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Old 11-19-2004, 11:50 AM   #16
tedehara
 
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Dojo: Evanston Ki-Aikido
Location: Evanston IL
Join Date: Aug 2000
Posts: 826
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Re: Thank you, Rev. Furuya!

Quote:
George S. Ledyard wrote:
In my opinion that original exchange represented most of what is the worst of the internet. Rev Furuya, a well known and respected Aikido teacher, voluntarily offered his time to contribute to this forum and in return had his character assasinated. Now Rev Furuya is gone, we have all lost.
Hopefully we have learned from this experience.

Quote:
George S. Ledyard wrote:
There are very few people at the top levels who participate in these forums. I talk to folks all the time about the forums and consistently I hear that the people who are in the top ranks don't feel they have time to put up with all the BS just to have some good exchanges. Lack of civiliity is a problem in this culture and it was quite evident in the exchanges with Rev Furuya. I was embarrassed by it. And now, the rest of us who appreciated the participation of an articulate, knowledgeable, published Aikido teacher are deprived of his presence on the board because of the actions of a few individuals.
One doesn't need to be a "knowlegeable, published Aikido teacher" to have respect shown. We should be showing each other respect all the time. It doesn't matter who is posting. From someone who posts on Voices of Experience to the newest member who wirtes their first introduction, they should all be shown respect.

Part of the problem was that he was published. Traditionally writing is a one-way street. The interaction of an online forum is quite a shock to someone who is not use to it.

The aikido community is actually quite large and fractured. If you state some strong opinion, you are very likely to be countered by someone else. In most cases you won't be able to "convince" the other person of your opinion. Then the thread usually turns into a series of rants and ill feelings are the final result.

All of this could be stopped by showing each other respect. But maybe that's like aikido movement...extremely hard to do because it's too simple.

It is not practice that makes perfect, it is correct practice that makes perfect.
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