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Old 06-25-2008, 04:48 PM   #150
Erick Mead
 
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Dojo: Big Green Drum (W. Florida Aikikai)
Location: West Florida
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 2,619
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Re: Aikido™ and Aiki…do. Where are we at?

Quote:
Rob Liberti wrote: View Post
I am interested in what would persuade you Erick?
Short answer -- I don't persuade. I explore and come to my own conclusions. I don't discard anything that ahs been said or presented, but I don't just accept it either, unless it is simply irrational not to. On every thing else I keep an open and critical mind.

Quote:
Rob Liberti wrote: View Post
For me I have to go visit the person myself. One touch and I know whether I need to stay for the rest of the class and explore further. ..
If someone I find reasonably informed and has a credible background has been persuaded of something I'm willing to re-consider my views and open myself up to the possibilities.

I believe that was what Dan was looking to find out - have other people re-considered their ideas at all given the spread of "trust" / "witness" growing in this aikiweb community.
That was kind of my point in the criticism about the rhetorical questions. Trust is not the point, at least as I (skeptical bastard that I am) approach matters. Relying on trust in matters of adversarial conflict ( the presumed nature of the aiki community, not withstanding) is NOT my first choice -- even if I do not think that Dan is my adversary (and I don't). I have been in adversary work for my adult life in various guises. I try to remain professional even ( and especially) in adversarial settings, and there is truth that comes from being adversarial in itself. I am critical and seek to winnow down to objective statements, not just vouchers.

Quote:
Rob Liberti wrote: View Post
As an aside, that has been the majority of what Gleason sensei teaches. Never to get too comfortable with what you think yo know.
Sound advice. I try to follow that myself. As mistrusting and critical of my own perceptions as I have learned to be (try flying on instruments sometime) I am no more accepting with what other people think they know, either, just cause they say so, even if I believe what he reportedly does (and I do) that doesn't answer my question. And my question is not Dan's question, and probably not yours either ... though I hope you may understand it better form our discussion.-

Good discussion all around, however, so ...

Thanks, Dan.

Cordially,

Erick Mead
一隻狗可久里馬房但他也不是馬的.
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