unbiased

"Reading is an unbiased bridge that creates understanding." - Robert D. WilsonAre you sure, Robert?[ NOTE:'Simply haiku' is a misnomer, given that hokku, as raised to a sublime art form by Matsuo Basho and his school, is their implied ethos. However, the site is not without interest. ] Why? Because, we always need to use discrimination when gathering knowledge. Which then may be turned into wisdom by testing against common sense and actual hands-on experience. Reading text per se is rarely (if ever) an "unbiased bridge". In the slippery twilit liminals betwixt perception and understanding there are many habitual cognitive hurdles to overcome if we want to access data with a clear mind. For, all that glitters is not gold. Surely this is elementary, my dear Watson? Having sourced our data we then needs must process that into info. How? The same way we are learning to do with ku:

"Go to the pine if you want to learn about the pine, or the bamboo if you want to learn about the bamboo. And in doing so, you must leave your subjective preoccupation with yourself." - Matsuo Basho (full quote on link)

In other words, we impartially contemplate the natural material and let truth come outside of any distortions and dissonance inevitably generated by self-interest and Pavlovian social conditioning. That is to say "bias".

Any other method is futile.

Let's hold that thought and consider the following astonishing statement:

"The real truth is out there. When you go to the pine, do not go to the charlatan. These are some real sharp historians and researchers." - Don Baird This was after quoting some well known books dealing with haikai:Basho and His Interpreters by Makoto UedaBasho and the Dao by Peipei QiuTraces of Dreams by Haruo ShiraneBasho's Haiku by David Landis BarnhillJapan and the Culture of the Four Seasons by Haruo Shirane

Now, that advice was given out by this 'expert' to whoever would read it on Baird's Facebook page (noted before he blocked me for questioning his inane proclamations, by which we mean, before he went into hiding). Imagine, a beginner reads that utter misinterpretation of Matsuo's essential teaching and thinks; "Wow! That's how Basho says to do it for real, man!" So, no, Don, the father of haiku did not mean for us all to intuit about pine trees from books.

Whilst we're on the subject of "charlatans":

(The lack of proper noun uppercase respect aside - a distracting affectation.) As discussed more fully here, another ku simulation technique is to rip off icons from the movies. But, we digress.

C O N C L U S I O N

Thus is the obvious explained. What we read is always subject to many problems of bona fide authenticity of delivery and authenticity of reception ("bias"). The good news is that all is not lost. If we "go to the pine" (the real natural stimulus at the heart of things - not its conjectural classification and theoretical dissection in a book written from books by bookworms), we may gradually discover what Basho discovered. Namely, that the only way to learn to do ku is to step outside of vanity's beguiling conceits (premeditated spin, aka "bias") and commune with nature (in the big sense) direct - both within and without. Only then may we judge the value of scribed opinion. Only then can we cut through the crap.

Full pine quote: here.

jp

© 02-09-12

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