The arrogance of ignorance

Taiji Quan: meaning supreme ultimate (Taiji) boxing or fist (Quan). It is more widely known as Tai Chi and is practised as a gentle form of exercise and breathing technique. Many people know about it and have tried it. Very few know about Thai Chi. Just one person, in fact. The unknown author of a short article published on an online journal. The article seems to meld together two different concepts - Tai Chi and Muay Thai, i.e. Thai boxing (Muay). It's not a mistake. It is a demonstration of ignorance. Which paradoxically becomes cultural arrogance in its condemnation of a discipline practised even by children (for over a thousand years). Of course, the regime is harsh and often the children are being paid to fight. But they are not “instigated” by their parents, as the article claims. You only have to see the respect these children command in Thailand to know that. As well as the complex codes regulating family relationships. And the training the village children go through, which they see as play as well as an initiation rite. You would have to look outside the politically correct box. You would have to... But it's useless trying to explain in desperate cases such as this.
But this case is useful for one thing - as a paradigm for the new journalism: widespread, participatory, all-understanding and all-knowing, in which everyone knows everything and creates a world to resemble themselves…
…A world in which nothing is considered as something, emptiness as fullness. (Confucius).




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