I've seen a lot of aikido in my time, a lot of it under people claiming to be "spiritual" but not being very impressive. Same kind of thing with "reigi". People presenting stiff, unnatural "Japanese" behavior they don't understand, encoding with rules about not speaking badly of others, which is good as far as it goes, but they turn around and bad-mouth others when they think no one will hear. So that's neither spiritual nor is it proper reigi. My teacher was rather informally correct. He said exactly what he thought on any subject, and he stood ready to back up what he said with proofs or reason. He hated hypocrisy. He was who he was and didn't pretend otherwise. It's not something everyone can truthfully say.
But what of those who are always nice and seemingly polite?
You know, Ted Bundy was very nice and polite when people met him. A psychopath can be very charming and pleasant. I guess I'm too mean to be a psychopath. I drive people away. They would never get in a car with me. (Kidding, actually. Some people will, if I find them in trouble and offer to help.)
And here is something I saw just the other day:
"We have one very powerful business rule It is concentrated in one word: Courtesy."
Henry Wels, 1864
It was posted on the wall of the Wells Fargo bank I visited recently to pay my mortgage.
I thought it was pretty funny. I have no problem with Wells Fargo (not yet, that I know of), but I do know that the company has a bit of a sour reputation for unfair dealings.
Here's one example:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/0...n_1521743.html
There's more out there.
My point?
Well, it's easy to talk a good game, but as Yoshida Kotaro said, "You can fake your attitude, but you can't fake your behavior."
I say that apparent good attitude and behavior are often a cover for very bad behavior and attitude.
And a supposed "bad attitude and behavior" may just be someone telling the truth. And I think it's (almost) never wrong to tell the truth.
I will say, though, that the clerk who took my payment at Wells Fargo was very courteous.
David
