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Old 03-27-2002, 06:49 AM   #6
Bruce Baker
Dojo: LBI Aikikai/LBI ,NJ
Location: Barnegaat, NJ
Join Date: Sep 2001
Posts: 893
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Did Ueshiba invent Aikido?

If we look at the facts of who gets credit verses taking the ingredients and baking the cake, I guess for marketing K. Ueshiba, the son, should get credit, by the standards of the business world? Right?

This is the first post that actually touches on the subject of Aikido the practice, not the invention of the word Aikido, not entirely being the invention of O'Sensei? But, like a chef who cooks the same meal, cake, or recipe better than anyone else, should that constitute being crowned the inventor, or the creator, or merely the best there was at that particular time with the clearest vision?

Actually, Christ did not invent Christianity, he merely pointed the way to become closer to God, as did many other religious figures ... within the knowledge and understanding of moral and social values of the day? What the followers did with what they were taught or enhanced to learn bring it to the masses, then it became those religions. In that context, Morehei Ueshiba became the icon of Aikido much like the corporate businessmen who found international company's? He did encourage student to go abroad, didn't he?

Yeah, even Ginchin Funakoshi talks about the history of Karate being very old, not his invention, but the clarification of the word 'Kara' being changed from the meaning of China to 'open' when introduced to Japan as Open-hand. That has to do with ethnic friction between China and Japan over centurys of invasion/warfare.

In this, less godly manifestation, our MA Icons/ religious Icons become human beings who show skill and determination to provide for their family, enhance the public welfare, and generally try to make the world a better place. If that means taking the ingredients of what exists today, mixing them into something slightly different from what has come before with a new name, then that could be an invention, but I wouldn't forget to find its history? History explains a lot of the hardships people try to overcome with their efforts .... some of them being the efforts and teachings hundreds, or a thousand years old ... baked into a better tasting cake?

Marketing sells the product, BABY!
That and throwing people across the room ...
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