# Civility **URL:** \ **Category:** Wing Chun\ **Created:** [February 6, 2002, 1:32pm UTC](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/t/civility/9296 "2002-02-06T13:32:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sihing73](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forum.kungfumagazine.com/sihing73/32/33_2.png) [@Sihing73](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/u/Sihing73)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2002, 1:32pm UTC](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/t/civility/9296/1 "2002-02-06T13:32:08Z")
Hello, On this forum/board we have an opportunity that many of our forerunners would die for. The chance to transcend boundaries and engage in a productive dialogue to better our understanding of the art. Think of the stories of masters wandering the land, in our case China, and seeking out others to compare and broaden their skills. Today, we can accomplish a small part of this via the internet, although there is still not substitute for personal interaction. How many of us would be ignorant that there was more than a couple of different ways to do Wing Chun without a medium such as this? Or without the books and videos put out with the effort of a few who love their art? I know that prior to reading “Complete Wing Chun” I was ignorant of many of the lineages outside of Yip Man and his legacy. On this board we have representatives of a vast and varied sampling of the Wing Chun family. We have some who have trained for many years and others taking their first steps. However, with a few exceptions, we all share one thing; A love of our art and desire to make it better. I would like to remind everyone that our art is a familial one meaning that we are all of the same family. Despite our differences we all eventually, if you go far enough back, spring from the same root. It seems to me that it would make sense for us to come together rather than continue the petty bickering which has hurt us over the many years. When I look at some of the other arts out there I see people of different lineages/schools interacting and helping one another. I am saddened that we can not learn to do this within our own family. Each and every one of us brings something to the table. Be it a great deal or a small dish we all have something to share. While something someone says here may not have an impact on you I can assure you that there is someone out there reading who obtains value from it. Those who are “senior” sometimes need to go back and re-explore the basics. Sometimes a “newbie” holds the answer to a long held question. Just a new perspective was needed to bring it to light. On this board we seem to have two main types of people. 1. Those willing to share their knowledge and work together to build the art up. While there may at times be some heated arguments between members, in the end they will put aside the majority of their differences and work to build up the art. 2. On the other hand there are those who insist on posting yet sharing little of value. Sometimes pearls can be gleaned if you look hard enough. Whether or not that was the case you can be sure they will claim it was if someone does decipher the somewhat cryptic messages and come up with something of value. Now some do this with no intent to degrade others, it is simply their way. There is nothing inherently wrong with that approach in this case. However, one must consider the audience and whether this method is appropriate to those being addressed. I would not teach a college class in the same manner as a junior high or elementary class. While the knowledge would still be there the delivery would need to be modified to suite the audience. What I am getting at with this long winded post is that there is no benefit from bickering among ourselves. We do nothihng to better either us personally or our art in general. Even if we “win” the victory is a hollow one for it will ultimately change nothing in how the other sees or does things. If someone chooses to post in a manner which the majority of others can not derive value then it is best to ignore them. Eventually they will either change their method or go away. Our art comes from China, I think we can all agree on that 😃 . The people of China have always shown a vast amount of patience. Perhaps we can learn something from this and await the day when we can all interact without resorting to name calling and posturing. Until then, I would suggest that each of us do what we can to benefit ourselves and those we interact with which will hopefully lead to a stronger and more unified art in the future. Forgive my rambling. Peace, Dave ---
**Author:** ![Dave\_Farmer](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forum.kungfumagazine.com/dave_farmer/32/120_2.png) [@Dave\_Farmer](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/u/Dave_Farmer)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2002, 1:53pm UTC](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/t/civility/9296/2 "2002-02-06T13:53:17Z")
Forgiven 😉 Seconded. Regards Dave F ---
**Author:** ![yuanfen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/ecae2f/32.png) [@yuanfen](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/u/yuanfen)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2002, 2:08pm UTC](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/t/civility/9296/3 "2002-02-06T14:08:52Z")
Hi Dave: Long post! I agree with some of what you said- about basic civility. But different people have different styles of writing. Some are verbose others terse- I can see different syles of communication-like wing chun. As for being a family- I dont know about that… a pretty dysfunctional family at best. But we are not unique :if you dig deeper into tai chi, eagle claw, tong long worlds as well-they have their ups and downs. The JMA and the KMA are different but I wouldnt want to be in those families. When a newbie asks a question they should be answered. But aside from that, posturing on lists that have skimpy profiles of members is not uncommon. But on the whole Civil anarchy is the best one can strive for and that aint all that bad. But let us not mistake lists as being central to kung fu worlds-most really top flight CMA folks dont participate on net lists. ---
