Ikensho: Karate is but a Video Game

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I remember my fist video game, it had the entry or beginner level then progressed, assuming I completed a level, to the next level that increased the challenges I needed to complete to get to the next level. 

"Video game levels generally have progressively increasing difficulty to appeal to players with different skill levels. Each level presents new content and challenges to keep player's interest high." - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Level_(video_gaming)

This last paragraph is symbolic to how one should approach and practice karate regardless of its intent, i.e., sport vs. self-defense, etc. You already know if you have ever played video games that there are ways to cheat the system to advance the levels and the same applies to martial arts because you can cheat, i.e., like skimming over basics to reach kata and kumite or in self-protection ignoring all the before, during and after of self-defense defense because it is not the exciting fun stuff of the play in kumite, etc., on the dojo floor. 

You can also look at the levels in that to achieve completion of one level to the next without the 'cheating' is more of a traditional way of achieving mastery of the game. To cheat is to cheat oneself and to complete a level comprehensively and with expertise and mastery benefits the person while cheating and advancing to attain mastery of the game is cheating oneself. To cheat oneself in this manner in both gaming and martial arts is more of an egoistic self-serving process that really cheats the individual of a certain satisfaction in going things right; in doing things according to the game/arts original intent and to provide a level of self-satisfaction unparalleled in all games and endeavors especially toward self-protection.

In the self-protection aspects any and all cheats will not just gain you recognition but will gain you the type of recognition found in a guilty verdict sending you to jail, do not pass go and don't collect $200.


Charles James
For reference and sources and professionals go here: Bibliography (Click the link)

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