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Old 08-15-2002, 01:42 PM   #1
virginia_kyu
Dojo: Aikido of Northern Virginia
Location: Arlington, Virginia
Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 95
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Am I alone?

Am I the only conservative person in the world taking Aikido?

-- Michael Neal
-- http://www.theaikidolink.dnsdyn.net/
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Old 08-15-2002, 02:26 PM   #2
tedehara
 
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Dojo: Evanston Ki-Aikido
Location: Evanston IL
Join Date: Aug 2000
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Talking

Quote:
Michael Neal (virginia_kyu) wrote:
Am I the only philosophically/politically conservative person in the world taking Aikido?

Not by a long shot!

There are lots of people on this message board with plenty of different opinions. Sometimes the same person will have more than one opinion on the same question. You could find yourself agreeing with someone on one issue yet disagreeing with them on another issue.

You may not realize it, but you represent many people who share your opinions, but don't post here.

This web site is like a horse race. Any gambler can tell you it's the difference of opinion that makes up a horse race. It's the difference of opinion that also makes this an interesting web site.

It will be very rare when you're in agreement with everyone or everyone agrees with you. Don't worry too much about other people's opinions. After all, you're not running for re-election.

Like everyone else, you've got a right to be heard. Don't give that up!


It is not practice that makes perfect, it is correct practice that makes perfect.
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Old 08-15-2002, 03:36 PM   #3
virginia_kyu
Dojo: Aikido of Northern Virginia
Location: Arlington, Virginia
Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 95
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I know, thanks. I was just kind of joking about the very heavy presence of the liberal persuasion here. I feel completely outnumbered

-- Michael Neal
-- http://www.theaikidolink.dnsdyn.net/
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Old 08-15-2002, 06:00 PM   #4
Kevin Wilbanks
Location: Seattle/Southern Wisconsin
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 788
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Everyone envisions the spectrum differently. I'm certainly not liberal, if defined as a preference for centralized government control, zillions of laws, and more taxes. I'd probably say I was a libertarian.

If you're talking in terms of socially conservative/liberal, I would guess that a very, very high percentage of Aikidoka are socially liberal. I don't see much affinity between O Sensei's philosophy and The Moral Majority or The Christian Coalition. I'm super-libertarian in this sense: keep moralism out of law as much as possible, and keep laws out of bedroom, bloodstream, personal choices as much as possible.

Interestingly, the accounts I've read about O Sensei later in life made him sound surprisingly laissez-faire and seeming to avoid engaging in moralism or proscription with his students on any level, except in extreme cases. I think Terry Dobson said he only saw him get angry and preachy twice - once because a senior student had kicked a dog to death, and another time in regard to a major breach of dojo etiquitte.

K.
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Old 08-15-2002, 08:00 PM   #5
virginia_kyu
Dojo: Aikido of Northern Virginia
Location: Arlington, Virginia
Join Date: May 2002
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I don't think that you have to be a member of the Christian Coalition to be socially conservative, I am conservative but most of those TV evengelist types really freak me out.

I really respect O'Sensei's philosophy regarding the avoidance of violence but I have to admit that I don't know much else about his other views.

But I am not practicing Aikido to learn O'Sensei's religion, I chose it for self defense, a great challenge, and a simply because I have a great time when I am on the mat.

But anyway, I am always fascinated to hear from libertarians because you guys often offer perspectives that other sides have not considered.

-- Michael Neal
-- http://www.theaikidolink.dnsdyn.net/
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Old 08-15-2002, 09:26 PM   #6
wanderingwriath
Location: Chicago
Join Date: Jul 2002
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Uh-oh. I'm in trouble. I voted for Ralph Nader.
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Old 08-15-2002, 09:41 PM   #7
Kevin Wilbanks
Location: Seattle/Southern Wisconsin
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 788
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I actually voted for Nader too, but not because I want a socialist state. I see the current 'two parties' as one party whose main priority is to do the bidding of the very wealthy and large-scale corporate interests. So much so that in many ways 'democracy' is a joke. The part of Nader's message that resonated with me was the concept of government playing a role in challenging the role of big money and corporations in guiding policy. My idea of a real two party system would be Greens vs. Libertarians.
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