cyderr

i've been reading a number your entries on the subject of jkd and noted that alot of you people refer to it as a "style". my question to all of you is this - since bruce lee was not an advocate of "styles" in the traditional sense (i.e. karate, tae kwon do, kung fu, etc), how can anyone profess to teach jkd as one? does that not contradict bruce lee's philosophy? my understanding of the subject is that jkd was not intended to be a set style but instead a concept, in which an the self expression of an individual, by way of martial training, was not confined by set traditions. instead, the concept of jkd was ment to encourage individuals to seek out,in their various studies, what techniques worked for them and implementing them in a effective and devastating self defense arsenal. i'm probably not making alot of sense (cause i need some sleep) but i'm curious to get some view's on this subject.

Very interesting topic guys. On the topic of conflict I would like to add these thoughts. In the absence of conflict do we as a society become too complacent? And through complacency, do we doom ourselves to repeat our ancestors mistakes? My belief is that in times of conflict we struggle to obtain our "needs" and in times of "peace" we become obsessed with our "wants". I agree with Karateka's statement that "conflict and violence are brought about by our wants". I also beleive that wants are inherent to the human condition. Perhaps this is why the quest for a true utopia is futile - no one is equal and not everyone "wants" to be. But, I digress. My point is this. I believe that the key ingredient to mankind's existance is conflict. Through conflict we evolve. We better ourselves in our struggle to obtain some sort of equilibrium - which might be peace. When we do reach that equilibrium, we begin to become complacent and forget the lessons that our ancestors have taught us through their mistakes. As a result we are doomed to repeat those same mistakes - thus the cycle completes its self. In closing I would like to pose these questions . If the above is true, then is War a necessity in the evolution of mankind? Or is War simply a fallacy in the human condition that can be eliminated through enlightenment and resulting in stable state of equilibrium?

Thanx for the welcome. You got to try Mauy Thai. Its simplicity and dedication to the bodies eight natural weapons - fists, feet, elbows, and knees - make it an art to be admired. BJJ is another art that I have great respect for - perhaps I will have to try it. So do they have good Thai schools in the land of OZ?

Edmonton Oilers rule!! OK - I'll admit, they used to rule but I still dig em

Hi every one. I have enjoyed reading all your thoughts on this site so much that I thought I would join in. A little about my MA experience. I trained for a couple of years in Tae Kwon Do (WTF style) and then dabbled in Wing Chun, Kali and Hap ki do. I have just started training in Mauy Thai and have fallen in love with the styles "brutal honesty". caio for now