lkwdblds
Crusader
Re: The old days - Aboard the Apollo - 1973
There seems to be something positive to be said for listing the parts of something rather than just mentioning the whole entity such as one large thing. I don't know why that is but the impulse to break one thing down into a list of individual attributes is an extremely strong urge, at least in my case. Just writing about this topic at this moment is bringing on various unpleasant reactions in and around my body and space.
Maybe it has to do with complaining about things early in life or in an earlier life or parallel universe or whatever. For example, somebody claims to a friend or a councilor, "I just don't have much charisma." Well, the councilor can say, "Look at the bright side of things, you are tall, you have a nice speaking voice, and you speak with conviction. It seems to me you should count those as blessings."
Pointing out some strengths in a field in which a person is having trouble in can be therapeutic. It redirects a complainers attention from a seeming impossible large topic, to several sub topics which seem less ominous to master or overcome.
As an example, let's take your comments above:
The Attributes of a Cultivated Person
writing poetry (to be able to write beautifully)
the arts of war
the art of conversation
the art of making love (including flirting)
art, or, the art of art (life, art, poetry, conversation, war)
#1. Writing poetry (to be able to write beautifully). Some people have an inborn knack for this and those who do not may be schooled to develop this in most, but not all, cases.
#2. The arts of war. This is not taught to the general public. Military Academies do teach it if someone wants to go into that field. One can also read books on the subject.
#3. The art of conversation. This itself needs to be subdivided as to style and as to content. One should know about a lot of topics if he/she is to succeed at this. Style can be learned.
#4. The art of making love (flirting). #4 requires #3 and #1 might help. Body attributes contribute a lot and that is not always under one's control. Technique must be mastered.
#5 Art, or, the Art of Art. I am puzzled why war is included. If the other 3 attributes are mastered, war should be able to be avoided.
Look at it this way, If a young person is told he needs to learn the art of life, he may feel lost or overwhelmed. I would present the items 1,3,4 and 5 and tell the young person that if those traits are truly mastered, the art of war should not need to be learned and in most cases, the Art of Life will be mastered. Learning the art of war can be learned as sort of an insurance policy in case learning the other 4 traits does not lead the person to be a cultivated person.
Just imagine telling a person to go and lean the art of Life. Then imagine telling a person to learn the 5 specific items as written above. To me, the person has a much better chance of success if he is told to learn the 5 traits listed which will then endow him with the knowledge of the art of life.
Lakey
A long time ago I studied The Tale of Genji, an ancient Japanese tale of love and power.
In that tale, a cultivated person (this was limited to a very few few people, such as the royal family) would have the below skills or talents
writing poetry (to be able to write beautifully)
the arts of war
the art of conversation
the art of making love (including flirting)
art, or, the art of art (life, art, poetry, conversation, war)
At least this is what I remember from reading The Tale of Genji. It's been a few years.
Or maybe all these arts are just the last one.....
There seems to be something positive to be said for listing the parts of something rather than just mentioning the whole entity such as one large thing. I don't know why that is but the impulse to break one thing down into a list of individual attributes is an extremely strong urge, at least in my case. Just writing about this topic at this moment is bringing on various unpleasant reactions in and around my body and space.
Maybe it has to do with complaining about things early in life or in an earlier life or parallel universe or whatever. For example, somebody claims to a friend or a councilor, "I just don't have much charisma." Well, the councilor can say, "Look at the bright side of things, you are tall, you have a nice speaking voice, and you speak with conviction. It seems to me you should count those as blessings."
Pointing out some strengths in a field in which a person is having trouble in can be therapeutic. It redirects a complainers attention from a seeming impossible large topic, to several sub topics which seem less ominous to master or overcome.
As an example, let's take your comments above:
The Attributes of a Cultivated Person
writing poetry (to be able to write beautifully)
the arts of war
the art of conversation
the art of making love (including flirting)
art, or, the art of art (life, art, poetry, conversation, war)
#1. Writing poetry (to be able to write beautifully). Some people have an inborn knack for this and those who do not may be schooled to develop this in most, but not all, cases.
#2. The arts of war. This is not taught to the general public. Military Academies do teach it if someone wants to go into that field. One can also read books on the subject.
#3. The art of conversation. This itself needs to be subdivided as to style and as to content. One should know about a lot of topics if he/she is to succeed at this. Style can be learned.
#4. The art of making love (flirting). #4 requires #3 and #1 might help. Body attributes contribute a lot and that is not always under one's control. Technique must be mastered.
#5 Art, or, the Art of Art. I am puzzled why war is included. If the other 3 attributes are mastered, war should be able to be avoided.
Look at it this way, If a young person is told he needs to learn the art of life, he may feel lost or overwhelmed. I would present the items 1,3,4 and 5 and tell the young person that if those traits are truly mastered, the art of war should not need to be learned and in most cases, the Art of Life will be mastered. Learning the art of war can be learned as sort of an insurance policy in case learning the other 4 traits does not lead the person to be a cultivated person.
Just imagine telling a person to go and lean the art of Life. Then imagine telling a person to learn the 5 specific items as written above. To me, the person has a much better chance of success if he is told to learn the 5 traits listed which will then endow him with the knowledge of the art of life.
Lakey
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