Lantsberger

I see that this conversation is based mostly on population and resources, and I identify/understand. However, astronomically, isnt an arm of the Andromeda galaxy supposed to sweep through our area in 15,000 years? Thats the same timeframe as from the caveman to now (more or less) and that is how much time we have to figure out how to live off-planet.

I think we are approaching this as computer age people where information is a commodity and knowledge is power -- with limits of access to knowledge as a form of control. By oral transmission we are thinking mere information dissemination as opposed to initiation, camaraderie, and human bonding. I wish I could think of a better example, maybe there isnt......I remember reading an interview years ago by Rickson Gracie, Jiu-Jitsu instructor and acknowledged to have been one of the best practicioners of his era by peers in the art. In response to the question of why he did not make instructional videos ( I paraphrase), he responded that this was not how he would teach his art. He received it from his father, and if you wanted to learn it from him, you had to come to him and spend the hours with him on the mat. It was something that needed to go from him to you as a legacy , and not as a collection of technical information from a training video. I look at the Bodhidharma question in the same way....its fellowship with the source and stream of the knowledge as much as the information itself.

Im former US Army, vet of Bosnia and Iraq. Hard to approach this, the original thread seems very broad. On the most superficial level, war and conflict are part and parcel of the human experience, and so are atrocities. We are a bit more familiar with the Western experience, but Asia had them as well...if not more so actually. Buddhism and Taoism did not innoculate their larger societies against these things. Going a bit deeper, I am a Catholic, but I have spent ALOT of time studying philosophy, East and West, and I think Taoism is a very practical system for a number of things. I think we have some difficulty as students because most of what is written in both Buddhism and Taoism tends to be geared towards monastic type living --generalization, but functionally useful though. Let me know what you are thinking about the larger topic.

I think bringing this topic up is asking for a fight for the most part. Things have stayed mostly on the up and up so far. I think people get way too hippie about Taoism as a do as you feel sort of philosophy, when actually there are volumes and volumes written about conservation of essence regardless of orientation.

Just a quick thing or 2 to add. It is a nice coincidence that this is very similar to some things I have been thinking about lately. I think many in the West project cultural rebellion into Eastern philosophies. I think that there are some serious differences in semantic that make all the difference in this discussion. Consider how I see the following: Convention: Computer keyboards are arranged so that the hammers that move the keys do not get stuck against each other........like on old manual typewriters. Custom: "Hi, how are you?" "I am fine." ---although my dog was just run over, and my mom was just diagnosed with some horrible disease. Tradition: Common Law, Development of Human Rights and World Culture and literature. Tradition is respecting another person's opinion, even if he is your grandfather some generations ago.....or Plato, Thomas Aquanis, or Lao Tzu. Likewise, democracy is respecting another person's opinion, even if he is your janitor. It is interesting that Darin and I are most likely the most "Catholic" of the Taoist folks on this board and both come down in kind of the same ideas.

I read this someplace, cannot remember where to credit..... How many Tai Chi instructors does it take to screw in a lightbulb? 20 1 to screw in the lightbulb and 19 to describe how he didn't do it quite right.

Ive lurked here for awhile and found some folks out there with some terrific experiences and some depth of knowledge. Ive been into internal martial arts and meditiation for about 15 years. Have had the opportunity to work with some good people, some rotten people, and some rotten good people! Ive enjoyed every minute of it. Some of the most interesting and overall best individuals I have met have been within these circles. Im an Army vet of Bosnia and Iraq. Not associated with that anymore. The only rangering I do now is in the cubicle forest. Im married with 2 kids. Live in Minnesota.