Using Pretend Stories To Make Real Points

[XtremeTrainer]

Particularly with children all too often we like to use pretend stories to make real points. An example would be the story of the Tortoise and the Hare. Perhaps it would be more accurate to call the story part pretend and part real. The part about a tortoise and a hare running a race, that part is obviously pretend but the lessons that the story teaches, that slow and steady win the race, that you should pace yourself, and that just because you're ahead doesn't mean you should get comfortable and take breaks, those are real lessons. So the point Im trying to make is just because a story is partially pretend doesn't mean it isn't also partially real.

Now, what might this have to do with martial arts? Well I know some examples of fictional martial arts stories that make real points. I would like to mention some of these stories but in doing so I don't want them to be dismissed as pretend stories and that therefore there is nothing real that can be learned from them.

[MatsuShinshii]

Share them with us.

I love parables.

[OneKickWonder]

The rabbit that knows one way to escape the fox, escaped.

The rabbit that knew a hundred ways to escape the fox got eaten while deciding which method to use.

[MatsuShinshii]

Love it!

Give us some more.

[XtremeTrainer]

Im thinking of the Karate Kid movies. They're fictional stories but they do make some real points. For instance it makes the point about balance being a lesson of life that goes beyond just physical balance, also, Karate is in the head and the heart, not in the belt, and in the third movie it points out that Karate comes from inside the student. The instructor provides the roots which are a necessity but the development of the art happens in the student and eventually the student will develop it his own way and do it his own way.

[OneKickWonder]

Im thinking of the Karate Kid movies. They're fictional stories but they do make some real points. For instance it makes the point about balance being a lesson of life that goes beyond just physical balance, also, Karate is in the head and the heart, not in the belt, and in the third movie it points out that Karate comes from inside the student. The instructor provides the roots which are a necessity but the development of the art happens in the student and eventually the student will develop it his own way and do it his own way.

And...

If you walk on one side of the road, chances are you will be OK. If you walk on the other side of the road, you will be OK. But if you walk in the middle of the road, sooner or later you'll be squished like a grape. - Mr Miyagi

I've always taken that to mean, if you're going to bother with martial arts or anything in life, do it properly, otherwise those that do do it properly will always beat you.

[XtremeTrainer]

And...

If you walk on one side of the road, chances are you will be OK. If you walk on the other side of the road, you will be OK. But if you walk in the middle of the road, sooner or later you'll be squished like a grape. - Mr Miyagi

I've always taken that to mean, if you're going to bother with martial arts or anything in life, do it properly, otherwise those that do do it properly will always beat you.

Yes I've though of that too. The book expands on it a bit more. In the book Mr. Miyagi says something along the lines of, "either do Karate yes or Karate no. If you do Karate guess so you get squashed like a grape." So it makes sense to do things properly or not to do them at all. So if you're say, sparring in Karate, you can either throw a technique or you can not throw a technique but if you sort of throw a technique, if you throw it half heartedly, you will be squashed like a grape.

[bushido_man96]

Well, if you squash enough grapes, you can make some wine...!

[XtremeTrainer]

Well, if you squash enough grapes, you can make some wine...!

Not if you're the grapes being squashed.

[sensei8]

I hate thieves and liars; no use for either!! Pretend stories, to me, is lying; not interested, and their credibility is lost forever!!