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Old 01-20-2010, 04:17 PM   #38
Erick Mead
 
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Dojo: Big Green Drum (W. Florida Aikikai)
Location: West Florida
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Re: Hormonal & Psychological Responses to Combat

Quote:
Matthew Gano wrote: View Post
Has anyone said people are generally more violent than non-violent? I thought the point was essentially that we're equally capable of both.
My only point on this item has been that people harbor murder in their hearts far more than they own up to it (much less act upon it). We are modernly less willing to be honest with ourselves or others about our willingness to do violence for good or ill -- and that the unwillingness to speak of it (there's some conditioning) does not demonstrably involve less killing -- more sprodaic and more concentrated perhaps -- but that is not necessarily an improvement, morally or or otherwise.

If William takes a behaviorist view, then he understandably gives less credence to the interior life not acted upon as less indicative -- or in a sense less "real" -- than the acts performed. I think when people say-- "I'll kill him!!" in anger they actually do mean it for an instance, but then almost immediately think better of it -- it is the source of the reflection and restraint in the very warlike tendency itself that is initially expressed which is interesting to me -- coupled with the issue of moral violence in the protection of others that is so intriguing in suggested capabilities that seem to come from nothing except a selfless motivation. "And that is an encouraging thought."

Hillman quotes the Homeric era "Hymn to Ares" showing this sense that meekness is actually antithetical to maintaining peace and one needs instead a "keen fury" and warlike "boldness to abide within the harmless laws of peace." The quotes of Gandhi and Jesus are to much the same effect, as I read them.

Quote:
hear me, helper of men, giver of dauntless youth! Shed down a kindly ray from above upon my life, and strength of war, that I may be able to drive away bitter cowardice from my head and crush down the deceitful impulses of my soul. Restrain also the keen fury of my heart which provokes me to tread the ways of blood-curdling strife. Rather, O blessed one, give you me boldness to abide within the harmless laws of peace, avoiding strife and hatred and the violent fiends of death.
I think this is the kind of exploration that Ueshiba meant his own mythological perspective to inspire (and which has not received the attention it really deserves) --- and this issue is much, much larger than Aikido per se.

Last edited by Erick Mead : 01-20-2010 at 04:20 PM.

Cordially,

Erick Mead
一隻狗可久里馬房但他也不是馬的.
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