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Old 10-29-2002, 12:16 AM   #24
Jeff Tibbetts
Dojo: Cedar River Aikikai
Location: Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Join Date: Oct 2002
Posts: 142
United_States
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hmmm... some new things to think about. Kevin and Bruce, you both brought up some very good points that I will think about. Keep in mind that I'm presenting this as my father's argument, I have really come to some conclusions about it myself, but I want to hear how you would all respond to my father. John, from what I understand of what Aikido is, it's a better thing to stop an aggressor without killing them or hurting them. If they just won't stop without their death than they choose that themselves, and I would prefer not to be the one to bring it to them, but if they do it to themselves than that's what happenes. I never would say that I could predeict or even reasonably conjecture what would happen in a real fight, but from the expressed goals of the founder the best end to the situation would be the one that brought the least pain or injury to the attacker and attacked. This may be more implied than stated, but this is at the root of what makes Aikido different. If you simply want to take down or neutralize an opponent with no thought the consequences or their well-being, why do Aikido at all aside from a belief that it's more effective? I study this art to encourage a peaceful frame of mind and a balance in my life, if I wanted to be brutal, aggressive, and warlike there are MANY other martial arts out there. Another thing that I think is important in Aikido is the understanding of the order of things, and our place within that. Again, if you only care about yourself and things that directly relate to you, what is your reason for studying Aikido? That said, I think most people do not have the tendency to think of the attacker in a hostile situation, myself included, but I want to add that to myself. I'm not saying to think about why they're doing what they do and feel sorry for them to the point where you forget they're trying to hurt you, but just do what you need to to defend yourself. If it comes to a fight, of course I want to defend myself or others, and I would do what I need to do. All I'm saying is that I want to increase the odds of the conflict being resolved with little or no injury to anyone. After the fact one can get into the other stuff, what should you do to stop them hurting someone else, etc. I think that the conflict itself is really another issue and has hopefully been discussed elsewhere, what I'm addressing is that aftermath and how to deal with it. Sorry if this isn't making sense, I'm very tired... Thanks again everyone for the responses. What do you all think about the moral goals of Aikido, during and after the fight, as it were. Am I being painfully naive in thinking that it's a better thing to stop the fight with less injury than to hurt them badly? This is, as has been said, dependant on their intentions, of course.

If the Nightingale doesn't sing-
wait
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