**Author:** ![Ish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Ish](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/u/Ish)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2002, 2:13pm UTC](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/t/civility/9296/4 "2002-02-06T14:13:16Z")
thirded ---
**Author:** ![red5angel](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forum.kungfumagazine.com/red5angel/32/219_2.png) [@red5angel](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/u/red5angel)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2002, 3:44pm UTC](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/t/civility/9296/5 "2002-02-06T15:44:54Z")
Seems to me the people who have good things to say, and important info to pass on, are also the people who tend to be the most civil and open minded. ---
**Author:** ![Roy\_D\_Anthony](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@Roy\_D\_Anthony](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/u/Roy_D_Anthony)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2002, 8:53pm UTC](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/t/civility/9296/6 "2002-02-06T20:53:58Z")
Chinese Idiom: “Short answer’s is a sign of Knowledge” not a lack of sharing. ---
**Author:** ![Kuen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/db5fbb/32.png) [@Kuen](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/u/Kuen)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2002, 9:00pm UTC](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/t/civility/9296/7 "2002-02-06T21:00:31Z")
Mr. Anthony You live in Canada do you not? We are westerners short, terse answers are considered rude here. Perhaps “a short answer, that is actually an answer is a sign of Knowledge” should be the idiom. ---
**Author:** ![rubthebuddha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ba9def/32.png) [@rubthebuddha](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/u/rubthebuddha)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2002, 9:16pm UTC](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/t/civility/9296/8 "2002-02-06T21:16:50Z")
fourthed. nice words, dave. thank you for sharing. ---
**Author:** ![yuanfen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/ecae2f/32.png) [@yuanfen](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/u/yuanfen)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2002, 9:53pm UTC](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/t/civility/9296/9 "2002-02-06T21:53:37Z")
westerner? I am no wetserner. The west is a diverse place these days.Short answers, if to the point seem ok. More to wing chun than forward energy- short answer but true. Ask politely for more- someone might answer. Using four letter asteriks as one did in response to brevity is the west at it’s worst. Many wing chun teachers give short answers. Knowledge and length of a post are not always directly proportional. Let’s hear some less than terse profound insights on wing chun rather than comments on terseness and most stuff on this thread. ---
**Author:** ![Sihing73](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forum.kungfumagazine.com/sihing73/32/33_2.png) [@Sihing73](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/u/Sihing73)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2002, 10:54pm UTC](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/t/civility/9296/10 "2002-02-06T22:54:33Z")
Enough Already Hello, Sometimes I am sorry that I post anything at all. Why is it that some people feel the need to argue over everything??? I am reminded of several proverbs and sayings and would like to share them with you. Consider them FWIW and if you do not think they apply to you then don’t worry about them. However, to argue for the sake of argument is neither a sign of intelligence nor a sign of knowledge. Before you tell your brother to remove the splinter from his eye, remove the log from your own. It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool then to open your mouth and remove all doubt. When one points a finger there are three pointing back at you. Don’t cast your pearls before swine. I am sure you get the idea. I made a simple post advocating civility. Manners and courtesy cost your nothing but can go a long way towards helping you move forward. What does it accomplish to continue posting veiled slights and pointing out what YOU may see as the shortcomings of others? Consider this, no matter who we are we all have failings and shortcomings. Sometimes one learns from ones mistakes other times we repeat them due to our own stubborness. I swear, sometimes I think some people have nothing better to do then argue and gripe. Makes me wonder about their own feelings of self worth and what their lives must be like. ☹ Wing Chun has a terrible reputation for infighting. While it is true that other arts also have this problem, Wing Chun people, some at least, seem to enjoy this distinction. What, I ask, is wrong with trying to bring the members of our family together? Is there some fear that you may see something of value or realize there is a better or at least different way to reach the same end? While there is nothing wrong with a short answer which has substance, there is something wrong, IMHO, with a short answer that does nothing to move the topic forward. Apparently, some people see nothing wrong with that and that really confuses me. I mean what is the purpose of posting here in the first place? It was stated that most high level CMA do not post on internet boards. Well, I guess that is a good indication of most of our level of acheivement. After seeing how some can turn almost any topic into a mudsliging contest I can understand why some would not post on the internet, better off training then wasting time or bandwidth on those not wanting to learn or improve. Peace, Dave ---
