Hi Jeff,
Yes, we're out here. Internet message boards are an interesting venue. Sometimes they thrive, sometimes they don't, but usually there are up and down trends. It seems that everyone I know is busy, and this includes myself. Because of that, we, who don't have a lot of extra time, only enter or start discussions that we are feeling quite strongly about at the time. This is only natural. I only post when I have the time, because though I feel strongly about quite a few things in the martial arts, I am often pressed for time. I think this is true for many of us.
Well, you wanted to get the ball rolling about, as I understand it, what we like about message boards and what we don't. So...because I feel strongly about this, and I have the time...I'm going to elaborate just a little.
Petty discussions are commonplace and, quite honestly, make me weary. Flame wars are completely useless. What matters most are those discussions that involve serious questions about any aspect of the art and the serious answers that go along with them. Content about strategy, mindset, development of power, historical concepts, breaking down techniques and forms to glean as much as possible out of them, building up of our students, as opposed to tearing anyone down, discussions about theory and relation to the laws of motion, moral ethics, pathophysiology of injuries, training tips and techniques, translations of important aspects of the art into English...these are just some of many things that matter to the serious student of San Soo.
Any petty person can enter into a discussion and "stir things up." It doesn't take much intelligence to read a thread and find out what makes people irritable. It also doesn't take any wisdom to try to find fault with someone and publicly challenge them on a minor point just to prove one's one superiority in knowledge or character. What matters is that we do this art honor and our instructors honor - all those who lived and died to give us what we have today. The message boards that really matter help the art to grow by open discussion (naturally within boundaries of respect), by allowing people to lay out their real questions and answers even when they are in direct disagreement. The wise Jewish King Solomon said, "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." By talking about things openly in an atmosphere that welcomes it in a spirit of moving forward, we can all reap rich rewards.
Jeff, I think many of us will continue to frequent this board and some others as long as "profitable" talk is taking place. I appreciate your heart for this art and have seen you, even with opposition, stand firmly for what you believe to be true. My take is, keep up the good work, and don't let the quiet times get you down.
Respectfully,
Dave Lorenson