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Eugene Leslie wrote:
Really guys? If you disagree w/ me or don't like my comments just say as much. Why the sardonic contention?
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I'll cop to the "sardonic" part, but not the "contention". It's a simple statement of fact that until you define your terms, you cannot expect people to comply with them. You stated as follows:
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Perhaps it is idealism and this is probably closest to the truth: not everyone has the ideals and virtues of Osensei nor should one expect another in Aikido to practice the same ideals of a spiritual giant like him; but they ought to be an example at least....in their tone if not their content....especially the sempai.
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So, you expect aikido practitioners to "be an example" of "the ideals and virtues of Osensei". But if you've been reading this board, you know that it's a perennial subject of discussion and disagreement about exactly what O-Sensei was all about, nor is there universal agreement about his virtues. How can you expect people to take these "ideals and virtues" as their model, when we don't have consensus on exactly what they are?
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The words "spiritual", "ideals", "vision" and "virtue" were all my limited vocabulary could conjure.
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Really? Your vocabulary can't come up with the names of any specific virtues or ideals? I don't believe that. It's as if you recommended a restaurant, but when asked what they served, could only say, "Food." That's good to know, but it's not enough information to get me to agree to walk into that restaurant.
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So do you think you can see my point of view when I say those words?
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I think I understand that you're reaching for some kind of "something more". It's a natural human impulse. My only caution would be to take things as they are, rather than as you would have them be.