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Old 12-09-2012, 09:30 AM   #33
lbb
Location: Massachusetts
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 3,202
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Re: aiki, aikido, tomato, tomahto

Quote:
Dan Harden wrote: View Post
That was a great post Mary but I see things a little simpler than that.
IP people generally raise hackles because once they feel this they say this is Aikido.
it's my opinion that it has been a series of those in Aikido who choose to attack the IP people personally, describing them in every manner of derogatory commentary imaginable. I've seen it over and over, were I home at my computer I could prove it in about a half an hour: with articles from shihans and all manner of posts doing exactly as you described questioning motivations, practices, insinuating people are brainwashed, herd mentalities, con man, snake oil salesman.... the list goes on and on.
Opinion is not required.... I've saved many of the posts.
I'm sure you have saved many of the posts, and maybe you could prove it (although as yet you haven't, so although you say "opinion is not required", ironically that's exactly what you're offering at this point). I just don't think proving it is important. I think it's a waste of time and energy. Squabbling children concern themselves with who started it and who said the worst thing. Adults need to concern themselves with solutions rather than with blame.

Quote:
Dan Harden wrote: View Post
The real dispute should be over whether this work is in fact the original work Ueshiba was doing and that it is in fact the very heart of Aikido. It is that one...singular....point, that has caused people in the community to react and respond defensively. Being told you're not doing something correct or that you haven't understood something you been doing for years, is challenging enough for anyone. now hearing it is being played out and proved to be true on a worldwide stage, is not welcomed news for all parties involved. All too often this has evoked an emotional response from those in the community
I have to tell you, Dan, that MY hackles ALWAYS raise when I'm told what the "real dispute should be". It sounds like you're telling me what I should be concerned with, what I should be thinking about and spending my time on. I have a way of resisting people who tell me what my priorities should be. Maybe I don't see any need for any dispute at all. Maybe I just don't think that anyone, in this day and age (and with the possible exception of the few still living who trained with him) is able to authoritatively state what Ueshiba was doing. I say this simply as a matter of logic, because something is always lost in translation. Get six people together and play a game of telephone, and you'll see what I'm talking about. Maybe I'm just one of those who views WWUD as a vain exercise in trying to prove the unprovable. Whatever anyone is doing today should stand on its own merits, without this pseudo-religious appeal to a long-dead authority. In my opinion, such appeals to authority detract from one's position rather than lend it merit.

Quote:
Dan Harden wrote: View Post
I think we can all do better.
Dan
No doubt about that.
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