martial arts

From: David Cake <dave_at_starfish.net.au>
Date: Tue, 15 Feb 2000 15:20:19 +0800

>
>[assorted degrees of 'orthodoxy']
>> I think all of the above should have access to effective martial
>> arts magic of some kind, though not deeper mystic benefits.
>
>Effective for what it is they're trying to do. If their ultimate
>objective is a mystical one, then martial effectiveness is just
>an 'optional extra'.

        I think everyone who wants to and trains to do so should effectively have access to some martial arts magic useful for butt-kicking purposes. But I certainly agree that in some cases its philosophically a 'side effect', and that many others obtain their martial arts powers in ways that could be labelled highly mistaken, sinful, error-prone, or any other epithets the more orthodox choose to throw at them.

>> Bear in mind the wuxia spirit - the bad guys, no matter how
>> demented and insane, also have cool martial arts power
>
>I haven't said you can't have mystic bad guys; I haven't said you
>can't have non-mystic martial arts; I have said non-mystical is
>necessarily bad.

        Well, necessarily outside the orthodoxy, and presumed bad - leaving room for touching recognitions of the nobility of the deluded uncivilised and so forth. But yes, non-mystic martial arts is officially disapproved of and a Bad Thing, or at very least an Error. Of course, from the POV of those practicing such unorthodox martial arts, the Error lies elsewhere

	Cheers
		David

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