MA's about discipline??? I think otherwise...

[apoweyn]

LittleChina,

Threads like this always crack me up.

Today, everyone preaches that MA's are all about learning discipline and respect for others... blah blah blah.

I thought we could get a nice discussions going but all you have to say is "your wrong."

Right, right. Because the way you framed the original query was so clearly designed to promote 'nice discussion.'

"Everyone preaches", "blah, blah, blah."

Nah, that's not incendiary.

Tell you what; if you want nice discussions, try being more careful about how you broach the subject. Don't come on like gangbusters and then act all downtrodden when people respond in kind.


Stuart B.

[LittleChina]

Very well thought out responses. I would respond to each one of them but I don't have the time.

In any case I just started training MAs and the sole reason for me learning is to improve my fighting skills. I guess to you guys its "wrong" and not the "right reason" to study. I guess I'm not the one to give a crap out the philosophy of MAs, or the religious rituals. I see it more as etiquette if I am forced to perform them.


BTW - I NEVER go out and look for fights, but some how they come to me, is that my fault?

[Merryprankster]

First, you didn't read my post/s very carefully, did you?

I don't buy into spiritual or character improvement through MA either. I believe that you do it for one or both of two reasons:

1. It's a fun activity.
2. You actually think you need to learn to fight.

Learning to defend yourself is different from learning to fight, and has everything in the world to do with your demeanor and how well you use your head.

I am and have always been blunt, forceful, and something of a jerk. But somehow, I've managed to stay out of fights since my early teens. (very early)

[rogue]

"In any case I just started training MAs and the sole reason for me learning is to improve my fighting skills."

That's why I started and probably most everyone else here too.

"I guess to you guys its "wrong" and not the "right reason" to study."

It's not a wrong reason to study, but shouldn't be the only reason. How often are you getting beaten up per week? How badly? Also remember your training should be as if not more intense than actually going up against those you need to fight. And thats when the "D" word will again make itself known. Discipline is not something you leave in the dojo or kwoon.

"BTW - I NEVER go out and look for fights, but some how they come to me, is that my fault?"

Could be.

[Skarbromantis]

Martial arts is my gun!...always with me , and everyday i pray i dont have to use it!!

Skard1

[n0rmann]

True story about someone who felt they needed to save face:

Two men in late teens get into a fight. It lasts a couple of minutes, and it was one-on-one. The person who lost had to get eight stitches in his head.

10 days later, the person who lost, was having a few drinks, and egged on by his friends, arranged a second fight.

During that fight, other people got involved. The person who won the first fight got stabbed five times, and died.

He died because the other person had to save face, and couldn't do it physically.

(I know the beginning sounds cheesy, but it is a true story. I'm a reporter who has been covering the murder trial)

[Ryu]

Rogue, you've really had some good posts on this thread.

Ryu

[rogue]

Accidents happen Ryu.

Really though, thanks. The topic hits close to home as over the last year I've been going through the process of learning how much a part discipline plays in making an art effective and how it carries over into the everyday non-martial parts of living. And to think, all I wanted to do was learn to kick some a$$.

[popsider]

Martial arts do not have to be about the same thing for all of us, one person can have different reasons to another for studying the same art, that is OK.

I tend to agree with Little China if what he is saying is that being a good martial artist does not necessarily make a person virtuous, or even self disciplined. Yes you have to have some discipline to train hard but whether that means you are disciplined in other aspects of life is debatable. I am not saying that martial arts don't have the potential to improve/change your personality or even produce some kind of self understanding or enlightenment, I just don't think that they necessarily lead to that. I look at some of the bickering that goes on amongst top sifus and if half the stories are true then there is the proof that martial arts do not necessarily make you humble.

I think wanting to learn to fight is a reasonable aim, it makes sense to learn martial arts for that. Of course that leads to a second order question of why do you want to learn to fight - and it might come down to self esteem, self protection, status etc, so it is never quite as simple as saying "I just want to learn to fight". Sometimes saving face is important even if it puts us at risk.

[Shadow Dragon]

popsider.

While I agree with your post in general.

I still have to say that most People tend to carry the same trends in daily life as in MA practice.

If a person is dedicated he will be to more than one thing in life.
Same thing with success, the really successfull people tend to be successfull in all or atleast most of their aspects in life (may it be business, family, ma or sports).

Peace.

[LEGEND]

Martial art is about discipline...u have to become discipline to stick to a style and get beat up by the senior peeps. If u don't stick to it...u'll just quit and ball out. So MA is about discipline. Yes peeps go into it looking to defend themselves...but COMMON SENSE dictates that u should avoid fights cause NOWADAYz...the ultimate warbringer guns play such a big part of things. Sometimes u can't so that when u use your JUNX. But if u can...well see if u can ball out!

[HuangKaiVun]

Actually, I think LittleChina will find the discipline as a result of his wishing to become the best fighter he can be.

He seems like a talented guy (all of us here are), and he'll eventually find out what works for him and what doesn't. In the process, he'll HAVE to discipline himself in order to get GOOD.

Thus there's no need for us to cajole him into accepting this. He shall find it on his own accord via the training he puts himself into.

. . . soon he will be ONE OF US!

[Nevermind]

The force is strong with this one. But I sense much anger and fear in him. We know what that leads to. (ha ha)