Lectures from Doshu

2020-06-29

Perikles

What is democracy?

The first question we should have is if democracy is a name for a philosophy or a system. I remember that democracy was a philosophy in 1960 and we were discussing which system is better to achieve democracy; capitalism or communism. Since 1970 most people think unconsciously that democracy is a system which is not compatible with communism because it should be based on voting. So, some countries start a war by killing thousands of innocent people in order to create a government based on voting.
Democracy should be a philosophy and not a system. Why is it so important? Philosophy is based on the question, „What to do?" and system is based on "How to do?" It is evident that the first question should be "What to do?" There is a difference between animal rights and human rights. Animals basically live with instinct so they have a right to survive in its predefined environment. For example, a dog needs an adequate food and water and some space to move around. If you do not give enough water or food or keep your dog in a cage all the time, you may be accused of a crime against animal rights. If you give water and food and keep your dog in the garden, you are OK. This environment for a human being is called a well-equipped prison. If a government keeps an innocent person in a well-equipped prison which exists in Sweden or Finland, it is still a crime against human rights because human rights includes a right to create one's life as one wishes. So "what to do" is the basic of humanity.
One of the most important way to create one's life is religion. That is why democracy should include the freedom of religion. Christianity did not accept other religions so there was dictatorship of church and government in Europe for a long time. As the Christian church became weaker, the idea of democracy was born in Europe in order to free people from the church and the government. In other part of the world outside Christianity and Islam, governments accepted more different religions. People did not suffer from the monopoly of religions so the idea of democracy was not born. Even in Europe the Ottoman Empire was famous for accepting different religions even though the majority was Islam. Then Christian countries attacked with the strategy of "Divide and Rule". As a result of the destruction of the Ottoman Empire during the first and the second World War, modern Turkey was created, which does not accept different religions very much.
Next important part of democracy is freedom of thoughts. This should be separated from freedom of speech or expression. Thoughts are inside each human being. Speech or Expression are in the society and so there is always a question of what the limit is. It is evident that one should not express or speak as one wants. It is not good to express racism, sexual abuse, child sex, attack on other religion, etc. and now the whole world is discussing what and how to control the expression and speech.
Since freedom of expression is always a compromise in the society, we should first establish the freedom of thoughts. It looks like the academic world agrees that human language, different from animal language, is made to develop thoughts. Academic world is based on writing so everything is thought. However, a human being in a real world is based on imagination and not on thoughts. So, the truth is that human language is made to develop imagination. The meaning of each word can only be an imagination and each human being has his own imagination. It means each human being defines each word he uses.
However, many people think that they should use each word according to the dictionary. In France "Académie Française" claims that they should decide how the French language should be. This is an intellectual dictatorship and it is not the reality. I remember that a German woman angrily accused me 35 years ago, „Why don't you use English according to the dictionary?" The Prince of Wales many years ago declared," The English language is the language mostly used in the world and we should keep the correct English" and some journalist criticised him that he was not speaking a correct English.
The reality is that each human being is participating in the development of each language but most people are only following the society. Then the society will not be a good place for people. Each person must consciously define each word he uses in order to actively participate in the development of each language. Then he is creating the society which is good for people. That is democracy through the freedom of thoughts.
Aikido is a way to express ourselves in this society to create a better world. We must first ask a question, "What to do" and think with each word defined by ourselves.
Doshu, 18. June 2020

Landsgemeinde

History and Democracy

Most people believe what they learned at school history and unconsciously brainwashed by the media and other people. All human beings are biased and believe in a wrong history. It means everybody is wrong. This truth was known in religions that people should not judge others but follow the judgement of God. Since science has took over religion, many people mistakenly think that they can judge. It is necessary to understand the limit of science. Science and artificial intelligence can only know “how to do” and can never know “what to do”. Some may argue that AI can tell what to do but AI is always based on the fundamental “what to do” decided by human beings. Since the second industrial revolution with petrol, the world has been pursuing “how to realise” the goal that “one lives as long as possible with as much money as possible”. This is what all government in the world tried in the crisis of Covid. They had to decide the balance between “live as long as possible” and “as much money as possible.”
All history is a personal opinion of the past and it is impossible to decide the correct history. Each government has to decide what history the school teachers must teach. That is why everyone is biased. The only way to be free from this brainwashing is to create one’s own history. You must create your own history of yourself, your family, your country and your world so that you can create the world which you believe is good.
History decided by government only justifies the past. It is because they want agreement from others. Politics is basically an activity to get agreement between people. So, history must explain the world now since we can agree on the world now. However, we have to create a better world for the future. So, our history should explain the future. Government cannot do it because people do not agree for the future. That is why history accepted by government is useless to create a better world and that is why each of us must create our own history of the world which helps us to create the better future.
Doshu, 22. June 2020

humanitas

What is humanity?

The world is judging people with the words "Crime against Humanity" but do they know what humanity means? You must understand the difference between life and material first. There is an idea that Artificial Intelligence is better than human brains and there are many who want to promote this idea. However, it is already treated by "Terminator" which is actually a war between humans and AI. US movies tend to show that humans have sentiments and this should be respected. This is a very dangerous idea. It is already known since thousands of years by the saying," The road to hell is paved with good intention." Adolf Hitler was known to be a sentimental person and many dangerous people are sentimental. Many people mix up love and sentiments.
The difference between life and material is relationships. Life is relationship and the whole life is supporting one another. That is why we have to try to understand this relationship in order to maintain life on this world. Then what is the difference between human and other animals. It is imagination. Animals do not have much imagination but human activity is based on imagination. So, humans can be very good or very bad according to the imagination. When we want to improve something, we are always improving our imagination regardless of our activities such as art, science, normal job, hobby, sports, etc. We have to try to improve ourselves all the time so that humanity prevails on this world. If we stop, we will go down and lose humanity.
Doshu, 25. June 2020
These three texts have been originally published under the title "Lectures from Doshu, The World" on https://toitsu.dk/lectures_from_doshu/the_world.html.


Samurai

Behave like a Samurai    :-)

Now all dojos have to prepare for the normal practice of Aikido with touching each other and also normal way of living the daily life. Since there is still a danger of virus contamination, I can suggest the Aikido students to adopt a Samurai behaviour. This will improve Aikido ability and also help to understand the philosophy of Aikido.
Welcoming
1. Do not kiss
2. Do not hug
3. Do not shake hands
A Samurai does none of them.
4. Talk calmly and not too loud
5. Do not talk while practising Aikido. This is most important.
6. Clean the Tatami before and after practice
Then a little extra for daily life
7. Wash your hands before and after Aikido practice
8. Keep a mask if necessary
9. Keep Ma Ai in daily life if possible
According to a message from Doshu, June 2020


Love and Honor

Trailer from the film 武士の一分 Bushi no Ichibun 2006

A simple samurai with a very pretty wife serves as a pre-taster at his daimyo's court. Unfortunately, a dish is spoiled and the young man goes blind. His wife tries to use a high-ranking samurai to ensure that her husband's livelihood is secured in the future. However, this person only takes advantage of the situation and brings disgrace to the woman. The blind husband now responds in accordance to the Samurai Society's code of honor.
The film shows how samurai ethics determine the actions of a samurai family. In the end, the protagonist questions exactly this ethic.