The True Martial Artist

[Rick_72]

humanity. Not training. It's human nature to not want to kill. By our nature, we are violent, but we are not murderers. Matter of factly, I just read something about a study which states that "it is being proven that only 15 to 20 percent of soldiers actively engaged the enemy, showing an ingrained reluctance to kill fellow humans. Many purposely fired high, many more not at all." The book is called "On Killing" Like I said, not to kill is human nature.

I don't disagree with the humanity part. I'm sure you know this, as anyone that's ever worked in a instructor/student type organization where there are children involved, regardless of what's being taught, in this day and age (probably in any day and age really) not all parents are giving their children what I would call (and what many others have stated over and over) a model for success as far as moral fiber goes. Humanity, is a learned behavior. Someone that has never been given the proper teaching in morality won't know the difference between acceptable human behavior and barbarianism.

I just think we as a community, martial artist's, to properly pass on our war-like arts, must also pass on some degree of moral's to go along with the potentially life threatening training that we're giving to our students. If not we could simply be arming a high school bully, or building a future criminal.

There are those kids out there, that could be training in some martial art right now, that haven't, and won't be taught any morality, possibly because their parents are negligent in that area. Or they learned their morality from watching professional wrestling, or UFC, and don't understand that those are entertainment, and there's a certain degree of showmanship in them. Tito Ortiz and Ken Shamrock probably really dislike each other, but their not going to go into some back alley and pull knives on each other, because their professionals. Young people without moral fiber don't understand that those are professional sports, and could very well thinks its ok to throw someone in a rear naked choke in the hallway in school until they turn blue, because they saw it on tv. Is that the kid you want sitting next to yours in high school?

I think we have to agree to disagree on this subject. As a parent of a very mature (for his age) by still very young son, that will be receiving his Junior Shodan very soon, I've often been torn between two answer's when my son had an incident where he was picked on at school by an older punk kid. He said "I just wish I could have used my art to stop it, but I understand why I can't". He wasn't being beaten up, and wasn't even being struck. He understood at the age of 8 (this was a few years ago) why it wasn't ok to use the things he learned in Karate to pound a kid into a pulp when the kid was just saying bad things to him. Some of that restraint he learned at home, however, he learned much of it at class where he was also learning how to beat someone to a pulp. I'm very thankful for those mental skills he received with his physical skill, because when I was growing up it was a different story. I would have ended up suspended from school, and possibly facing legal action, because I was brought up with a different standard.

Like I said though, I think we'll have to agree to disagree on this point though, because neither one of us is really willing to budge an inch on our point of view.

[patusai]

Here's a quote from musashi:

"The Way of the warrior does not include other Ways, such as Confucianism, Buddhism, certain traditions, artistic accomplishments [,] [-and] or dancing. But even though these are not part of the Way, if you know the Way broadly you will see it in everything. Men must polish their particular Way."

Most profound! Thank you

[bushido_man96]

Rick_72 and elbows_and_knees make very good, valid points. I feel that it is a good thing to provide the lessons of morals and ethics to young people every chance we get. At the same time, trying to change an adult who comes to class, who has been doing things a certain way, and been brought up a certain way, may be more difficult. The teaching an old dog new tricks idea.

I was raised in a very strict household by a father who probably should have gone to jail as a child. If he would have grown up in today's society, he would have spent much time in juvenile hall, and who knows where later. He ended up living in a christian camp for around a year, then going into the military and to college. He has been involved in law enforcement for most of his professional career.

My father always told me that his father didn't care enough about what he was doing to keep him from doing it. So, he made darn sure that his sons weren't going to do things the way he did them growing up. I feel like I am a good person, and I respect my father very much, and I try very hard to emulate him, but I fear I will always come up short.

I guess my point is this: when I encounter a tough task, I ask myself: "how would dad handle this? What would he do?" I don't even think about my instructors, and what they would do.

Charles Barkley was quoted one time saying: "I am not a role model." His statement was a call out for parents to take control, and be role models, and make sure they teach their children right from wrong, even when they see it on TV, watching an athlete. I am not necessarily a Barkely advocate, but I do agree with what he said here.

It seems that with being a teacher of the martial arts, it has fallen to us in many ways to help the students to become good people, to help them understand how they should act in society, and to be good, honest, upstanding citizens. However, most of that molding takes place in the home before they get to us.

The defenition of the "true" martial artist is going to have different aspects and components for each of us. We will not agree on what it should include. The same can be said for honor, justice, chivalry, etc.

Wow, I'm ranting. Sorry about that!

[jj19902003]

doesnt show off or brag about being able to "whoop up on" any one or anything.

never layes a hand or women or children and always defends them

[PlasmaShock]

This wasn't supposed to be a discussion thread. It was supposed to be for adding your own ideas on what a true martial artist it. Please get back on topic.

[jj19902003]

that is my addition

[Jiffy]

Unfotunately, any topic that is controversial always ends up as a discussion topic.

[bushido_man96]

Unfotunately, any topic that is controversial always ends up as a discussion topic.

Discussion is why we are here, right?

[Zorbasan]

wow, im not on for 3 days and 2 pages get added to a discussion.

[bushido_man96]

wow, im not on for 3 days and 2 pages get added to a discussion.

Hard to keep up sometimes, huh? Things are always jumping here. Heck, I was gone for a day, and there were 2 pages added.