Everyone who practises martial arts and sticks to a particular one must have some reason for doing so. Maybe its philosophy appeals to you. Perhaps you had a very good teacher. Or simply the fact that it was developed by the race you were born into. Comparison is an unavoidable part of life, whether you like it or not. We inherently discriminate, impose/bestow superiority of one race, thing, system, organization or practice etc over another. Why go for the prawn when you can have the lobster?
I practice a martial art that was the creation of my race. I have been questioned by certain individuals as to why of all martial arts I had to pick one that was firstly, not created by my race, and secondly by a race that had committed such acts of atrosities upon ours.
You may recall vividly the scenes above from the movies Legend of the Fist and Fist of Legend. The plot was amongst others, along the lines of my-art-is-better-than-yours, you-are-weaklings-and-therefore-you-are-better-off-under-our-rule, unlike-you-we-are-patriotic, your-downfall-was-your-disunity. Somewhere along the lines some patriotic hero will come and crush his enemies in a most dignified manner and gain respect from the top man he defeated. Moral of the story? There are many.
Watching these movies do evoke emotions of contradiction within me. Some very very bad things were done, in this context, by one race to another (I am not saying that no other race has ever done bad bad things to other races or even among their kin). I am left contemplating in solitude. The art itself is good, or professes to bring a person to higher levels in mental and spiritual development, but very often marred by the behaviour of those who practices it.
Have you ever had the feeling of knowing that something is right for you? Take my baby brother for example. He was quite unsure of what he wanted to do as a career until his late teens (pretty normal I think?). When he made the decision to take up culinary arts, I see the resolve in him. Our parents didn't like it as they had a very conventional view of those who cook. But his resolve coupled with my mediation let him get his way. 18 months later he graduated. Seeing him working in his profession I thought to myself, "This is right for him" Recently he took up boxing. Again I thought to myself "that's so right for him!".
As for the emotions of contradiction I wrote earlier, I don't think I will find a perfect answer. I agree that we must analyse and evaluate in many of the things we do in life lest we make regretful decisions. But for some things however, I must follow my heart.