**Author:** ![David\_Peterson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de0a6/32.png) [@David\_Peterson](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/u/David_Peterson)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2002, 11:15pm UTC](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/t/civility/9296/11 "2002-02-06T23:15:48Z")
Hi All! I think that those who genuinely wish to share knowledge and gain from the experiences of others will continue to express themselves with courtesy and clarity. Like any family, workplace or professional body, there will always be members whose manner will offend or dismay, but we should always try to be tolerant of the ways of others, accept them for who they are, and try our best to influence them in a positive way. Sure, there are those who like to bicker over the slightest point, sometimes for no apparent reason, but we don’t have to provoke them further with similar comments to their own. Likewise, some of you prefer short, precise reponses, while others like myself and our respected moderator, like to expand on a point in order to explore all avenues of a discussion and transmit as much information as possible…to each his/her own…this is neither typically Western or Eastern, simply Human 🙂 I enjoy the general civility of this site, as compared to others that we are all familiar with, and will continue to post here as long as the discussions remain as interesting and enjoyable as they have been in my experience of visiting here. I hope that you will all forgive my ramblings, and that I will remain welcome to join in with your discussions and occasionally offer my “10 cents worth”. Best Wishes, DMP ---
**Author:** ![old\_jong](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forum.kungfumagazine.com/old_jong/32/86_2.png) [@old\_jong](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/u/old_jong)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2002, 11:37pm UTC](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/t/civility/9296/12 "2002-02-06T23:37:04Z")
I’m with you Dave. ---
**Author:** ![old\_jong](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forum.kungfumagazine.com/old_jong/32/86_2.png) [@old\_jong](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/u/old_jong)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2002, 11:38pm UTC](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/t/civility/9296/13 "2002-02-06T23:38:11Z")
Hey! That was pretty short but it was sincere!😉 ---
**Author:** ![CanadianBadAss](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d9b06d/32.png) [@CanadianBadAss](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/u/CanadianBadAss)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2002, 11:40pm UTC](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/t/civility/9296/14 "2002-02-06T23:40:18Z")
fourthed I’m I number 1 or 2? ---
**Author:** ![CanadianBadAss](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d9b06d/32.png) [@CanadianBadAss](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/u/CanadianBadAss)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2002, 11:41pm UTC](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/t/civility/9296/15 "2002-02-06T23:41:19Z")
opps, make that sixthed ---
**Author:** ![kj1](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forum.kungfumagazine.com/kj1/32/106_2.png) [@kj1](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/u/kj1)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2002, 2:30am UTC](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/t/civility/9296/16 "2002-02-07T02:30:46Z")
Dave and David The introspective and ethical tone of your messages predisposes me to better appreciate their content and your generosity in sharing. I too am prone to exposition, thus enjoy your respective styles as well. Here’s to being a little bit “thoughtful.” 🙂 Regards, - Kathy Jo ---
**Author:** ![Roy\_D\_Anthony](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@Roy\_D\_Anthony](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/u/Roy_D_Anthony)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2002, 3:33am UTC](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/t/civility/9296/17 "2002-02-07T03:33:44Z")
Kuen, if you are offended I apologize, however Wing Chun teaches us to have short answers to invoke a lot of self learning. Like our hand techniques, short and to the point. ---
**Author:** ![whippinghand](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/97f17d/32.png) [@whippinghand](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/u/whippinghand)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2002, 3:57am UTC](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/t/civility/9296/18 "2002-02-07T03:57:11Z")
This post has been deleted for inappropriate personal sniping. Sandman[Wing Chun] ---
**Author:** ![CanadianBadAss](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d9b06d/32.png) [@CanadianBadAss](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/u/CanadianBadAss)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2002, 5:22am UTC](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/t/civility/9296/19 "2002-02-07T05:22:03Z")
This post has been deleted for inappropriate personal sniping. Sandman[Wing Chun] ---
**Author:** ![EmptyCup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/eb8c5e/32.png) [@EmptyCup](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/u/EmptyCup)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2002, 7:12am UTC](https://forum.kungfumagazine.com/t/civility/9296/20 "2002-02-07T07:12:02Z")
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