Roxanne wrote:
"Someone in the group said that he believed that life was about avoiding
danger. If this is our view of life, then I guess that competition, and
running fast, or developing other battle skills, are important."
Your comment on 'battle skills' brought forth some thoughts on
competition. The unhealthy competition or the win-lose version reminds me
of a wartime situation where the 'enemy' must be dispatched. There is a
view of warriorship that relate to healthy competition. The competition
is always with oneself and within oneself. The exterior competition in
this model only serves as a benchmark or a comradery to spur yourself to
push a little harder to improve (this can be win-win). When this is
warped, then it is improtant not to improve but only to vanquish. That
gives the win-lose.
This model of warriorship comes from the East although it has be variously
popularized here in the West on TV series, e.g., Star Trek (Klingon
virtues) and Kung Fu. While simply avoiding danger is important; growth,
learning, and improvement are more so. They not only help in danger
avoidance but yield other fruit as well. The competition is in interior
movement. To paraphrase the words of the character Caine (Kung Fu) it is
the only battle of importance; it is never won; it is never lost; only
fought for.
Shalom,
Chuck
Name: Charles Gilbert VOC:(704)355-5261
Carolinas Medical Center FAX:(704)355-8424
Dept of Pediatric Research
PO Box 32861
Charlotte, NC 28232-2861
Date: 5/19/98 Time: 10:04:19 AM
E-mail: cgilbert@mail.carolinas.org
{"The opinions are my own and not necessarily shared by my employer."}
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-H.G. Wells
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