
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Reality is an internal perception not an external social norm or government regulation. Don't confront what we are obsessed with, but the process of obsession itself. |
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So, the answer is to make a better world to live in, such that the symptom (obsession with guns) does not need to manifest itself.....(?) Sure, I'll start right now.......Guess this is one good reason to practice aikido and incorporate it into our lives.....still......... |
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Fight the person, not the weapon. |
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Thanks.......Jim |
Re: Making Sense...?
Nice! So refreshing when everything makes sense.
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