Adapt ourselves to the equipment or modified equipments to our comfortable level

[LNGUYEN]

I have seen some posts asking about how to modify or use different shinai to fit into our own habit. I am thinking about the different between Eastern and Western philosophies. In Eastern philosophy, for a long time, people were taught to adapt themselves to the tools, nature, society, and anything. That is the reason why people practice martial art to perfect our own skills, learn to behave to adapt to the environment. If you can't wield a big sword, practice more. I think the good side of this philosophy is it created better societies, cultures, and our own inner. However, the down side is the tecnology didn't develop very much at all until modern day. On the other hands, the Western philosophy is leaning toward modify the tools, nature, society, and anything to fit our needs better. If you can't wield a big sword, make it smaller. If you can't load a musket and shoot accurately, make a shot gun. If you can't ride horse quickly, make a wagon. Generally, I mean this is one way to develop technology, and society changes to adapt to new invention. The good side of this thinking is technology develop higher and higher, people live more comfortable. The down side is people seem to lost their inner, respect, and honor. today, the East is trying to catch up with the West on technology and at the same time, they seem to lost part of its inner too.

This is just my thought, I don't want to offense any one and what do you think?

[elfboy]

I can't say whether this example complies with the situation you describe, but in European fencing, you get to choose from three different kinds of weapons, depending on your personal preference. Granted, each one entails a completely different style of fencing from another, but it's whatever you're comfortable with. But in Kendo, there is pretty much one type of shinai (with very little variants, such as dobari, oval grip, etc... but these are not significant enough to render them completely different weapons, unlike rapier, foil and epee.) So yeah, western fencing lets you choose your weapon of choice and Kendo doesn't. Perhaps Old Warrior could expand on this, given his long experience with European fencing.

Your point in general, though, is very interesting. I haven't thought about that particular difference between the East and the West. The best thing though is that the many parts of the East is as technogically advanced, if not a bit more, than the West, yet they still do retain that inner spirit. I don't know though. I do like the fact that the Fender and Gibson guitar companies let you custom order your guitars to your liking.... there is not a sweeter sound than the roar of a hollow-body ES-335 with humbucking pickups :D. Score one for the west :D.