DiscussWorldIssues - Socio-Economic Religion and Political Uncensored Debate - View Single Post - Evolution of Kendo (split from what do you have on zekken?)

**pIp83Uns** · 01-30-2006, 08:00 AM

Originally posted by Achilles
If this is "more than a sport" and "winning isn't the objective" and if it's just fine to lose a point unfairly because the scoring system is subjective and inaccurate, then why do we bother to have competative tournaments and award metals and trophies? So we have a way to test ourselves and our kendo against people with whom we don't regularly practice and, presumably, don't know how to beat. That's what the "shi" in "shiai" means: testing. I always thought it was obvious that shiai is just another form of training, not the goal of training, but apparently it isn't.

If accumulating shiny baubles is the final goal of kendo, why would anyone continue to train after they've physically peaked and can no longer expect to win? Or why should they even start training in the first place if they know they'll never be a champion?

01-30-2006, 08:00 AM	#15
pIp83Uns Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 530 Senior Member	Originally posted by Achilles If this is "more than a sport" and "winning isn't the objective" and if it's just fine to lose a point unfairly because the scoring system is subjective and inaccurate, then why do we bother to have competative tournaments and award metals and trophies? So we have a way to test ourselves and our kendo against people with whom we don't regularly practice and, presumably, don't know how to beat. That's what the "shi" in "shiai" means: testing. I always thought it was obvious that shiai is just another form of training, not the goal of training, but apparently it isn't. If accumulating shiny baubles is the final goal of kendo, why would anyone continue to train after they've physically peaked and can no longer expect to win? Or why should they even start training in the first place if they know they'll never be a champion?
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