Interesting thought

[three60roundhouse]

I found this on another forum and thought I'd share it with you considering here at Karateforums.com we train in so many arts and many of us don't know that much about the others.

 

Four blind men went to the zoo. While there, they asked a keeper if they could feel an elephant to give themselves some idea of what the animal looked like.

 

One man felt it’s ear and decided that the beast must be like a fan. Another man felt it’s tusk and immediately announced it was like a spear. The third man, meanwhile, was touching the enormous mammals trunk and knew straight away that that the beast must resemble a snake. The fourth man investigated the tail and jumped to the conclusion that the elephant was like a rope.

 

Unless you have truly studied an art in it’s entirety and to a great depth, how can we know what the whole picture is ? let us not draw quick conclusions from the little we see at competitions and through the windows of McDojos.

[Jack]

I have heard that story before when I was a kid, but never thought of its analogy to the Martial Arts.

 

Very interesting, I'd have to agree with the poster of this, and you.

 

 

[KickChick]

I do believe that we all here (for the most part) do appreciate one anothers respective styles .... although we do debate one versus another quite often here.

 

Personally, I must say I have learned a great deal here apart from what I already learned about the martial arts in general. For those of us that do crosstrain within martial arts styles there is an even broader knowledge and respect.

 

To be a member of a MA forum is a good step in the right direction to learning more about all styles and learning to appreciate an art outside of your own style.

 

"Never judge a book by its cover .... can be said of people, places and yes, (...the martial arts)

 

 

[ZeRo]

so true. i think the message is broaden your mind.

 

 

[spinninggumby]

That was a really good story to bring things into perspective, 360 :smile:

 

 

[karatekid1975]

I loved that, 360. It is so true

 

 

[SaiFightsMS]

Intereting concept. How did you see the martial arts when you first began and how do you see them now?

 

At first I only saw the spear, the "trunk", the attack.

 

Do you think we ever truly make it all the way around and feel the whole elephant?

 

 

[YODA]

This is what JKD is all about - experienceing the whole elephant