Moral questions...

1. I haven't been to a libary in years but as a youth I did lots. The public library did not have comic books but it had magazines and records. To be honest, I don't have a problem with comic books. I would rather have kids read something then nothing. The whole idea of reading for me is to entertain me and I think that comic books do this for many. I was very much into comic books and I have a plastic bin in my garage full of hundreds of them. I also read books too especially when I got older. So comic books ... I'm okay with this. I'd rather kids did this then be stuck in front of the TV for hours or on the computer.


2. No, I'm not into kids playing gameboy in the dojo. You are out of the house so leave it at home or in the vehicle. The dojo is a place to train regardless if your class has started or not. Focus, practice forms or just talk to your fellow classmates. I find too many kids have very little social skills due to playing too many games.

As for adults telling jokes and laughing, I am assuming these are adults attending the class. This I have mixed feelings as when I get to class early I am stretching but I may also have a conversation with others. Sometimes things are funny and we may laugh but it is done quietly so as not to disturb the class going on or any around us. I think this is part of the bonding but if it gets out of control then something should be said.


3. The General Talk forum ... I sit on the fence for this one. I like that I can converse with many here about stuff so we can get to know each other better, however I find now that we do have one that it is taking time away from the actual theme of this forum ... Martial Arts.

When I log in I usually start at the bottom and work my way up. First thing I do is check into the Adminstration Forum, followed by Forum Help, Site Suggestions and now General Talk. For now that this has been on I seem to spend more time here like I was saying. Once done this I pass by the Martial Arts Films Forum and then get into the meat of things such as Strengthening, Nutrition, Grappling, Taekwondo, Judo/Jujitsu and then Martial Arts Talk.

I wasn't sure I'd even stop in here ... but here I am and posting and replying. I think that we will do this because it is new and then we will be back to what we were doing before and this well get less traffic. I think sometimes things get stale on the regular forums especially for those of us that have been here so long. We see the same questions and the same answers and find it hard to get into things. Then an older member will come up with something to spark us ... or somebody new will spark our interests and we get back at things. This is what I am hoping happens in the future as I don't want this forum to become mainly just talking about things we just want to get off of our chest or to shoot the breeze.


4. My family is bad for this and we know it. We've tried several times to get away from this but the news will be on and we want to see it and then we are back doing it again. My wife complains but is as guilty and we should make more of a conscious effort to just shut it off. This is a good bonding time and we should take advantage of it.


5. As for commercials that appear to be news and made to look like a real news segment by a reporter ... I really have no say on this as I don't think I have ever really watched one of these.

you weren't off-topic Taison...Japan is having similar problems with kids. so I assume we aren't necessarily just talking society-specific. If kids/people aren't shown how to focus on something, they tend to seek entertainment.
A library is like a dojo, except training the head instead of the body. Dinner is for eating. A gym is for working out/training. News should be informative. etc...a time and a place for everything. That isn't meant to be stifling, boring, non-spontaneous or lacking imagination.

Which lacks in imagination: Your young teen kids say 'the library is boring.' so you tell them to check out reading the adventures of vanilla super hero in the comic book section. OR introduce them to greek mythology. OR let them play gameboy while they are waiting for you to read a comic book.

being 'bored' is an excuse we make for ourselves to justify seeking entertainment instead of using active imagination.

just a thought so...'flame on!'

ps...ever notice the parallels between 'Wonder Woman' and "Artemis" ?

first im 18, give a younger view into this, these are things i have discussed with my parents so i have seen a lot of both sides of this arguement
1. fine, just not really violent or sexual, in both public and schools
2. gameboys no, anything anti social no, jokes if quiet and not disturbing anyone
3.sounds good to me
4.not every night and it depends, if its a full dinner sit down family together then no but if its like half the family and just food and not a meal then i dont see much wrong with it
5.yeah those are just cr*p

1. Comic books in a public library. and Comic books in a public elementary school library.

No problem with this. I don't see any difference between comic books and picture books. It is up to the individual to get to the point of 'this is boring', to make an inner realization of intellectual thirst...to look up and wonder what is in all the other books. I first read the Chronicles of Narnia in comic book form, and I'm still in love with Superman. Point being: depends on the comics (make them morality plays if you must) and the people. I taught my best friend how to read by using comic books...so they can have value other than content.

2. kids playing gameboy in a dojo while they are waiting for class to begin. Adults telling each other jokes and laughing in a dojo prior to class.

Teacher runs the dojo and sets the agenda and atmosphere. It isn't friggin' church, after all.

3. A 'General Talk' forum on a Martial Arts site.

We already had it under a different name anyway. Don't like it...don't read it.

4. Family watching TV from the dinner table every night while eating dinner.

This is a big personal issue with me. I absolutely hate it. The way I look at it, if you are sitting at a table with your family/friends and paying attention to a tv it is at best rude and at worst destructive. I have always considered it to be valuable family time. Unfortunately, I am in the minority.

5. Commercials that appear to be news and made to look like a real news segment by a reporter, but are actually paid for and scripted by a corporation and presented by a performer/actor.

Three words: Turn it off.

Interesting range of replies. For the answers which rely on people's self-discipline ('shut if off', 'read other books', etc), let me ask...what enabled them to be self-disciplined?

Is that a learned behavior? or do people just grow out of things naturally?

In order to provoke thought and interest of anything, would you:
a) Increase the entertainment factor.
or
b) ?

A mix of natural intelligence, environment/external conditioning and personality.

I think learning is a natural process, and should be experienced as a stimulating one. Pleasure brings one back to something...even when it becomes increasingly difficult. Many people never seem to experience the pleasure of the intellect, and there are others that only understand the realm of ideas and are disassociated with the body. The great thing about martial arts is that it offers the opportunity (caveat: with a good student, good teacher and good MA) for people to experience different levels of stimulation/learning...and to grow into their weak areas.

That works when looking at it from a personal point of view...but think larger.

lets flip it upside down:

The reason they dim the lights in the theatre, isn't to discourage people from reading...it's to encourage focusing on the movie. I suppose someone could break out a book light and make a good dent in a book during the 100 minutes....but then, why go to the movie in the first place? If people complain of your book light and you are ordered to either shut it off or leave...do you have any moral right to argue?

Up to the establishment. You bought a ticket for your enjoyment...not to insure that others get the same lesson. If the house is not okay with extra lighting and you are inflexible to the idea of changing your seating or assumptions...find another theatre.

1. Comic books in a public library. and Comic books in a public elementary school library.

No problems with it. At least someone is reading.

2. kids playing gameboy in a dojo while they are waiting for class to begin. Adults telling each other jokes and laughing in a dojo prior to class.

No problem with this either. If you went to work and were a half hour early in the parking lot, would you let your boss tell you what to do before you got into your cubicle? Man, I hate the cubicle.

As far as jokes, I have no problems with them in class as long as they aren't interjected at inappropriate times. Practice, like anything, should be serious, but it has to be fun too. And that means getting to know the people around you.

3. A 'General Talk' forum on a Martial Arts site. Well, most martial artists are not only concerned about martial arts. They have jobs, families, and other considerations. Why not talk about them?


4. Family watching TV from the dinner table every night while eating dinner.

I don't have cable and refuse to watch TV when having a discussion with the wife...unless I am the one being discussed to.

5. Commercials that appear to be news and made to look like a real news segment by a reporter, but are actually paid for and scripted by a corporation and presented by a performer/actor.

***This is immoral crap. The only reason to desguise a thing is to fool someone into thinking it has inherent legitimacy. Bad!