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Old 06-13-2007, 12:48 AM   #25
Kevin Wilbanks
Location: Seattle/Southern Wisconsin
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 788
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Re: It's not a democracy, I know.

I guess I've never understood the drive toward status. The only status I ever desired was independence - the state of being free to choose.

Reading about someone's greed and attitude of entitlement for rank, really makes rank and Aikido practice appear silly to me right now. I show up somewhere, put on pajamas, roll around on comfy cushiony mats with other people and get all nitpicky about a ritualized activity that is only obliquely applicable to my life outside. So far it sounds like exactly the kind of kooky thing I might enjoy doing. But, if I were to get all worked up and political about who has been assigned what number, been given what piece of paper or colored belt it wouldn't be very enjoyable any more. It seems like that would be an expression of letting my own mental hangups cause me to lose perspective. If I think the game is unfair, why do I continue to play and continue to care about whether I succeed and how fair it is? Grinding this kind of axe seems almost like the definition of irrationality.

I could see getting something worthwhile out of rank, if I stayed somewhere long enough. For me it would be more about doing it cooperatively along with people there whom I respected and liked, not about 'Gimme one of those! I deserve it.'

Last edited by Kevin Wilbanks : 06-13-2007 at 12:50 AM.
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