Q. Based on your critical reading and evaluation on text 1 and 2, Write an essay that answers the question of text 2 of Paul Bowman: What ‘more’ is there (for martial arts)?
In answering the first question, you may go beyond Lee’s account. For example, use dynamics between the interviewer and the interviewee in the text 1, or evaluate parallels and divergences between text 1 and 2.
In addition, compare and contrast martial arts with another form of art or activity. In answering this second question, choose any form of art or activity that you are familiar with.
Based on [texts 1 and 2], martial arts can be seen as a means through which individuals express their philosophy, emotions, or patterns of thought in combative forms. In other words, there are plenty of similitudes between martial arts and other activities used to embody abstract human notions, such as music, storytelling, or painting. Paul Bowman’s question can thus be understood as challenging the common belief that arts or activities of human beings harbor metaphysical values that cannot be described from a materialistic perspective. And my answer to this question is clear: martial arts itself mirrors its performers’ values and beliefs as any other human activities do, and, hence, there is more to martial arts than fighting. Also, Brue Lee’s metaphorical accounts on martial arts in [text 1 and 2] can mostly be summarized as consisting of three main parts: first, what is martial arts; second, what attitude is required; and lastly, the necessity of physical training to martial arts, all of which I will explore in the following paragraphs sequentially.
To begin with, martial arts is not just reproducing or copying a series of superficial movements. It is rather a means through which philosophical values, emotions, or determinations are embodied. Therefore, what its performers should prioritize is not how to render a perfect emulation of a set of martial-arts movements but whether his or her personal goal to be accomplished through it is definite and concrete. This fact is consolidated by Brue Lee’s dialogues with his pupil in [text 2], where he teaches Lau that “martial arts is like a finger pointing away to the moon.” A pointing finger, which is martial arts, is a mere tool by which a performer reaches the moon, which is his or her goal. Focusing excessively on the finger will cause a performer to miss things of more importance, and with this comes my second point of discussion.
Secondly, martial arts requires a particular attitude to its performers: being transparent to oneself. In [text2], Brue Lee’s line goes like this: “What was that? An exhibition? We need emotional content. Try again!” Most common philosophical insights about human being depict the anatomy of human will as this: our emotion first stimulates our will and it, in turn, dictates how our body acts accordingly. Hence, keeping our emotions and minds in unison with our body is a key factor of true understanding of martial arts. In that sense, you cannot be cocky while performing martial arts as it is mentioned in [text 1]. When carrying out a series of martial-arts movements, your emotions and minds should be doing the same thing as your body is doing, because that is what martial arts is all about: the unison of your soul and your body. You strike a blow to the opponent as you want to do it. The departure of human body and soul means, in a martial-arts sense, the inferior outcome. For instance, when we watch TV programs where piano, vilon, or cello competition is held, with lots of participants playing on the stage and receiving criticisms and comments by the judges sitting across from the stage. In most cases, participants whose performances were not great often get such reviews as “I can’t get what you want to do”, or “What do you want to express?” Those disparaged often turn out to be void of concrete determination or emotional motivation. Conversely, participants whose performances were great usually get such reviews as “I like how you approach this music in your own style,” or “I love your eccentric but evident style.” Reflecting on these considerations, it is obvious that the unison of soul and body affects the caliber of human activities’ outcomes, regardless of domains, which is absolutely the same for martial arts.
......
첫댓글 수고했다,,,승준,,,홧팅,,,