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Old 07-06-2007, 07:14 AM   #1279
Mike Sigman
Location: Durango, CO
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 4,123
United_States
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Re: Baseline skillset

Quote:
Dan Harden wrote: View Post
I know the idea of Koryu must bother you because you are so sarcastic about it. Its as simple as your word. I presume that most guys are fairly honest. In some schools you have to pledge to not discuss the schools "goods" in public. So you're really a scum bag if you break your word. At least to me they would be. Other schools don't require an oath but you know they don't like things being taught openly. Its a relationship thing. There is a host of men in Japanese Koryu who take umbrage to your insulting those ideals and models. I think I understand where you're coming from, But I understand a koryu relationship as well and I respect it.
Fair enough, but look at it from my side, too. There are "Koryu" guys doing a lot of role-playing and you need to look at them as reason why the term "koryu" doesn't mean much to me.

Also look at the number of "koryu" guys who have posted on this and other forums who have all these "secrets", yet who obviously are clueless about basic ki/kokyu skills.... are they worthy of respect for only knowing part of the game, yet acting very lordlike in their "koryu" mantle?

You state that a lot of your skills come from your own research and experimentation. Fine. Good for you. But why didn't you get them from the "Koryu" whose secrets you make such a big deal of. Does that make me want to respect what's in Koryu? Think about it. I'm a true "outsider" and ritual relationships, particularly when they appear more assumed (the Masonic Lodge jape I made is pretty accurate about the way I feel) and they're inconsistent from group to group... seem like a waste of time to me.

And of course, people who are enthralled by being in a "group" with certain rituals, required protocols, pecking-order, etc., are disturbed by someone not adhering the rituals, etc. I mentioned that as a problem 3 years ago. If you think about it, the source of conflict is all the ritual stuff. When guys break down and visit people and start picking up skills, the first thing you'll notice is that in a *real* aura of friendship, everyone drops the ritual and protocol things. Do I think all the "Koryu" stuff is productive? No. And I'm not denigrating it nor do I have particularly strong feelings about it; I just don't see that it's very important. No offense meant. [/quote]

Mike
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